# How much should a small business spend on social media?

> There's no single right figure. Spend an amount you can sustain, tie it to one goal, & raise it only after you see results. For many small businesses the biggest cost is time, not money.

Updated: 2026-10-05.

## Why there's no single answer

Surveys & rules of thumb give percentages of revenue or marketing budget, but they differ by industry, stage & how much of your business comes from social. A figure that suits a retail brand won't suit a consultancy.

Use any benchmark as context, then decide from your own situation.

## Think in stages

Early stage: spend mostly time, with a low-cost tool & little else. Growing: add help with creative or a freelancer. Established: invest in strategy, volume & possibly paid promotion.

Moving to the next stage should follow evidence, not just a bigger budget.

## Don't forget time

For a small business the largest cost is usually the owner's or an employee's hours. A modest tool bill & ten hours a week is a bigger commitment than it looks.

Put a value on that time when you decide how much to spend.

## Spend where results show

Start small across a few activities, then move money toward what produces results. If one platform brings enquiries & another brings nothing, that's your answer.

Resist spreading evenly for the sake of fairness.

DunSocial's calendar shows how often you posted on each platform, which helps you see where effort went before you decide where money should go.

## Where DunSocial fits

DunSocial keeps the tool line low & predictable: $20 a month or $192 a year, one seat included, & $8 a month per extra seat. For many small teams that's the smallest line in the budget.

The rest, creative, paid promotion & people, depends on your stage & stays outside DunSocial.

## Revisit it regularly

Set a review date every quarter. If results are clear, raise spend a little. If not, hold or cut.

DunSocial's 14-day trial lets you try the tool line with no commitment, so the first budget decision carries little risk.

## Related guides

- [How to set a social media budget](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-budgeting-and-roi/how-to-set-a-social-media-budget.md)
- [How to measure social media ROI](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-budgeting-and-roi/how-to-measure-social-media-roi.md)
- [How much does social media management cost?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-management/how-much-does-social-media-management-cost.md)
- [Freelancer, tool or agency: what's the right way to run social media?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-budgeting-and-roi/freelancer-vs-tool-vs-agency-for-social-media.md)

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## Company

- Product: DunSocial, https://www.dunsocial.com
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