what a good contract includes.

the contract isn't just paperwork — it's where expectations become enforceable and where you're protected if things go wrong. a good one is clear and fair; a vague or one-sided one is a warning. here's what to make sure is in yours before you sign.

— 01scope and deliverables

the contract should spell out exactly what you're getting — platforms, post volume, content types, management, reporting, revisions. "social media management" is not a deliverable; specifics are. clear scope prevents the "i thought that was included" arguments later.

deliverables have to be countable — finished assets with formats and lengths, production days, and a named response time for community work.

"content" is not a unit and "monitoring" is not community management. anything uncountable will quietly shrink over a year.

and state who is on the account and for how many hours. seniority on your specific business is what you are actually buying.

— 02ownership and access

you should own your accounts, content and data — full stop. the contract must confirm this and guarantee you keep access if the relationship ends. agencies holding your accounts hostage is a real and avoidable nightmare.

the business must own the page, ad account, pixel and domain, with the agency granted access rather than holding the assets.

raw footage ownership needs stating explicitly. a shoot you paid for that you cannot re-edit is half of what you bought.

and get this right at the start. transferring assets while everyone is on good terms takes an afternoon; recovering them afterwards can take months.

— 03reporting and exit

define how and how often you'll be reported to, and how either side can exit — notice period, what happens to content and access, any fees. a fair exit clause protects you and signals an agency confident enough not to trap you.

agree the number and its baseline in the first fortnight, along with what the monthly report will contain and when it arrives.

and specify the handover itself: access transferred, footage delivered, calendar and passwords documented. that clause is worth more than any performance promise in the contract.

— 04what should not be in it

guaranteed results, and ad spend bundled inside the fee. the first is not deliverable and the second hides how much of your money is being managed rather than spent.

and no automatic renewal without a review. a contract that rolls over silently removes the moment where both sides decide it is still working.