Social Media Manager vs. AI: A Cost and Performance Breakdown

Social media isn't optional anymore. You know that. Your customers check your Instagram before they check your website. Your Google reviews matter more than your billboard. Your competitors are posting daily and you're stuck at "last posted 3 weeks ago."

So you need help. The question is: do you hire a social media manager, or do you use AI?

Let's look at the real numbers and the real tradeoffs.

The Cost Breakdown

Freelance social media manager: $1,500–$3,500/month for a decent one. That typically gets you 3–5 posts per week across 2–3 platforms, some community management, and a monthly analytics report. The good freelancers charge $3,000+ and they're worth it — but that's $36,000 a year.

In-house social media manager: $42,000–$65,000/year salary depending on your market, plus benefits. All-in, you're looking at $55,000–$80,000. For a small business, that's a significant line item — often the cost of an entire additional employee in another role.

Agency: $2,000–$8,000/month depending on scope. Agencies bring strategy and a team, but they're also managing 15 other clients. Your account gets attention proportional to what you're paying, and at the lower end, that's not much.

AI through Stoke: $2,000 setup plus $500/month. That's $8,000 for the first year and $6,000 for every year after. Your AI social media employee can produce 3–5 posts per day (not per week), maintain consistent posting across all your platforms, and never miss a day.

The cost difference is significant. Even compared to the cheapest freelancer, you're saving $12,000+ per year.

Output Volume: Not Even Close

A human social media manager posts 15–20 times per week across all platforms. That's a solid output, and it keeps your pages active.

An AI social media employee can produce 20–35 posts per week without straining. It can create variations for different platforms — a shorter version for X, a visual-focused version for Instagram, a longer version for LinkedIn — from the same core content. It can repurpose your blog posts, customer reviews, seasonal promotions, and industry news into a steady stream of content.

Volume isn't everything, but consistency is. The businesses that win on social media are the ones that show up every single day. An AI makes that effortless.

Consistency: The Underrated Advantage

Human social media managers get sick. They go on vacation. They have creative slumps. They get busy with another client. The result: your posting schedule gets spotty, your engagement dips, and the algorithm punishes you.

AI doesn't have off days. Your December holiday content goes out on schedule. Your Monday morning post publishes whether it's a holiday weekend or not. The brand voice stays consistent because it's locked in during setup — same tone, same style, same messaging, every time.

For businesses that have struggled with inconsistency (which is most small businesses), this alone is worth the investment.

The Creativity Question

Here's where humans still have an edge, and we'll be straight about it.

A talented social media manager brings creative instincts that AI can't fully replicate. They spot a trending moment and jump on it in a way that feels natural. They craft a campaign concept that surprises people. They have an intuitive sense for what will resonate with your specific audience that comes from years of experience.

AI-generated content is good. It's well-structured, on-brand, and engaging. But it's not going to create a viral moment or dream up a campaign that wins awards. It produces consistent, solid B+ content day after day.

For most small businesses, consistent B+ content posted daily outperforms occasional A+ content posted twice a week. The algorithm rewards consistency, and your audience rewards showing up.

What About Engagement and Community Management?

Posting is only half the job. Responding to comments, answering DMs, engaging with other accounts — that's where social media builds relationships.

AI handles this well for straightforward interactions. Someone asks about your hours in a comment, they get an instant reply. A DM asking about pricing gets answered in seconds, not hours. Positive comments get acknowledged. Negative feedback gets flagged for your review.

Where it's less effective: nuanced conversations that require reading the room, handling a PR situation, or building relationships with influencers and partners. Those still benefit from a human touch.

The Practical Recommendation

For most small businesses — especially those spending under $100K per year on marketing total — here's what we'd suggest:

Use AI if: You're currently doing social media yourself (poorly and inconsistently), you've tried hiring and been burned by cost or quality, or your budget simply can't support a $3,000+/month hire. AI will get you from zero to consistent in two weeks and keep you there.

Use a human if: Social media is a primary revenue driver (not just a presence thing), you're in a highly visual or creative industry where original content creation is critical, or you have the budget and want someone who can also handle influencer partnerships, paid ads, and brand strategy.

Use both if: You can afford it. Let AI handle the daily posting, scheduling, and routine engagement. Let your human manager focus on strategy, creative campaigns, and high-value relationship building. This is the setup we see working best for businesses that are scaling.

What This Looks Like with Stoke

We set up your AI social media employee with your brand voice, your content pillars, your posting schedule, and your platform preferences. Within two weeks, it's publishing daily, responding to routine interactions, and freeing you from the guilt of an empty content calendar.

You review and approve posts (or don't — your call), and you always have the ability to jump in on conversations that need a personal touch.

Book a free consultation and we'll show you exactly what your AI social media employee would look like — including a sample content calendar for your first month.