Free Social Media Manager
Contract Template
A monthly retainer agreement for freelance social media managers — covering platforms, deliverables, content approval workflow, account access and termination notice.
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- Free forever
- Reviewed June 2026
- Monthly retainer model
Branding (optional)
1 — Social Media Manager
2 — Client
3 — Services
4 — Retainer & Payment
5 — Terms
PDF: choose "Save as PDF" in the dialog that opens.
Social Media Management Agreement
Date: enter date above
1. Agreement Parties
This Agreement is between Manager name ("Manager"), and Client name ("Client"). Start date: contract start date.
2. Services and Scope
Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn
Monthly deliverables: 20 posts + 10 stories/month
3. Content Approval
Content calendar submitted by the 25th of each month for the following month. Client has 48 hours to approve or request changes. Approved content published on schedule without further confirmation required.
4. Monthly Retainer
Retainer fee: USD ($) amount/month
Payment due: 1st of each month
5–9. Standard Clauses
Content ownership · Account access & security · Confidentiality · Reporting · Non-solicitation
10. Termination & Governing Law
Notice period: 30 days written notice by either party.
Governing law: governing jurisdiction.
Social Media Manager
Signature
Print name: _______________
Date: _________________
Client
Signature
Print name: _______________
Date: _________________
Template preview
Parties
1. Agreement Parties
This Social Media Management Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of [Date] between [Manager Full Name], trading as [Business Name] ("Manager"), and [Client Full Name], [Company Name] ("Client"). This Agreement commences on [Start Date] and continues on a rolling monthly basis until terminated in accordance with Clause 10.
Services
2. Services and Monthly Deliverables
The Manager will provide the following social media management services each month:
Platforms covered: [e.g. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn — specify which accounts]
Monthly deliverables: [e.g. 20 feed posts + 10 Instagram Stories; or 4 LinkedIn articles + 8 posts; tailor to your specific offering]
Content types: [e.g. Static image posts, short-form video (Reels/TikTok), carousel posts, stories, community management (responding to comments and DMs within [X] business hours)]
Not included: [e.g. Paid advertising management, influencer outreach, photography or video production, platform account creation — unless separately agreed in writing.]
Content Approval
3. Content Approval Process
The Manager will submit a content calendar and draft posts for the following month by the [e.g. 25th of each month]. The Client has [e.g. 48 hours / 3 business days] to review and provide written approval or change requests.
Once approved, content will be published on the scheduled dates without requiring further confirmation. If the Client does not respond within the review window, content is deemed approved.
The Client accepts responsibility for any approved content that causes complaints, legal issues or platform policy violations.
Payment
4. Monthly Retainer and Payment
Monthly retainer: [Currency + Amount] per month, covering the services described in Clause 2.
Payment due date: [e.g. 1st of each month / invoice date + 7 days]. Accepted payment methods: [bank transfer / PayPal / Stripe / other].
Retainer for the first month is due before the Manager begins work. If payment is not received within [e.g. 7 days] of the due date, the Manager may pause services until payment is received.
[Optional: "Additional services outside the monthly scope (additional posts, paid ad management, content creation for other platforms) are billed at [Currency + Rate] per hour."]
📄 Download the full template — includes content ownership, account access & security, confidentiality, reporting obligations and termination notice clause.
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What's included in this template
How to use this template
Define deliverables as specific numbers, not general descriptions
Do not write "regular social media posts" — write "20 feed posts and 10 Instagram Stories per month across Instagram and Facebook". Vague deliverables create disputes when a client expects more than you intended to provide. If different platforms have different post counts, list each one separately.
Set a hard approval window and a deemed-approval clause
The most common cause of delayed publishing is clients who do not respond to content calendars. The deemed-approval clause — if the client does not respond within 48 hours, content is approved — protects your posting schedule. Once this is in the contract, you have a contractual basis to publish on time regardless of client responsiveness.
Pause services for late payment — not just send reminders
The payment clause in this template gives you the right to pause services if payment is not received within 7 days of the due date. This is your most effective lever for on-time payment on a retainer. Clients who know services will stop if they don't pay on time pay on time. Clients who know you'll keep posting regardless of payment have no urgency.
Handle account access carefully at contract start and end
Document exactly which accounts and credentials you have access to, and use a password manager to share access securely (not email). When the contract ends, the termination clause requires you to hand over any unpublished approved content and transfer access before your last working day. Keeping this process clear prevents disputes over account access at the end of an engagement. Use Bonsai to manage contracts and invoices in one place.
Frequently asked questions
- A social media manager contract should cover: the platforms managed, monthly deliverables (post count, content types, community management), the content approval process, the monthly retainer fee and payment date, content ownership, account access and security terms, a confidentiality clause, reporting obligations, and a termination notice period. This template covers all 10 clauses clearly.
- Most social media management work is ongoing — content calendars, posting schedules, community management — which makes a monthly retainer the natural pricing model. A retainer provides predictable income for the manager and a clear ongoing commitment from the client. Project pricing works for one-off tasks like account setup or a single campaign, but is impractical for day-to-day management. This template is built around a monthly retainer model.
- By default, the creator of the content owns the copyright. This template transfers ownership of all content created under the contract to the client once each month's retainer is paid. The manager retains the right to use the content in their portfolio and to cite anonymised metrics as case studies. Define this clearly — ambiguity about who owns the content is a common source of disputes when the contract ends.
- Thirty days is the standard notice period for social media management retainers. This gives both parties time to wrap up content calendars, complete the handover, and transition responsibilities without gaps in coverage. The notice period should apply equally to both parties — it is not just a client protection. For higher-value retainers, 60 days is not uncommon. This template defaults to 30 days — adjust to your preference.
- This template requires the manager to hand over all pre-approved unpublished content and the content calendar to the client during the notice period. Account access and credentials must be transferred before the final working day. The key principle: content that has been paid for must be delivered; content for periods beyond the paid period does not need to be. Define this handover clearly in writing before the contract ends.
- A well-drafted contract significantly reduces this risk. The content approval clause in this template requires the client to approve all content in writing before it is published. Once the client approves content, liability for that content shifts to the client. The limitation of liability clause also caps the manager's total liability at the previous month's retainer fee. Always keep written records of every approval — even a reply email saying "looks good" is sufficient documentation.
Bonsai handles recurring invoices automatically — send the contract once, get paid every month on schedule.