How to Invoice as a Social Media Manager
A step-by-step guide to social media invoices: the retainer, out-of-scope requests, ad spend and tool costs, attached reports, and following up.
In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics' profile of public relations specialists (page last modified October 29, 2026) says "They craft media releases and develop social media programs to shape public perception of their clients and to increase awareness of each client's work and goals." Whether you run a client's accounts on a monthly retainer or by the project, the invoice has to show which work the fee covers and what was extra.
The steps below run from the start of a client relationship to payment: what the retainer covers, billing it, extras, costs you pay for the client, the monthly report and chasing late payment. Ad spend is the client's money, so decide in your contract whether the client pays the platforms directly or you pay and bill it back. For sales tax on your services, check your state's rules and ask an accountant.
Worked example (sample figures): a manager bills a $1,500.00 monthly retainer for three platforms on a recurring invoice. In May the client approves two extra short videos at $120.00 each, $240.00, and the manager pays $85.00 for a stock video license used in a client post. Those go on a second May invoice: $240.00 + $85.00 = $325.00. The client pays $1,500.00 + $325.00 = $1,825.00 for May, and pays the ad platforms directly, so no ad spend is billed.
Step-by-step invoicing guide
- 1
Write down what the retainer covers
List the platforms, the number of posts or videos a month, community replies and reporting, and the price of extra work. Send it as an estimate for the client's sign-off. Billed's features page says "Yes your clients can approve or reject your estimates online."
- 2
Bill the retainer on a schedule
Billed's invoice software page says "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once." It also says you can "Choose the billing frequency (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and how many invoices to send, or keep sending until you stop."
- 3
Quote extra content before you make it
When the client asks for posts or videos outside the retainer, price them first. Billed's help article on estimates says: "You can make an estimate and then send it to your client. Your client can approve it to proceed further." Billed's invoice software page says you can "convert an approved estimate into an invoice". Bill approved extras on their own invoice, not the recurring one. For each extra, Billed's help center says: "Click 'Add a Line Item' and fill this section to charge against new items and services."
- 4
Bill back licenses and tools you bought
Billed's help center says "If there are any unbilled expenses of a particular client, you can add these expenses to the client's next invoice." It adds: "The expense will appear as a line item in the invoice."
- 5
Keep ad spend apart from your fee
If you pay for ads on the client's behalf, bill the spend on its own line, apart from your fee, with the platform and the dates, and keep the platform's receipts. Billed's expense tracking page says: "An expense in Billed records who you paid, when, how much and which category it belongs to, with the receipt attached to the same entry."
- 6
Attach the month's report
Billed's invoice software page says you can "Add files to your invoices and estimates."
- 7
Give each invoice a due date and send reminders
Billed's invoice software page says: "Set a due date on each invoice so your client knows when to pay." Billed's help center says "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date." and "You can send up to three reminders."
Tips for social media manager invoicing
- Name the month covered on each retainer invoice.
- Bill extra content in the month you delivered it.
- If you run several brands for one client, ask which brand each charge belongs to and give each brand its own line.
- Keep the receipt for every license, tool or ad you pay for on a client's behalf.
- Write down in your contract who owns the ad accounts and who pays the platforms.
Common invoicing mistakes to avoid
- Mixing ad spend into your management fee, which hides how much went to the platform
- Making extra videos or posts without a quoted price
- Buying a tool or license for one client's account and leaving it off their invoice
- Sending the retainer invoice on a different day each month
- Sending an invoice without the report the client expects with it
How this works in Billed
Recurring Retainers
Billed's invoice software page says "For clients you bill on a schedule, set up a recurring profile once." Billed's recurring invoices page says "Billed creates a recurring profile for your customer and keeps all the payments and invoices related to that profile in one place."
Quotes for Extra Work
Billed's help article on estimates says: "Your client can approve it to proceed further." Billed's invoice software page says you can "convert an approved estimate into an invoice".
Costs Billed to the Client
Billed's help center says "If there are any unbilled expenses of a particular client, you can add these expenses to the client's next invoice." It adds: "The expense will appear as a line item in the invoice."
Reports on Invoices
Billed's invoice software page says you can "Add files to your invoices and estimates."
Payment Reminders
Billed's help center says "You can set a schedule of payment reminders before and after the invoice's due date." and "You can send up to three reminders."
Frequently asked questions
Start Invoicing With Billed
Set up your account and send your first invoice with Billed.
At a glance
| Charge | How it goes on the invoice |
|---|---|
| Monthly retainer | One line for the month, on a recurring invoice |
| Extra content | Its own line on a separate invoice, at the price the client approved |
| Ad spend you paid | Its own line, apart from your fee |
| Tools or licenses you bought | Its own line, from the expense you recorded |
When this isn't for you
This guide is for social media managers who bill their own clients. If you work in-house, or for an agency that bills the client, your employer handles the invoice.