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28 October, 2025

Social Media Marketing Services: 16 UK Picks for SMEs

28 October, 2025

Choosing the right social media partner can feel like guesswork when you’re running an SME. You need content that actually moves the needle, paid campaigns that don’t burn budget, and clear reporting you can trust. Yet providers vary wildly: some excel at performance ads, others at community and creative; some are great for hands-on founders, others for in‑house teams that want a strategic steer. Pick poorly and you risk months of sunk time and missed targets.

This guide cuts through the noise with 16 UK social media marketing services that suit small and mid-sized businesses. You’ll find a balanced mix—from specialist consultants to full-service agencies—covering organic and paid social, UGC and video, influencer marketing, community management, and reputation support. For each pick, we outline an overview, who they’re best for, the key social services they offer, and typical ways of working and pricing signals, so you can compare like for like and build a confident shortlist. Selections are based on demonstrated results, SME-friendly engagement models, and credible case studies. Below, start with the option that best matches your goals, budget, and internal resources.

1. MR-Marketing

Overview

MR-Marketing is a consultancy-led alternative to a traditional agency, run by Chartered marketer Michael Rushby (35+ years’ experience). It focuses on measurable growth for SMEs, blending social media marketing services with SEO, CRO, paid media and content to create one joined-up plan tied to revenue. Expect senior attention on every engagement, fast grasp of your market, and pragmatic use of AI to optimise ad spend, personalise journeys and surface real-time insights—so creative and budget work harder together.

Best for

If you want a senior partner who will build a tailored social plan around your commercial goals—not just pump out posts—MR-Marketing is a strong fit. It suits founder-led businesses and lean in‑house teams that need clarity, speed and accountable results without agency bloat.

  • Owners who want ROI clarity: Clear KPIs, tight feedback loops, and reporting you can trust.
  • SMEs needing integration: Social aligned with SEO, CRO, email and PPC to lift overall performance.
  • Hands-on teams: Training, playbooks and workflows so your team can scale what works.

Key social services

You get strategy-first social support with execution where you need it most, underpinned by AI for smarter decisions and faster iteration.

  • Social strategy and planning: Positioning, audience, content pillars, channel mix and KPIs.
  • Content creation and management: Copy, creative direction, calendars and scheduling.
  • Paid social advertising: Full-funnel campaigns on Meta/TikTok/LinkedIn with AI-assisted budget and creative testing.
  • CRO and landing support: Turn social clicks into customers with on-site fixes and offers.
  • Analytics and reporting: Real-time insights, testing plans and continuous optimisation.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are scoped to objectives and resources, with transparent deliverables and outcomes. Typical UK SME retainers for social media management sit in the £500–£5,000/month range, with project-based pricing for audits, strategy playbooks or content sprints. Ad spend is managed separately, with clear performance targets, regular reviews and the flexibility to scale up or down as results compound.

2. The Social Shepherd

Overview

The Social Shepherd is an award‑winning social media agency with teams in the UK and USA, delivering organic social, paid media, creative content, and influencer campaigns. They’re known for ROI focus, hiring specialist talent for social-first creative, and scaling performance for scaleups and household names. Platform partnerships with Meta, Google (Premier Partner), TikTok, and Pinterest unlock insights, beta access, and ad credits. Notable clients include Passenger, Bio‑Oil and easyJet.

Best for

If you’re ready to turn social from “nice to have” into a primary growth channel, this is a strong, performance-minded choice. It fits brands that want one team across strategy, creative and media buying without losing platform nuance.

  • Growth-focused eCommerce and consumer brands: Proven ability to scale paid social and search.
  • Content-hungry teams: Social-first production for TikTok, Reels, Stories and always‑on creative.
  • Integrated briefs: Organic + paid + influencer under one roof, optimised against shared KPIs.
  • Brands valuing platform access: Partner status for early features, insights and credits.

Key social services

Expect platform-native thinking and iterative testing baked into every service, so creative and spend compound results over time.

  • Organic social strategies: Channel-specific narratives and content pillars rather than reposting.
  • Paid social and paid search: Scaling frameworks for Meta, TikTok and Google to drive incrementality.
  • Social-first content creation: Campaign, always‑on and short‑form video built for algorithm fit.
  • Influencer marketing: Human‑led discovery validated by tech and past‑campaign performance.
  • Reporting and optimisation: Continuous analysis to refine creative, audiences and spend.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for always‑on social with project sprints for campaigns or content. Ad spend is managed separately. As a larger, partner‑level agency, budgets generally align with UK norms: small business retainers often start in the lower thousands per month, with medium‑sized briefs commonly in the £5,000–£10,000+ range depending on scope; influencer fees and production are scoped case‑by‑case. Regular reviews, clear KPIs and access to platform betas support ongoing performance gains.

3. Spin Brands

Overview

Spin Brands is a creative‑first social agency built to make brands relevant. Their 50+ team of social natives fuse cultural insight with data to deliver 360 social—organic, paid and influencer—backed by in‑house creative that’s engineered for attention on TikTok, Reels and beyond. They service global brands like Google, loveholidays, AliExpress, Fujifilm and Princes, and hold partner status with Meta, Google (Premier), TikTok and Pinterest—useful for insights, support and early feature access. Expect culturally tuned ideas with performance discipline, not just pretty posts.

Best for

If you want high-velocity creative that translates into measurable growth—and a team that can run organic, paid and influencer in one rhythm—Spin is a strong contender for ambitious SMEs and scaling brands.

  • Creative-led growth: Social ideas built to earn attention, then scaled with data.
  • In-house teams needing horsepower: A plugged-in content and media engine.
  • Always-on + campaigns: Consistency plus spikes for launches and tentpoles.
  • Platform partners: Access to playbooks, betas and best practice support.

Key social services

Spin’s social media marketing services combine strategic planning with production and media buying, so testing cycles are fast and learnings compound across channels.

  • Holistic social strategy: Audience, channel mix, content pillars and measurement.
  • Organic and paid social: End‑to‑end management across Meta, TikTok and more.
  • Content creation: Short‑form video, UGC‑style assets and reactive creative.
  • Influencer marketing: In‑house sourcing and campaign execution to extend reach.
  • Insights and reporting: Iterative testing to refine creative, audiences and spend.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for always‑on social with project sprints for launches or production. Ad spend is separate. For UK SMEs, retainers commonly start in the low thousands per month; medium briefs often sit around £5,000–£10,000+ depending on scope, content volume and channels. Clear KPIs, frequent reviews and flexible production blocks keep output aligned to results.

4. Trendy Grandad

Overview

London-based Trendy Grandad brings over a decade of social‑first and YouTube video production expertise, helping brands increase revenue, reduce acquisition costs and make noise online. With a reel that includes National Geographic, Zone3 and Proviz Sports, they specialise in performance‑driven creative that’s built for feeds, stories and shorts—not repurposed film. Their focus: thumb‑stopping video assets that lift CTR, ROAS and creative stamina across paid and organic.

Best for

If you’re confident in your media buying but need high‑impact creative that actually moves the metrics, Trendy Grandad is a sharp, specialist partner.

  • eCommerce and DTC teams: Looking to lower CPA and boost ROAS through better creative.
  • In‑house media buyers/agencies: Who need a reliable pipeline of social‑first assets.
  • Product launches and sprints: Fast, iterative video for TikTok, Reels and YouTube.
  • Brands wanting YouTube depth: Social‑first approach to longer‑form and explainer content.

Key social services

Their social media marketing services centre on performance creative—designed, tested and iterated for platform algorithms and purchase intent.

  • Performance creative video production: Concepts, filming and edits that reduce ad fatigue and increase CTR/ROAS.
  • Creative strategy: Hooks, structures and testing plans that turn “we need video” into results.
  • Social‑first explainer videos: Clear, engaging explainers built for viewing in‑feed.
  • Always‑on social video: On‑demand monthly production to keep asset libraries fresh for Meta/TikTok/YouTube.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically project‑based for shoots/edits or a monthly, on‑demand video retainer; media buying usually sits with your team or a partner agency. Budgets scale with concepting, shoot days and asset volumes, and align with UK norms for specialist production. Success is measured against performance goals—lower CPA, stronger CTR and sustained creative that feeds your paid accounts without burning out.

5. Honest London

Overview

Based minutes from Liverpool Street, Honest London is a social media and crisis management agency that couples growth with reputation control. They blend strategic planning, content creation and campaign management with vigilant crisis monitoring—useful for brands and public figures alike. Expect monthly video content shoot days to bank a month’s worth of Reels/TikTok assets, full editing, and ongoing social support. Their close work with globally renowned celebrities informs what performs at scale, while their background as former marketing directors keeps attention on ROI, trackable sales via Instagram/TikTok commerce, and transparent reporting—the “honest” in their name.

Best for

SMEs that want visible commercial impact from social—plus the reassurance of proactive reputation management. It suits founders and lean teams who value a monthly content engine and clear, accountable results.

  • Video-first brands: Monthly shoot days that keep feeds fresh and on-trend.
  • Instagram/TikTok commerce: Tactics geared to convert followers into buyers.
  • Reputation-sensitive leaders: Discreet crisis and narrative management.
  • B2B/B2C challengers: Senior guidance without big‑agency bureaucracy.

Key social services

Honest London’s social media marketing services combine creativity, culture awareness and control, so growth isn’t derailed by reputational bumps.

  • Video content production: Monthly shoots, edits and ready-to-post short‑form.
  • Social management: Calendars, publishing, engagement and audience growth.
  • Paid ads: Performance-led campaigns across Instagram and TikTok.
  • Influencer collaboration: Sourcing and managing creator partnerships.
  • Crisis and reputation: Monitoring, response playbooks and narrative steering.
  • Reporting: Monthly insights tied to KPIs and sales outcomes.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for management and reporting, with project-based pricing for content shoot days and campaigns. Ad spend and influencer fees are billed separately. As a guide to UK norms for SMEs, social retainers often fall between £500–£5,000 per month depending on scope, with production costs scoped per shoot and complexity. Expect clear KPIs, structured reviews and agile adjustments as results build.

6. The Goat Agency

Overview

Founded in 2015, The Goat Agency sits at the forefront of influencer marketing, treating creators as a full‑funnel performance channel rather than a PR add‑on. Their team builds long‑term, social‑first marketing strategies and data‑driven influencer campaigns that drive awareness, engagement, conversions, installs and sign‑ups. A notable hallmark is that they guarantee deliverables upfront, so you know precisely what your budget will buy before a campaign starts. Beyond creators, Goat brings in‑house paid social, social commerce expertise across TikTok Shop, Instagram Shop and Amazon Live, and a production studio capable of turning concepts into platform‑ready assets at speed.

Best for

SMEs that want creator‑led growth tied to commercial outcomes—not vanity metrics—and a partner that can integrate paid, shop features and content into one operating rhythm.

  • Performance‑minded brands: Creator programmes measured against leads, sales or CAC.
  • eCommerce teams: Social commerce expertise spanning TikTok/Instagram Shops and Amazon Live.
  • Always‑on + launch spikes: From evergreen ambassador programmes to big push moments.
  • Regulated or high‑stakes campaigns: Upfront deliverables and rigorous planning reduce risk.

Key social services

Goat’s social media marketing services are built to convert attention into action, combining creative, media and commerce.

  • Influencer marketing: Full‑funnel strategy, from short‑term launches to always‑on ambassador programmes.
  • Social media strategy: Ideas that earn attention—PR stunts, experiential, OOH—plus award‑winning creator campaigns.
  • Paid social: In‑house buying to amplify creator content and reach qualified audiences.
  • Social commerce: Creator‑led TikTok/Instagram Shops and Amazon Live; 2023 solution to serve influencer content via Amazon Ad Suite while keeping a social look and feel.
  • Content production: In‑house video/design producing original social assets, motion, sounds, AR filters, and optimised creator edits.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically campaign‑based or retainer for always‑on creator programmes, with ad spend and creator fees separate. Goat’s upfront guarantee of deliverables provides clear scope, while UK SME budgets usually align with standard ranges for social retainers and project fees; production and commerce enablement are scoped to complexity. Expect clear KPIs, full‑funnel reporting and iterative optimisation across creators, media and shop placements.

7. Truffle Social

Overview

Truffle Social has spent a decade turning brands into thriving communities, built from what they call pure “social spark.” They state they’re the UK’s first agency to purely do social, and their work leans hard into personality, conversation and community momentum rather than just posting content. Expect a partner that adopts your tone of voice, handles inbound needs, actively engages in-platform, and isn’t afraid to push beyond the usual playbook to find new audiences and keep existing ones energised.

Best for

If your brand needs a social presence people actually want to talk to—and you value community growth as much as content output—Truffle is a strong fit for SMEs.

  • Community-first brands: Always-on engagement and approachable tone of voice.
  • Challengers with personality: Willing to go beyond “safe” to unlock reach and loyalty.
  • Campaign moments: Launches, events and influencer activity that cut through noise.
  • Lean teams: Hands-off day-to-day with senior input on strategy and reporting.

Key social services

Their social media marketing services span strategy to execution, with community stewardship at the core and production muscle on tap when needed.

  • Social media management: Daily publishing, inbound handling and proactive engagement.
  • Strategy: Objectives, routes to growth and ongoing optimisation grounded in 10+ years’ experience.
  • Campaigns & influencer: From product launches to photoshoots and events, delivered end‑to‑end.
  • Content creation: Monthly asset bundles through to full studio or location-based shoots.
  • Creative network access: In‑house designers plus CGI specialists and creators, quality‑controlled by a creative director.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for management and community, with project pricing for campaigns and shoots; influencer and production costs are scoped separately. For SMEs, budgets usually align with common UK ranges—retainers often from £500–£5,000/month depending on channels and volume—while larger initiatives scale with deliverables. Expect clear KPIs, community health metrics and regular reviews to keep momentum and accountability high.

8. We Are Social

Overview

We Are Social is a global, socially‑led creative agency with deep influencer expertise. With 1,300 people across 19 offices on four continents, they bring a culture‑first approach—grounded in how communities, cultures and subcultures behave online—to deliver ideas worth talking about. Their in‑house production arm, We Are Social Studios, creates social‑first content at speed, while strategy and research teams anticipate cultural shifts so brands show up relevantly, not retrospectively.

Best for

Ambitious brands that want culture‑driven creative, influencer at scale and global consistency—without losing platform nuance. SMEs with high‑growth goals and complex multi‑channel briefs may find strong strategic lift here.

  • Culture‑led campaigns: Stories built from real social behaviours.
  • Cross‑market rollouts: Consistency with local nuance.
  • Influencer at scale: From concept to measurement.
  • Gaming activations: Native ideas for players and platforms.

Key social services

Social media marketing services span strategy to distribution, with production and media under one roof for faster test‑and‑learn.

  • Social media strategy: Audience, category and cultural conversation analysis to set direction.
  • Creativity: Integrated campaigns, gaming activations, long‑form and reactive social content.
  • Content production (Studios): Agile, social‑first assets built for any platform.
  • Media & distribution: Paid strategies tuned to social behaviours across mainstream and niche formats.
  • Influencer & community: Unrivalled influencer expertise plus day‑to‑day community insight.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are commonly retainer‑led for always‑on programmes, with project sprints for campaigns and production; ad spend is managed separately. As a global partner agency, scopes and minimums tend to align with medium‑to‑large briefs. For SMEs, use UK norms as a guide—small (£500–£5,000/month), medium (£5,000–£10,000+) and enterprise ( £10k+)—with production and influencer fees scoped to complexity and markets. Expect clear KPIs, cultural insights and iterative optimisation.

9. Prospa Media

Overview

Prospa Media specialises in performance for eCommerce, using paid social and paid search to scale revenue through clear frameworks and strategy. As a results‑driven digital agency, they pair campaign execution with eCommerce consultation, so ads and on‑site experience improve together. Their social media marketing services focus on Meta and TikTok ads, supported by email and Google Ads to capture and convert demand across the funnel.

Best for

If you’re an online store seeking predictable growth from paid channels—and want strategic input on your broader eCommerce setup—Prospa offers a pragmatic, performance‑first approach that keeps spend accountable to outcomes.

  • Scaling eCommerce brands: Structure, testing and creative that reduce CPA and lift ROAS.
  • Founders needing clarity: Straightforward frameworks and reporting tied to revenue.
  • Teams wanting channel mix: Paid social plus Google and email for efficient acquisition.
  • Stores fixing leaks: Consultation to remove blockers across product, offer and site.

Key social services

Prospa’s mix combines strategy, execution and consulting to turn media spend into measurable sales, with fast feedback loops across channels.

  • Social media strategy: Audience, channel mix and measurement grounded in market insight.
  • eCommerce consultation: Ongoing optimisation beyond ads to maximise overall output.
  • Meta Ads: Full end‑to‑end setup and scaling for Facebook and Instagram.
  • TikTok Ads: Creative and targeting tailored to reach new customers at pace.
  • Google Ads: Search, Shopping and Performance Max to harvest high‑intent demand.
  • Email marketing: Flows and campaigns to convert and retain traffic you’ve paid for.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements typically combine a monthly retainer for management with separate ad spend; project-based audits or strategy sprints are available. As a guide to UK SME norms, retainers often start in the £500–£5,000/month range and scale with channels, creative and reporting depth. Clear KPIs, structured testing and regular reviews keep budgets focused on incremental revenue.

10. Make Agency

Overview

Make Agency is a tight‑knit, fast‑growing team of digital experts that deliver high‑impact solutions across development and marketing. Alongside a broad digital remit, they offer robust social media marketing services: strategy that clarifies the role of social in your mix, an in‑house studio for content creation, and end‑to‑end management of organic and paid activity. Expect clear KPIs, measurable outcomes and production capability that keeps your channels fed without sacrificing quality.

Best for

SMEs that want integrated social—strategy, creative, organic and paid—without juggling multiple vendors. It suits in‑house marketers who need a dependable content engine plus performance support to turn attention into results.

  • Brands seeking one team from plan to production: Strategy, studio and media under one roof.
  • Always‑on plus campaign spikes: Consistency with capacity for launches and tentpoles.
  • Data‑minded founders: Transparent reporting and ROI‑oriented decision‑making.
  • Teams needing creative horsepower: In‑house copy, design, photography, animation and video.

Key social services

Make’s offer covers the full chain from planning to performance, so content, community and spend work in sync.

  • Social media strategy: Define KPIs, the role of social, content pillars and channel mix.
  • Content creation (studio): Filming, editing, copywriting, design, photography, animation and full video production.
  • Organic social: Calendars, community management and engagement to drive measurable impact.
  • Paid social: Granular audience targeting and budget efficiency to reach the right people at the right time.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for always‑on management, with project sprints for campaigns or production; ad spend is billed separately. As a UK guide for SMEs, social retainers commonly fall between £500–£5,000 per month depending on channels and output, with multi‑channel or production‑heavy programmes scaling to £5,000–£10,000+. Creative shoots and assets are scoped to brief, with clear KPIs and regular reviews to keep performance on track.

11. The Seed Group

Overview

Founded in 2012 by co‑founders Ann Grier and Phia Folkes, The Seed Group grew from consulting roots into a specialist digital marketing agency with a team of around 14. With early focus and deep experience in emerging food and drink brands, they combine social media marketing services with content creation, digital PR and email to move audiences from attraction through to conversion. Expect eye‑catching graphics, quality photography, cheeky animations and influencer collaborations that create social proof and lift awareness where it counts.

Best for

If you’re an FMCG challenger or taste‑led brand that needs consistent content plus credible third‑party endorsement, Seed is a solid fit. Their sweet spot is turning brand love into measurable outcomes via creators, PR moments and owned channels.

  • Food & drink SMEs: Category familiarity and a strong UK influencer network.
  • Challenger brands: Need for buzz, reviews and retail‑ready social proof.
  • Lean teams: Looking for one partner across content, social, PR and email.
  • Founders wanting momentum: From first fans to buyers with conversion‑minded comms.

Key social services

Seed’s offer connects the dots between content, creators and conversion, so your social presence doesn’t stall at engagement.

  • Social media marketing: Strategy, tone of voice, community growth and publishing across the funnel.
  • Content creation: On‑brand graphics, photography and animations to power always‑on social.
  • Digital PR & influencer: Product reviews, sponsored posts, recipe development and collaborations with top UK food & drink influencers.
  • Email marketing & blogs: Flows and campaigns that nurture audiences and drive repeat purchase.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements typically blend a monthly retainer for always‑on social/content with project‑based PR or campaign pushes; influencer fees are scoped separately. As a guide to UK SME norms, social retainers often range from £500–£5,000/month depending on channels and output, with larger, multi‑service programmes scaling higher. Expect clear scopes, monthly content calendars and results tied to growth goals across social, PR and email.

12. The Good Marketer

Overview

The Good Marketer is a London social media agency built around small businesses. Instead of chasing enterprise retainers, they focus on SME-friendly social media marketing services: bespoke campaigns that push creative boundaries, stay ahead of trends and, crucially, tie activity to measurable outcomes across organic and paid.

Best for

If you want a partner that understands SME realities—time, budget and the need for clear impact—this team is designed for you. They blend practical execution with disciplined testing so creative doesn’t just look good; it performs.

  • SMEs and start-ups: Built-for-small-business processes and comms.
  • Meta-first growth: Brands prioritising Facebook and Instagram to drive sales.
  • Hands-off delivery: Done-for-you calendars, posting and optimisation.
  • Testing-minded teams: Structured A/B testing and retargeting baked in.

Key social services

You’ll get strategy, creation and management in one loop, with paid and organic reinforcing each other through retargeting and iterative testing.

  • Social Media Marketing: Bespoke, trend-aware campaigns that resonate with your audience and aim for results.
  • Facebook & Instagram Ads: Performance-focused creative and targeting to convert, even post‑iOS 14.
  • Managed Social (organic): Content calendars, community growth and post optimisation that work alongside paid.
  • Performance levers: Retargeting engaged audiences, boosting high‑potential posts and continuous A/B testing.
  • Formats that fit feeds: TikToks, Reels, graphics and images produced to stop the scroll.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led and time‑scoped, with The Good Marketer recommending a starter package of around 15 hours per month. That usually covers an automated content calendar, monthly performance insights and roughly 3–4 posts per week, with paid media billed separately. As a guide to UK SME norms, retainers often sit in the £500–£5,000/month range depending on channels, volume and reporting depth; scope scales up cleanly as results and requirements grow. Expect clear deliverables, structured reviews and testing plans that keep spend tied to outcomes.

13. Digital Media Team (DMT)

Overview

Digital Media Team (DMT) positions itself as a performance partner rather than a run‑of‑the‑mill agency. Their social media marketing services centre on paid social for eCommerce, with a team that’s honed scaling frameworks to put ads in front of the right people at the right time. As Meta Business Partners and a Google Premier Partner 2024, they combine platform know‑how with disciplined execution to lift visibility, clicks and conversions across Meta and Google.

Best for

DMT suits brands that want a clear, accountable pathway to growth across paid social and search, without fluff—just structure, testing and incremental gains.

  • eCommerce and retail brands: Need to scale Paid Social and Shopping profitably.
  • Founders and lean teams: Value clarity, cadence and channel discipline.
  • Brands needing Meta + Google in sync: One partner across discovery and demand capture.
  • Performance purists: Optimisation over ornament—results that compound month on month.

Key social services

Their offer brings paid social and PPC together so prospecting, remarketing and high‑intent search reinforce each other end‑to‑end.

  • Paid Social Marketing (Meta Partner): A perfected approach to scaling for maximum return, ensuring ads hit the right audiences at the right time.
  • PPC & Google Ads (Premier Partner 2024): Search and Shopping to increase visibility, clicks and conversions—keeping your brand present for the terms that matter.
  • Channel orchestration: Cohesive structures across Meta and Google to reduce CPA and improve ROAS through steady, data‑led optimisation.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for always‑on management, with ad spend billed separately; project audits or setup sprints are common. As a guide for UK SMEs, retainers often sit within standard ranges (circa £500–£5,000/month for smaller scopes, scaling to £5,000–£10,000+ with multi‑channel complexity). Expect clear KPIs, structured testing, and regular reviews to keep budgets aligned to incremental revenue.

14. Born Social

Overview

Born Social is a full‑service global social media agency based in London and New York, focused on building social‑first brands for the brands of tomorrow. As a partner in the Croud Group, they bring brand and performance closer together—useful for SMEs that want standout creative tied to measurable outcomes. Their values centre on pushing boundaries, creating remarkable work and making better brands, with senior teams who translate strategy into content audiences actually want to watch, share and act on.

Best for

If you want culturally sharp creative backed by disciplined management—and a partner that can scale with you—Born Social is a strong pick for ambitious SMEs and scaleups.

  • Brand builders: Social‑first positioning that earns attention and loyalty.
  • Product launchers: Ideas and formats engineered for TikTok, Reels and Shorts.
  • In‑house teams: Need strategy and creative horsepower, not layers of bureaucracy.
  • Performance‑minded marketers: Value brand + performance integration via Croud.

Key social services

Born Social’s social media marketing services connect strategy, creative and day‑to‑day management so ideas don’t die on the plan—they ship, learn and scale.

  • Social Strategy: Research‑driven audience insight, objectives, channel roles and measurement.
  • Creative: Thumb‑stopping concepts and assets that turn insights into action across platforms.
  • Management: Publishing, community, reporting and continuous optimisation to close the loop.
  • Campaigns and Always‑On: From 12‑month roadmaps to reactive moments that ride culture.
  • Croud Group integration: Access to wider digital expertise to bring brand and performance together.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for always‑on strategy, creative and management, with campaign or production sprints layered in; ad spend is separate. For SMEs, budgets generally track UK norms: smaller scopes often in the £500–£5,000/month range, with multi‑channel or production‑heavy programmes scaling to £5,000–£10,000+. Deliverables, KPIs and cadences are scoped up front, with iterative reviews to keep output tied to commercial goals.

15. CEEK

Overview

CEEK partners with brands to amplify their story across multiple platforms, pairing strategy with execution to maximise ROI. Their proprietary OCMX methodology and E‑Matrix approach help define the most valuable marketing mix, while campaigns are executed with best‑in‑class reporting. Social media marketing services focus on explosive yet targeted awareness to generate leads and sales, backed by rigorous paid media “algorithmic testing.” With a detailed influencer database and a dedicated content team using an OptiScript planning model, CEEK delivers data-led creative that fits the feed and moves results.

Best for

CEEK suits SMEs that want strategy depth with measurable outcomes, and a single partner to run social, paid and influencers without losing control of ROI.

  • Growth-focused challengers: Need culture-ready creative tied to revenue, not vanity metrics.
  • Multi-platform briefs: Require consistent storytelling across Meta, TikTok, YouTube and more.
  • Influencer-curious brands: Prefer vetted creators and brand-safe execution.
  • Founders needing proof: Clear reporting and test‑learn cycles that justify budget.

Key social services

Expect a strategy-first engagement that links planning to performance, with creative engineered for platform behaviours.

  • Social Media Marketing: Campaigns designed to increase brand visibility, leads and sales.
  • Paid Media: Bespoke buying with continuous algorithmic testing to optimise ROI quickly.
  • Influencer Marketing: Brand-aligned creator selection from a detailed partner database.
  • Content Creation: A dedicated cross‑platform team using OptiScript to plan, produce and iterate.
  • Strategic Methodologies: OCMX for planning and the E‑Matrix to prioritise the highest‑value activities.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements typically blend retainers for always‑on social/paid with project sprints for campaigns and production; ad spend and influencer fees are separate. As a guide to UK SME norms, retainers often start around £500–£5,000/month and scale to £5,000–£10,000+ with added channels and asset volume. Expect clear scopes, KPI‑driven reporting and regular optimisation cycles aligned to revenue goals.

16. Giraffe Social

Overview

Giraffe Social positions itself as a human‑first social media agency: managed social that turns brand culture into marketing to drive growth and build brand. Founded by Kane and Phil with a focus on authentic stories, Giraffe has grown onto a global stage while staying relentlessly client‑centric. The through‑line is simple: make social feel human, align activity to commercial goals, and keep creativity anchored to data so decisions are explainable and repeatable for SMEs.

Best for

If you want your voice to shine through—without losing performance discipline—Giraffe’s human‑first approach keeps social personable and accountable.

  • Human‑first brands: Turn values and culture into thumb‑stopping content.
  • Founders who value voice: Consistent tone with community care baked in.
  • SMEs wanting managed social + ads: One team for day‑to‑day and growth.
  • Values‑led companies: Storytelling that feels genuine, not generic.

Key social services

Giraffe’s social media marketing services combine strategy, management and paid activation to keep your channels lively and your results improving.

  • Social Media Strategy: Data‑driven roadmaps that translate brand DNA into channel roles, pillars and KPIs.
  • Human‑First Social (managed): Calendars, copy, creative direction and community engagement in your tone of voice.
  • Social Media Advertising: Relentless split testing and data‑informed adjustments so every ad becomes a better brand encounter.
  • Measurement and iteration: Clear reporting loops that inform next month’s content and targeting.

Pricing and engagement

Engagements are typically retainer‑led for managed social, with ad spend billed separately and campaigns scoped as projects. As a guide for UK SMEs, retainers commonly fall within standard ranges (£500–£5,000/month depending on channels, volume and reporting), scaling with creative needs and paid media complexity. Expect clear scopes, monthly cadences and testing plans that keep activity tied to outcomes you can track.

Make your shortlist with confidence

You’ve now got 16 credible options and a clearer sense of who fits which job. The smartest next step is to treat selection like a performance test: define success, insist on transparent plans and reporting, and keep early commitments short until the numbers prove out. That way you protect budget, learn fast, and scale only what demonstrably works for your brand and buying cycle.

  • Define 1–3 outcomes and sensible budget guardrails.
  • Ask for a 90‑day plan, KPIs and a reporting demo.
  • Check case studies match your channel, sector and spend.
  • Start small, review monthly, and double down on winners.

If you want an independent, ROI‑first partner to compare proposals, shape KPIs or run a low‑risk pilot before you scale, speak to MR-Marketing. You’ll get senior attention, a joined‑up plan across social and your wider funnel, and clear reporting that ties activity back to revenue—so decisions stay simple.