Social Media ROI Calculator
Most ROI calculators ignore the biggest cost: time. This one counts software, paid promotion and your hours at a rate you set, then compares the total with the revenue your leads produce. You get ROI, cost per lead and cost per customer.
What social costs you each month
What it brings in
ROI = (revenue − cost) ÷ cost. Counting your time is what most calculators skip, and it is usually the biggest line, which is also why a scheduler that saves five hours a month pays for itself many times over.
How social media ROI is calculated
ROI = (revenue − cost) ÷ cost × 100. Cost is software plus ad spend plus hours × hourly value. Revenue is leads × close rate × revenue per customer. Use first-order value for a conservative number or lifetime value for the real one.
Getting the inputs right
- Leads: signups, enquiries or purchases you can attribute to social: UTM links make this measurable.
- Close rate: what share of those become customers. 5–15% is typical for B2B, higher for e-commerce.
- Hourly value: what the time is worth to the business, not what it costs. For a founder that is often $100+.
- Hours: include planning, creating, posting and replying. Scheduling in batches usually cuts this by half, which shows up directly in ROI.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good social media ROI?
Anything positive after counting your time is good; 200–500% is common for small businesses that sell directly. Brand-awareness channels often show negative short-term ROI and are still worth running.
How do I attribute leads to social?
UTM links on every post and bio, a "how did you hear about us" field, and promo codes per platform.
Should I count organic hours as a cost?
Yes. Time is the largest line in most small-business social budgets and the one a scheduler reduces most.
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