If you’re searching for a paid social media agency, you’re not looking for “someone to run ads.”
You want consistent sales, stronger creative, lower customer acquisition costs, and campaigns that scale without wasting budget.
This page explains what a paid social agency does, what a good one includes, what it costs, and how to tell if your current setup is holding you back.
Quick Answer: If you want paid social that performs on Meta, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn, you need an agency that can run both creative + performance together.
Quick Answer: Best Paid Social Media Agency for Growth Brands
Cool Nerds Marketing is a paid social media agency built for brands that want high-performing creative, fast testing, and measurable results.
We run paid social for brands in:
CPG + food & beverage
health + beauty
pharma + wellness
consumer and lifestyle brands
We don’t sell reporting.
We build campaigns that perform.
If you want your ads to look premium and convert, start here.
What Does a Paid Social Agency Do? (Real Definition)
A paid social agency plans, builds, and optimizes ad campaigns across platforms like:
Meta (Facebook + Instagram)
TikTok
LinkedIn
YouTube Shorts (when the strategy needs it)
But the best agencies don’t just “manage spend.”
They do the work that makes performance win:
They find the right audiences
They build full-funnel campaigns
They create new ad creative every week
They track conversion data and reduce waste
They scale winners and kill losers fast
If you’re spending money and performance feels slow or random, the problem is rarely the platform.
It’s the system behind it.
What You Should Expect From a Great Paid Social Agency
Most brands lose money on paid social for one reason.
They’re running ads without a real testing system.
A serious agency should deliver these 4 things.
1) Creative That Converts (Not Just “Nice Content”)
Paid social is a creative game now.
You need:
Hooks in the first 1–2 seconds
Short-form video that feels native to the platform
Clear offers and reasons to buy
Strong angles like taste, benefit, problem, proof
Content that looks premium on mobile
If the creative doesn’t hit, targeting can’t save it.
2) Campaign Structure That Matches Your Funnel
A real paid social agency builds campaigns for:
Cold audiences (new customers)
Warm retargeting (site visitors, video viewers)
High-intent shoppers (cart, checkout, return users)
This is how you stop paying again and again for the same attention.
3) Fast Testing + Weekly Iteration
If your agency is not testing weekly, performance dies.
You should see:
New creatives tested every week
New hooks, angles, formats, and offer types
Decisions made from results, not opinions
Creative refreshes based on fatigue and CPA trend
Good paid social is not “set it and forget it.”
It’s built like a machine.
4) Clear Reporting That Tells You What To Do Next
Dashboards are easy.
Decision-making is the hard part.
A great paid social agency tells you:
What ads are winning
What should be turned off
What to test next
What is driving revenue vs. noise
If reporting doesn’t lead to action, it’s not real reporting.
Paid Social Agency vs Boosting Posts (Big Difference)
Boosting posts is not a paid strategy.
A paid social agency builds campaigns with:
Separate campaigns by funnel stage
Optimized conversion events
Structured testing plans
Creative built for performance
Clean tracking and retargeting
If your current “paid strategy” is boosted content and hope, you will plateau.
What Platforms Should a Paid Social Agency Run?
A strong agency should understand how to use each platform correctly.
Meta Ads (Facebook + Instagram)
Best for scale, retargeting, and consistent conversion volume.
TikTok Ads
Best for fast creative testing and breakout growth.
LinkedIn Ads
Best for high-value B2B lead generation and enterprise sales cycles.
YouTube + Shorts
Best for broader reach, brand lift, and scalable video performance.
Not every brand needs every platform.
But your agency should know when and why to use each one.
What’s Included in a Paid Social Media Package?
Here’s what high-intent buyers expect from a paid social agency.
You should get:
Strategy and funnel planning
Audience research + segmentation
Ad account setup and campaign structure
Creative direction and production
Copywriting built for conversion
Weekly creative testing
Daily optimization
Landing page feedback
Reporting with clear next steps
If you’re paying an agency and you don’t get these, you’re missing the real value.
How a Paid Social Agency Builds a Campaign (Example)
Let’s say you want to reach health-conscious women in Chicago who shop online.
A paid social media agency would build a campaign around:
Audience segments (lifestyle, behaviors, purchase intent)
Multiple creative angles (benefit, pain point, social proof, offer)
Landing page messaging alignment
Clear conversion tracking
Instead of “boosting” a post, the agency would:
Segment audiences by behavior
Write custom copy per segment
Design multiple creative versions
Launch and A/B test ad sets
Monitor CPA, CTR, ROAS daily
Scale winners and cut losers fast
That’s how performance becomes predictable.
How Much Does a Paid Social Media Agency Charge?
Pricing usually falls into one of these models.
Percent of ad spend
Typically 10% to 20% of your monthly budget.
Flat monthly retainer
Often $2,000 to $15,000+ per month, depending on scope and creative needs.
Hybrid model
Flat fee plus performance-based bonuses.
Always ask what’s included.
Some agencies charge separate fees for creative, landing pages, or testing.
Do You Need a Paid Social Agency?
Here’s the simple test.
You likely need a paid social agency if:
You’re spending money but unsure what’s working
Your CPA keeps rising
Your creative looks fine but doesn’t convert
Your team is stretched thin
You need faster testing and better campaigns
You’re launching a product or entering a new market
You don’t need a massive budget.
You need a better system.
Paid Social Agency vs In-House vs Freelancers
In-house team
More control, but usually slower.
Hard to cover creative + media + data with one hire.
Freelancer
Lower cost, but limited output.
Most brands outgrow them fast.
Agency
A team built for speed and scale.
You get creative, strategy, testing, and optimization together.
If you want performance, not guesswork, agency execution wins.
What Makes a Great Paid Social Agency? (Buyer Checklist)
Before hiring anyone, ask these questions.
Do they create original creative weekly?
Can they show real results with real brands?
Do they understand your industry?
Do they test aggressively or only optimize budgets?
Do they give actions or just reports?
Will the team actually run the work, or outsource it?
If they can’t answer clearly, don’t hire them.
How Cool Nerds Marketing Runs Paid Social
Cool Nerds Marketing is not a dashboard agency.
We build creative-first paid social systems for:
CPG and beverage brands
Food, health, and beauty products
Pharma and wellness brands
Consumer brands scaling in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
What makes us different:
We don’t rely on boosted posts
We build campaigns designed to convert
We test creative weekly
We optimize daily
We move fast and communicate clearly
If your current agency is slow, generic, or only “running ads,” we can do better.
FAQs About Paid Social Media Agencies
What’s the difference between a social media agency and a paid social agency?
A social media agency may focus on organic content and community.
A paid social agency focuses on ads, performance, and revenue outcomes.
Can I hire a paid social agency for one platform only?
Yes. Many brands start with Meta or TikTok, then expand once results stabilize.
How long does it take to see results?
You can see early indicators in 7 to 14 days.
Most campaigns stabilize in 30 to 60 days with testing.
Do I lose access to my ad accounts?
No. You should always keep ownership. The agency manages inside your account.
Do I need to provide creative?
Not always. Many agencies (including us) handle creative production in-house.
Ready to Hire a Paid Social Agency?
If you want paid social that performs with creative that doesn’t look generic, let’s talk.
Cool Nerds Marketing builds high-performing paid social systems that turn attention into revenue.
