Following up to an article I wrote sometime back on social media consulting rates, I’ve noticed that hourly and monthly rates have remained steady for the past 6 months, however costs have increased overall.

As more businesses jump on the social media bandwagon and begin gaining market share, social media consultants are forced to spend more time analyzing competitors’ strategies. In essence, researching and trying to beat 2 competitors is much easier than trying to take down 10.

When looking to hire a social media consultant, be prepared to invest a decent amount of money in their services. You want them to paint a picture of your business with a roadmap to success, though coming up with the concept and implementing it is no easy task, especially for large companies. Listening, learning then acting is the name of the game. But unfortunately that takes time… a lot of time.

In 2013, you should expect to pay anywhere from $200-$350 per hour for a seasoned social media consultant. Of course there are cheaper alternatives, but you get what you pay for.