In recent times as well, more and more companies and businesses have gotten creative and have taken to social media to promote their business or their products. They use it because it offers them a very easy and low-commitment way for potential customers to express interest in what the companies are promoting. By being on social media, companies also increase their market reach. If they manage to use social media marketing effectively, they increase traffic to their page or main website and improve their search engine ranking.

14+ SAMPLE Social Media Marketing Contract

What is a Social Media Marketing Contract?

A social media marketing contract is defined as a legally-binding document that serves as a contract between the client and the social media marketing professional. This document clearly and concisely states the social media services that will be provided and also protects the rights and interests of all parties that are involved in the contract. Having a contract also protects both parties in case the relationship goes bad. Since most social media managers or marketers work as independent contractors or freelancers for a certain business, having a social media marketing contract is necessary and the contract must go into detail about the nature of employment, the terms, and the responsibilities that come with said contract.

What Are The Categories of Social Media?

As social media is a very huge market, it is divided into various categories. Here they are, sorted by marketing potential and characteristics:

Social Network. It is defined as a platform that allows different people from similar backgrounds or similar interests to connect online and share photos, videos, and information. People who use social networks as a personal endeavor interact by using various forms of media to discuss their social lives and interests. This is what most people commonly think of first when they hear the terms “social media”. The three most common social networks (in no particular order) are Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.Social News. This is a category of social media that features user-posted stories. These sites enable their users to share or post external links to various news sites. The readers, in turn, have the choice to vote that particular submission up or down. The post with the most upvotes will then make its way to the top and is most prominently displayed. Users can also comment on the posts that are shared on a social news site and their respective comments can also be ranked by popularity. A prime example of this social news site is Reddit.Microblogging sites. Microblogging serves as an online blogging medium that exists as a specific form of blogging. Microblogging sites are platforms that allow users to post short written entries (hence the term “micro”) which can typically include links to a product or a service site, or another social media platform. Small messages in a microblogging site are also called micro-posts. Some microblogging services offer privacy settings that allow users to control who can see and access their content. A popular example of this kind of site is Twitter.Bookmarking sites. These websites are centralized online services and are used to save and organize links from the various online resources and websites that can be found on the internet. Bookmarking sites typically offer a blend of social and organizational tools such as annotation, categorization, social cataloging, and commenting. These sites allow their users to tag and categorize links, making it much easier to share with followers. A popular example of a bookmarking site is Pinterest, which has seen over 300 million active monthly users.Media sharing platforms. These sites allow their users to share their range of media online. In practice, they permit you to upload photos, videos, as well as audio to your profile which can be retrieved wherever you are in the world. Some sites also allow you to share your media through the process of embedding. Embedding is a process where the user copies a tiny part of their HTML code in the webpage. As a result, this makes the media being shared appear as if it is on the website. A very popular example of a media-sharing platform is YouTube.Community blogging websites. By definition, community blogging sites are websites where various authors can post journal entries in a single space and people respond by commenting on these posts. In most cases, sharing your message without the use of a hosting website is enough for a brand’s marketing. This helps them reach their audiences with minimal hassle. A popular example of a community blogging site is Tumblr, which is a site designed for multimedia sharing and platform blogging. Tumblr can also be classified as a microblogging social media site.

Why is Social Media Marketing Important?

In this recent times, marketing has evolved to cover and target people who use social media sites in order to expand the reach of a brand. It is important to use platforms that are commonly used by aspiring customers so a brand reaches a target audience much more effectively. Here are several reasons why social media marketing is important:

Audience growth at minimum budget. Since social media is relatively inexpensive compared to other forms of marketing, many businesses, especially new ones, rely on social media to grow their brand. Growing on social media networks only needs being a consistent presence on social media and posting interesting and relatable content for your target audience, even on a shoestring marketing budget. If this is done effectively, it can lead to an increase in traffic in a brand’s profile, which will eventually lead to an increase in traffic to the brand’s main website.Building custom target audiences. Building custom audiences enables a business to have the opportunity to create customer satisfaction for audiences who were never satisfied and abandoned their service in return. Through social media marketing, a brand can remind its customers how much they wanted or needed their product or service. And by using this type of marketing, the brand can correct all its shortcomings and change a target audience’s perspective by giving them the satisfaction that they are looking for by purchasing the appropriate product or service.Establishing relationships with target customers. A brand or business that connects with its audience the most can grow immensely on all possible levels. Through the use of social media marketing, customers not only trust that brand for a product or service but also get to know them at a much deeper level. Customers also like being heard and they feel more privileged when they get what they seek from a brand and when a more friendly and accessible form of communication is present, where they can get to know more about that particular brand.Increasing return of investment. As the cost of advertising a particular product or service on social media is significantly less compared to other forms of marketing, that brand can get more returns, in turn giving them much more revenue. Since digital marketing is used, advertisements can simply be targeted and reach thousands of potential customers and this method significantly reduces costs. The use of social media marketing increases the possibility of users seeing that brand’s advertisement, which in the end may turn them into buyers of that product or service being advertised.Increase of brand awareness. Attracting a large customer base can be done through creative and appealing content that catches the attention of the social media users, therefore making them aware that that brand exists. For the brand to properly connect with its target audience, the process of creating content has to be done consistently. Once the target people have been made aware of the existence of the brand repeatedly, they will increasingly associate with the brand or the content being created. Therefore, social media engagement is increased, attracting more people and potential customers. Being active on as many social media platforms as possible also helps create and increase brand awareness.

Step by Step Process in Creating an Effective Social Media Marketing Contract

To keep both parties happy throughout the duration of the business relationship, an effective marketing contract is needed. Having one makes sure that the parties involved are in sync with the goals, objectives, explanations, and overall progress. Here are the steps in how to create one, including what to include:

1. Include a clear description of the work.

In preparing the marketing contract, a very clear description of the work to be done is needed. In this part, you need to establish your identity and what you are going to do for the potential client. Stating that you need to connect with the audience is not enough. You need to clearly state your responsibilities throughout the duration of the business relationship. The necessary names should also be indicated in this part of making the contract.

2. Include the dates or create a timeline.

The next step to be taken would be outlining the project’s scope and the dates on when certain goals should be achieved. It is important to avoid being vague in this process, and a clear number and dates method should be used when talking about timeframes in this project. Also, outline some milestones and deadlines here, and make sure that you are clear about when something should be due and its corresponding results or consequences if not done on time.

3. Include the payment details.

In this step, it is important that the exact details on how payment is done should be included. It can be done upfront, or through a number of months until it is completed. The amount being charged is completely up to you. When a monthly payment method is being used, performance bonuses can be added for additional incentive and motivation. But it is important when using a monthly method to include an upfront payment, which is to be paid before the work or business relationship begins.

4. Outline the Intellectual Property and Copyright details.

If the content being produced is for social media posts or replies, it is important that the terms for Intellectual Property and Copyright protection must be included in making the contract. It needs to be stated who owns the type of content and when the ownership is to be transferred. It is also important to outline ownership and usage permission for legal reasons and purposes.

5. Include terms regarding confidentiality.

An essential step in making a social media marketing contract is including terms about confidentiality, its respective clauses, or a non-disclosure agreement clause. Having a non-disclosure agreement included in the contract benefits all parties involved because it protects their trade secrets and any other shared personal information. Also agreeing to a non-compete clause means that no work with a client’s competitor is to be made within the duration of the contract.

6. Include the termination clause.

Writing a termination clause is also important in preparing the contract. This part states the things that need to be done should the client wish to terminate the service. Criteria should also be included should the contract is ended earlier than planned. This could be on a specific date. It should also state the things to do when the project is finished or the final payment is completed.

FAQs

What is a social media influencer?

A social media influencer is defined as an individual that has gathered enough reputation for their knowledge on a specific topic. They usually create regular content that is focused on their area of expertise on their social network of choice. They usually generate large followings of people who pay attention to their views about their topic. Influencers have the power to affect the purchasing decisions of their followers or other people due to their authority, knowledge on the particular topic, and influence. They are described as social marketing assets with which particular brands have collaborations in order to reach their objectives.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social Media Marketing is the use of social media and various social networks to market a company’s products or services. It also provides companies with various methods in which they can engage existing customers and also give them the chance to reach new ones while allowing them to promote their desired mission. Social networking sites such as Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter are among the most commonly used platforms by established brands for their social media marketing.

In a contract, what is a Non-Disclosure Agreement?

A Non-Disclosure Agreement or NDA is a legally binding contract that establishes a confidential relationship between the parties involved. They agree that any sensitive information that is shared within them may not be shared with others not involved in the agreement. They are common in businesses entering into negotiation with other businesses. They allow the parties to share information without fear of leakage, either accidental or intentional.

From a marketing perspective, social media is an incredibly powerful and useful to have if they want to reach a wider variety of audiences. Creating a massive and influential presence in social media is key to creating content that would instantly reach and connect with your desired audience. If a deal is to be done between the client and the social marketing media manager of a particular brand, having a properly made contract is essential. Samples are available above this article for you to look at and use as a reference.