A social media management contract is the document that puts in writing the boundaries of the work between a business and the agency or freelancer managing its accounts externally. This text states what types of content will be prepared on which platforms, whose approval is required before content is published, who will own the visuals produced, and how the accounts will be handed over when the work ends. A proposal is a shorter document showing the price and scope of the same work; a social media service agreement often incorporates this proposal as an appendix.
The sections below address, in order, the clauses a business purchasing services looks for before signing and the headings a freelancer preparing a proposal should include. A complete legal text is not provided; the question each clause needs to answer is explained. The daily operation of content calendars and community management is the subject of the social media management page.
Note: This article provides general information and is not legal advice; a lawyer should be consulted for the contract. The regulatory provisions and Authority statements mentioned in the text were reviewed on the relevant official websites on September 29, 2026.
Let us review the accounts and put the breakdown of work in writing
When the addresses of the accounts to be managed are sent via WhatsApp, a free preliminary evaluation is carried out. Once the platforms, content types, and reporting arrangements are clarified, a written proposal is sent on the same day.
What does a social media management contract regulate?
This document regulates three things: the boundaries of the work to be done, ownership of the content produced and the accounts, and how the relationship will end. The clauses in the table are subtopics of these three groups; the final column shows the disputes frequently encountered when a clause is incomplete.
| Clause | The question it needs to answer | If it remains unclear |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Which platforms, which content types, and how many of each per month? | The two parties interpret “regular posting” differently |
| Approval process | To whom, when, and through which channel is content submitted? | Publication is delayed, and the cause of the delay is disputed |
| Copyright and usage rights | Who can use the designs, videos, and texts, where, and for how long? | Old content may become unusable when the relationship ends |
| Account ownership and access | Whose portfolio holds the accounts, and what level of access is granted? | The business loses control of the account |
| Advertising budget | To whom and through what method is the budget paid? | Advertising spend and service fees become confused |
| Reporting | Which indicators are shared, and how often? | The value received for the fee paid cannot be tracked |
| Confidentiality and KVKK (Turkey’s Personal Data Protection Law) | Who accesses the personal data in messages, and for what purpose? | Responsibility for data security becomes unclear |
| Promotional regulations | How are requests for fake reviews and unlabeled collaborations handled? | It is unclear whether an improper request can be refused |
| Termination and handover | How is notice given, and what is delivered? | The archive and scheduled content cannot be retrieved |
| Payment and invoicing | What are the monthly fee, payment date, and VAT status? | Unexpected line items appear at the end of the month |
A social media management contract can be kept short for a small business; what matters is leaving none of the clauses in the table blank. If the same text becomes a digital marketing service agreement covering other work such as SEO or Google Ads, writing the scope of each service in a separate appendix prevents the clauses from becoming mixed together.
The scope clause: Platforms, content types, and quantities
The scope clause individually lists the accounts to be managed, the content types to be prepared for each account, and their monthly quantities. Because the right quantity varies according to the business’s objectives and production capacity, no general figure is given here; the number is discussed at the preliminary meeting and written into the contract.
The items expected in this clause are as follows:
- Platforms: The names and addresses of the accounts to be managed, such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
- Content types: Single images, carousels, Reels or short videos, and stories; the monthly quantity of each on a separate line.
- Production responsibility: Who will take the photographs and raw video, and which party handles design and editing.
- Copy: Post captions, hashtags, and content language.
- Community monitoring: Whether comments and direct messages will be answered, and during which hours if they will be.
- Work outside the scope: Separately priced items such as a shoot day or advertising campaign setup.
Listing work outside the scope determines from the outset how additional requests will be handled; the same clause can state that these will be priced with written approval or included in the following month’s plan.
Reporting is also part of the scope
The report’s frequency, indicators, and format (PDF, a shared spreadsheet, or a meeting) are written into the scope. Data such as reach, engagement, profile visits, link clicks, and message counts are read from Meta Business Suite and Instagram insights; the report should show how these figures change from one period to the next. A commitment to a follower count or sales volume is not, however, a clause to look for in a social media management contract; these outcomes depend on the industry, content, and use of advertising.
How are the approval process and revisions defined?
The approval clause states how far before publication prepared content will be submitted, to whom and through which channel, and how many rounds of correction requests are allowed. When the workflow is not in writing, the publication calendar is disrupted and the question of which party caused the delay remains unanswered.
- Monthly plan: The topic list and publication calendar are submitted for the business’s approval before the month begins.
- Content submission: Designs and copy are sent through the designated channel (email, a shared folder, or a messaging group) within the written advance notice period.
- Revision round: The number of revisions included in the fee and the definition of a revision are written down; changing text or a color is distinguished from recreating the content from scratch.
- Approval record: A single authorized person is designated to give approval, and approvals are recorded.
- If approval does not arrive: It is agreed in advance whether the content will be held or moved to the next publication date.
A separate rule is useful for situations requiring a quick response: when it is written down who has the final say on a response to a negative comment and what to do outside working hours, no time is lost during a crisis.
Page contents
Who retains copyright and usage rights to content and visuals?
The social media management contract should clearly state on which channels and for how long the business can use the designs, videos, and copy prepared. When this issue is left blank, using old posts in a brochure, on a website, or in advertising after the relationship ends can become a matter of dispute.
Original designs and texts may be protected under Law No. 5846 on Intellectual and Artistic Works; listing transferred rights individually is important in this respect. The formal requirement the law sets for contracts concerning economic rights is explained in the web design contract guide. These three matters specific to social media should also be written down:
- Licensed elements: The licenses for stock photographs, fonts, and music, and whether those licenses cover use in advertising.
- Working files: Whether design source files and video editing projects will be delivered to the business.
- Portfolio use: Whether the managing party may display the work it prepares in its own promotional materials.
The business is responsible for permission to use the photographs and product visuals it supplies; this clause can also state which party will obtain consent for content showing a customer’s or employee’s face.
Account ownership and access: How is a Meta business portfolio used?
The Instagram account, Facebook Page, and Meta ad account should remain in the business’s own business portfolio; the managing agency or freelancer should be granted access through that portfolio. The contract puts this arrangement and the level of access in writing; sharing the main password is not a substitute for this structure.
According to Meta’s guide to giving a partner access in a business portfolio, assets such as a Page or ad account can be shared with an agency at full-control or partial-access level. The same page explains that a partner with full control can manage an asset but cannot share it with another business; only the organization that owns the asset can do that. Partial access is limited to selected tasks such as creating content, managing advertising, or answering messages, and the guide recommends enabling two-factor authentication in the business portfolio.
This section can state that the business owns the accounts, define the scope of access, specify that new accounts will be opened in the business’s name, and provide for access to be removed when the relationship ends. The risks created by keeping accounts in the agency’s portfolio are also discussed in the advertising agency fraud guide.
Advertising budget, payment, and invoicing clauses
The advertising budget should be kept separate from the management fee and paid directly to the platform using the business’s own payment method. This makes it clear each month which amount is advertising spend going to Meta and which is the service fee.
Paying the budget with the agency’s card and then invoicing it as a single item makes it difficult to track how much of the expenditure went to advertising. Campaign setup and audience selection are separate from account management and are quoted separately under Meta advertising management. Items that may be added to an advertising invoice are explained in the Instagram advertising prices guide.
Payment date, invoicing, and tax
The payment clause states the monthly fee, whether payment will be made at the beginning or end of the month, whether work will stop if payment is late, and how work outside the scope will be priced. Whether the fee is stated inclusive or exclusive of VAT, in whose name the invoice will be issued, and on what date also belong in the same clause.
Matters such as the VAT rate, whether withholding applies, and the declaration method vary according to the parties’ tax status; a financial adviser should be consulted on these issues. The items that increase or decrease the monthly fee are discussed in detail in the social media management prices guide.
Let us review the breakdown of work in the proposal before signing
A proposal from another agency or freelancer can be forwarded via WhatsApp. How the content quantities, account access, and advertising budget are written is reviewed free of charge; a lawyer’s opinion should be obtained separately for legal clauses.
Confidentiality, KVKK, and promotional regulation clauses
Because the party managing the accounts accesses direct messages, comments, and sometimes customer lists, the contract should include confidentiality and personal data provisions. Prohibitions on fake reviews and collaboration posts that do not disclose their advertising nature should also be mentioned in a separate clause because they concern both parties’ responsibilities.
KVKK: Messages and customer data
The Personal Data Protection Authority’s statement on obligations concerning data security states that when personal data is processed by another natural or legal person on behalf of the data controller, the controller is jointly responsible with those persons for the necessary measures. According to the same statement, data processors are also required to take measures and may not unlawfully share the data they obtain; this obligation continues after their duties end.
The contract can include the following provisions on this issue: accessed data will be used only for the service, message and customer information will not be transferred to third parties, the business will be informed without delay if a data breach is discovered, and copies held by the managing party will be deleted when the relationship ends. Whether the agency is considered a data processor depends on the nature of the work; this assessment should be made with a lawyer.
Prohibition on fake reviews and incentivized content
Article 28/B of the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices was rewritten through the amendment published in the Official Gazette dated July 1, 2026. The final paragraph of the article prohibits entering into an agreement with a natural or legal person for untrue reviews or endorsements to increase sales, and purchasing services for that purpose. The same article also stipulates that reviews whose purchase process has not been verified cannot be used in advertisements; the amendment entered into force on August 1, 2026.
Article 23/A, added through the same amendment, requires advertisements made through social media influencers to be clear and distinguishable, and requires the post to include either “Advertising” or “Promotion.” Adding a clause stating that the parties will not produce fake reviews, purchased evaluations, or collaboration content without advertising disclosure, and that such a request may be refused, clarifies this issue before signing.
This section provides general information and is not legal advice.
Termination and handover: How are accounts and content delivered?
The termination clause determines what notice can end the contract, how work for the current month will be charged, and what will be delivered when the relationship ends. If the handover section is incomplete, archives, templates, and scheduled content may remain with the managing party even if the accounts belong to the business.
The delivery list generally includes these items:
- Removing the managing party’s access in the business portfolio and removing its partner record.
- A list and files of scheduled posts that have not yet reached their publication time.
- Delivery in usable formats of the designs, videos, and copy prepared during the contract period.
- Brand templates, color codes, and font information.
- The final period’s report and content notes kept throughout the work.
- Checking that the email address and phone number linked to the accounts belong to the business.
The parties determine the channel through which notice will be given (email or written notification) and the period within which handover will be completed. How provisions such as the competent jurisdiction in the event of a dispute should be written must be clarified with a lawyer according to the business’s circumstances.
Sample social media management proposal: Which headings should it contain?
A sound sample social media management proposal shows the breakdown of work and the key decisions to be carried into the contract alongside the price. A freelancer can use the headings below as a template outline, and a business can check an incoming proposal against the same list.
- The parties, proposal date, and proposal validity period
- The business’s objective and a brief overview of existing accounts
- Platforms to be managed and account addresses
- Monthly content plan: Content types and the quantity of each
- Production responsibility: Photography, design, editing, and copy
- Approval workflow and revision entitlement
- Community management: Hours for monitoring comments and messages
- Reporting frequency and indicators to be tracked
- Account access and ownership arrangements
- The advertising budget being separate and how it will be paid
- Monthly fee, VAT status, and payment date
- Work outside the scope and pricing of additional requests
- Start date, working period, and termination conditions
This list does not replace a sample social media management contract; it makes it easier to transfer the decisions agreed in the proposal into the contract in full. A lawyer’s opinion should be obtained regarding the legal language of the complete text and its suitability for the business.
Situations requiring clarification in a proposal
When any of the following appears, written clarification of the proposal should be requested:
- Using a general expression such as “regular posting” instead of specifying content quantities.
- Requesting the main password or stating that new accounts will be opened in the managing party’s name.
- Promising a particular number of followers, engagements, or sales.
- Showing the advertising budget and service fee under the same line item.
- Including methods such as buying followers or commissioning reviews in the service.
- Having no provisions at all on termination and handover.
Some proposals consist only of a one-page price notification; access, handover, and content rights are left to a verbal agreement. If these matters are written down at the proposal stage, the social media management contract is also established in full, preventing disputes that could arise when the relationship ends.
How does the proposal and contract process work at Onur Freelance?
At Onur Freelance, the monthly fee for social media management starts from 9,000 TL; the advertising budget is not included in this fee. The exact amount is determined in a written proposal after reviewing the accounts, and the process proceeds in this order:
- Introductory meeting: The objective, active accounts, and photography opportunities are discussed; the preliminary evaluation is free.
- Account review: Existing posts, profile information, and the volume of incoming messages are examined.
- Written proposal: Platforms, content quantities, approval workflow, reporting arrangements, and work outside the scope are written item by item; the proposal is sent on the same day.
- Access: Accounts remain in the business’s portfolio, and the permissions required for the work are granted through partner access.
- First month: Work begins by submitting the topic list and publication calendar for the business’s approval.
Onur Freelance is based in Gülsuyu, Maltepe, Istanbul; it has no official affiliation with Meta and is not a Meta support channel. Meetings take place face to face in Istanbul or online, work with businesses outside the city is carried out remotely, and WhatsApp messages are answered between 09:00 and 21:00. How to budget for social media alongside SEO and advertising is explained on the digital marketing prices page.
Let us determine together the scope to include in the contract
For businesses gathering information, unable to decide between two proposals, or wanting to start this month, the first step is a short WhatsApp message containing the account addresses. The scope to be carried into the contract and the monthly fee are put in writing after this message.
How to read a proposal document for website projects is explained in the website price proposal guide.
How VAT and withholding are shown on an invoice is explained, based on official texts, in the social media management VAT and withholding guide.
Definitions of the work covered by the contract appear in the what is social media management guide.
The labeling rules for influencer collaborations in effect since August 1, 2026, are explained clause by clause in the article are social media advertising labels mandatory.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Which clauses should a social media management contract contain?
The basic clauses cover scope, the approval process, content and image rights, account ownership and access, advertising budget, reporting, confidentiality and KVKK, compliance with promotional regulations, termination and handover, and payment terms. Each clause can be kept short for a small project, but it is recommended that none be omitted.
Are a sample social media management proposal and a contract the same thing?
No, a proposal shows the price and breakdown of work; a contract also regulates content rights, account ownership, confidentiality, and termination conditions. The accepted proposal is often attached to the contract as an appendix.
How many posts per month should the contract specify?
There is no number that applies to everyone; the parties determine the quantity according to the business’s objectives and production capacity. What matters is specifying the monthly quantity of each content type individually in the contract.
Who should own the social media accounts?
The accounts should belong to the business and remain in its Meta business portfolio. The managing agency or freelancer is granted the level of access required for the work through this portfolio, and that access is removed when the relationship ends.
Is the advertising budget included in the social media management fee?
It is recommended that it not be included and that it remain separate; the advertising budget is paid directly to the platform using the business’s own payment method. At Onur Freelance, too, the advertising budget remains outside the management fee.
Is it legal to have a social media agency write reviews?
Article 28/B of the Regulation on Commercial Advertising and Unfair Commercial Practices prohibits entering into an agreement with a person to provide untrue reviews to increase sales and purchasing services for this purpose. A clause stating that such methods will not be used can be added to the contract; a lawyer should be consulted about a specific situation.
What happens to content and accounts when the contract is terminated?
This depends on how the termination and handover clause is written. The clause should include removal of access, delivery of prepared files and scheduled posts, and the delivery period.
How should VAT and withholding be written in a social media service agreement?
The contract clearly states whether the fee includes or excludes VAT and when the invoice will be issued. Because rates and whether withholding applies depend on the parties’ circumstances, a financial adviser should be consulted.
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