Source: https://deftridge.com/side-work/social-media-manager/ Title: Side work for Social Media Managers | Deftridge Summary: Part-time roles for social media managers: what they pay per hour, which tasks are open and how to start in about five hours a week. Side work for Social Media Managers · **Updated November 3, 2026** # Side work for Social Media Managers Social Media Manager is one of the titles we hear most. These are the part-time roles where your experience carries over, what they pay per hour, and the tasks open now. About five hours a week, next to your main job. **3** roles that fit a social media manager **970** open tasks in those roles **$45/hr** typical US rate, Social Media Manager **5 h** a week is enough By [Lukas Brenner](https://deftridge.com/team/lukas-brenner/), Director, Marketing & Content · Edited by [Helena Voss](https://deftridge.com/team/helena-voss/) · Published 2 November 2026 ## Side work as a social media manager: what to know Social media managers are hired part time to plan and schedule, not to stay online all day: a monthly content calendar, a batch of posts, community replies at agreed times, and a short report on what worked. Scheduling tools make this one of the most flexible roles on the site. Be clear about response times; companies need to know who answers a comment in the evening. Name the platforms you know well rather than listing all of them, and show one account you grew with the numbers. Keep your personal accounts separate and never post for a company from a profile linked to your employer. In our data: 970 open tasks across the 3 roles that fit a social media manager, 57% of them remote. The typical senior rate for Social Media Manager is $45 in the US, £23 in the UK, CA$45 in Canada and €35 in Germany an hour, before the company's 15% fee. The other roles that fit are LinkedIn Ghostwriter, Paid Ads Specialist. Most of these tasks are sized for 4 to 10 hours a week. Rates come from official wage statistics aged to October 2026; see [the full table by country](https://deftridge.com/rates/social-media-manager/). ## Where a social media manager's experience fits The best match is first. Each role page shows the rate by country and level. - [434 open tasks Social Media Manager Plans, posts and reports on a company's social channels. typical US rate $45/hr](https://deftridge.com/jobs/social-media-manager/) - [113 open tasks LinkedIn Ghostwriter Writes posts in a founder's or executive's voice from short calls and notes. typical US rate $60/hr](https://deftridge.com/jobs/linkedin-ghostwriter/) - [423 open tasks Paid Ads Specialist Builds, runs and trims paid campaigns toward a cost-per-lead or ROAS target. typical US rate $75/hr](https://deftridge.com/jobs/paid-ads-specialist/) ## Open now for a social media manager Tasks in the roles above, newest first, each with the hourly rate. One-off Posted Nov 2 ### [Google Ads Account Audit](https://deftridge.com/job/google-ads-account-audit-bellevue-dt-1190509/) Senior · Paid Ads Specialist Industrial manufacturer supplying the auto industry · 51–200 employees **$97–$114** / hour About $420–$1,060 in total - about 7 h in total - Hybrid · Bellevue - Starts within 2 weeks - Top 25% for the role [View task](https://deftridge.com/job/google-ads-account-audit-bellevue-dt-1190509/) One-off Posted Nov 3 ### [Retargeting and Audience Build · Media](https://deftridge.com/job/retargeting-and-audience-build-san-francisco-dt-1598948/) Senior · Paid Ads Specialist B2B media company · 201–500 employees **$149–$171** / hour About $640–$1,280 in total - about 6 h in total - Hybrid · San Francisco - Starts within 7 days - Top 25% for the role [View task](https://deftridge.com/job/retargeting-and-audience-build-san-francisco-dt-1598948/) One-off Posted Nov 2 ### [Employee Advocacy Programme Setup · Media](https://deftridge.com/job/employee-advocacy-programme-setup-london-dt-2079261/) Senior · Social Media Manager Digital media company covering technology · 501–1,000 employees **£29–£34** / hour About £190–£380 in total - about 9 h in total - Hybrid · London - Starts within 2 weeks - Top 25% for the role [View task](https://deftridge.com/job/employee-advocacy-programme-setup-london-dt-2079261/) One-off Posted Nov 2 ### [Ad Creative Testing Plan](https://deftridge.com/job/ad-creative-testing-plan-dublin-dt-2925739/) Senior · Paid Ads Specialist Travel-technology company with resorts · 501–1,000 employees **€47–€56** / hour About €210–€410 in total - about 6 h in total - Hybrid · Dublin - Starts within 2 weeks - Top 25% for the role [View task](https://deftridge.com/job/ad-creative-testing-plan-dublin-dt-2925739/) One-off Posted Nov 2 ### [Conversion Tracking Repair (Google Tag Manager)](https://deftridge.com/job/conversion-tracking-repair-new-york-city-dt-3099087/) Specialist · Paid Ads Specialist Boutique advisory firm for energy companies · 5,000+ employees **$83–$101** / hour About $280–$740 in total - about 6 h in total - Hybrid · New York City - Starts next week - Top 25% for the role [View task](https://deftridge.com/job/conversion-tracking-repair-new-york-city-dt-3099087/) One-off Posted Nov 2 ### [Social Media Audit (Sprout Social)](https://deftridge.com/job/social-media-audit-germany-dt-3203104/) Senior · Social Media Manager International nonprofit in food security · 201–500 employees **€36–€46** / hour About €160–€330 in total - about 6 h in total - Remote · Germany - Starts within 7 days - Top 25% for the role [View task](https://deftridge.com/job/social-media-audit-germany-dt-3203104/) ## Before you take side work Three checks that take ten minutes. - Read the outside-work, conflict-of-interest and confidentiality clauses in your employment contract. If it asks for consent, ask in writing. - Do not take tasks from a direct competitor of your employer. - Use your own equipment and your own time. [Read the guide](https://deftridge.com/guides/check-your-contract-before-side-work/) ## Questions about pay, fees and privacy The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: [Pricing](https://deftridge.com/pricing/) explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; [How it works](https://deftridge.com/how-it-works/) covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job.