Drafting an SLA with a social media client: what belongs in it?

Why an SLA, not just a contract?

A contract defines what you deliver. An SLA — service level agreement — defines how you deliver it, with measurable standards that both parties can invoke in case of disagreement. For social media agencies, it's indispensable: without an SLA, you'll get clients expecting "tomorrow's changes" at 11:00 PM on Sunday night, and without clear agreements, you're stuck with it.

Below are the components that every good social media SLA contains — with example wordings you can adapt.

1. Response Time for Client Requests

The most underestimated component. Without an agreement, a client will assume you're available in real-time. Example wording:

"Client requests via email or the client portal will be answered within one business day (Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00). Urgent requests outside office hours fall under an urgent rate (€95/hour) and must be reported by phone."

This single block prevents 80% of frustrations.

2. Response Time for Community Management

Comments and DMs are different from client inquiries. Example:

"Responses to posts (comments and DMs) on linked social accounts will be answered within 4 business hours, on business days between 09:00-18:00. Outside office hours within 12 hours. Crisis notifications (negative PR, complaint escalation) will be reported directly to the client via phone immediately upon detection."

3. Turnaround Times for Content

How long from briefing to live post? Make it measurable:

• Briefing received from client before Monday 12:00 → first draft Wednesday 17:00.
• Revisions after feedback: within 2 business days.
• Urgent posts (live within 24 hours): at an urgent rate (€150/post extra).

4. Number of Revision Rounds

The classic pitfall: unlimited revisions. Prevent with:

"Per content batch, 2 revision rounds are included. Subsequent revisions will be billed based on an hourly rate of €85, after prior written approval."

5. Platform Availability Guarantee

If you have a client portal, you implicitly promise that it works. State explicitly:

"The client portal has an uptime target of 99.5% per month, measured over business days 09:00-18:00. In case of prolonged downtime, a pro-rata credit will be applied to the next invoice."

Tip: this is only relevant if you control the uptime yourself. For a SaaS platform like Senly, you adopt their uptime promise (mention that in the SLA).

6. Reporting Frequency and Content

Not just "monthly", but specifically:

"Monthly report will be delivered via the client portal before the 5th business day of the month. It will include at minimum: KPI overview (engagement, reach, follower growth), top 3 best-performing posts, comparison with benchmark, strategy recommendation for the coming month."

7. Approval Workflow

What if the client doesn't respond? It's important to nail this down:

"Content submitted for approval will automatically be deemed approved if no response is received within 48 hours (business days). Posts published due to this auto-approval fall under the client's responsibility."

8. Ownership of Content and Assets

Who owns what? Common mistake:

"All content, designs, and edited assets produced by the agency will become the property of the client upon full payment of the invoice. Raw images and files will be retained for up to 12 months after the end of the collaboration and then archived."

9. Notice Period and Exit Procedure

The most painful but most important clause:

"The notice period is 1 month, reported in writing before the 1st of the month. Upon termination of collaboration: (a) transfer of social media admin access, (b) export of content archive, (c) handover of client contacts. The agency will not deactivate social media accounts itself."

10. Liability and Exclusions

What do you do if a post goes viral with an error, or an account gets suspended?

"The agency is not liable for: (a) algorithm changes by social platforms, (b) suspension or loss of accounts due to platform policy, (c) reputational damage arising from client-approved content. Agency liability is in all cases limited to the monthly amount paid by the client."

SLA Templates: Make It Local

A good SLA is not a 20-page legal document — that scares off SME clients. Keep it to 2-3 pages with clear numbering. Have it reviewed by a lawyer if in doubt, but ensure it's in understandable Dutch.

For agencies: place your SLA next to your intake form so that every new client signs it in their first week. Clients who have trouble with this are already giving you a signal — better than 6 months from now at the first conflict.