Operations
Social media agency RFP UK hospitality: what to include
Scope, scoring, a procurement checklist and tender questions for a social media agency RFP UK hospitality brands can send. Plus compliance and market data.
What to take away
- A social media agency RFP UK hospitality brands can use must define venues, data access, content rights and paid-media ownership before pricing.
- Score tenders on strategy, sector proof, measurement and compliance, not follower counts or vague creative awards.
- Ask for a paid social research plan and name the survey tools, such as Jisc Online Surveys and Microsoft Forms, before you sign.
- Check ASA rules and ICO guidance, then set a retainer or project cap that fits your England market size estimate.
What a complete RFP should contain
Send every agency the same headings so replies can be compared line by line.
- Background and objectivesbrands, venues and trading names in scope.
- Scope of workservices, channels, content volumes and reporting.
- Deliverables and timelinelaunch date, review points and contract length.
- Submission requirementswhat to send, in what format, to which named contact, by the closing date you set.
- Commercialsfee basis, expenses and who pays ad spend.
- Compliance and dataadvertising codes, data protection, consent and content rights.
- Scoringthe weighted criteria you will use to judge every reply.
Scope the brief before you write tender questions
Start with a hospitality social media brief that lists each site: restaurant, bar, hotel or event space. Include opening hours, seasonal menus, booking links and local area. Name the image and video bank you own.
State who approves posts and how fast. A social media agency RFP UK hospitality teams issue should cover customer data, review responses and crisis cover. This early scope stops agencies from guessing.
Example scoring model
Use a weighted table and agree the weights before you read submissions. This reduces bias and makes comparison fair.
| Criteria | Weight | What to score |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy and creative | 25% | Clear plan for each venue and season |
| Hospitality proof | 25% | Named restaurant, bar or hotel results |
| Measurement | 20% | Booking, footfall and paid social reporting |
| Team and process | 15% | Named staff, response times and cover |
| Price and terms | 15% | Retainer, project fees and exit terms |
Build a social media agency procurement checklist UK
A social media agency tender template can start here. Use this checklist before you send the tender.
- Confirm the venues, brands and trading names in scope.
- List the customer data the agency will touch.
- Agree who owns images, video, ad accounts and pixels.
- Set a response time for comments and direct messages.
- Name the exit terms and account handover process.
A procurement checklist keeps the tender focused. It also helps you compare replies from a large agency and a small restaurant specialist.
Tender questions that separate strategy from posting
Ask every agency the same questions. Score answers against your table.
- Show two hospitality case studies with booking or footfall data.
- Explain how you will plan content for seasonal menus.
- Describe your paid social research method and survey tool choice.
- Name the staff who will run the account each week.
- Outline data handling, consent and deletion under UK GDPR.
- Set out retainer, project and ad-spend fees in one page.
Ad promotions, price claims and influencer posts are covered by the CAP Code, the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing, with broadcast advertising covered by the BCAP Code. Both are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority, so ask how the agency will check each campaign against them.
Survey and research tools for paid social
Paid social research needs a clear survey plan. Ask which tool the agency uses, who owns the data and where it is stored.
Ask which survey tool the agency uses. Jisc Online Surveys and Microsoft Forms are common choices, and they differ on storage, security and accessibility, so get the answer in writing before you compare replies.
If the agency handles customer data, the rules come from the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), with the ICO guide for organisations setting out the consent, storage and deletion duties. Ask which of these the agency will follow for each venue's list.
Budget, shortlist and market size
How to choose a social media agency for restaurants often comes down to proof and price. Ask for a sample statement of work and a sample retainer agreement.
To compare specialists, read our restaurant agency guide for retainer costs, photography and Instagram rules you still own. restaurant agency guide
Size the shortlist and budget with England market size data, which estimates roughly £700m to £1.4bn for 2024. England market size data
For in-house versus agency cost comparisons, ONS business activity, size and location data helps benchmark typical business sizes in your sector. ONS business activity, size and location data
Set a budget range before you shortlist. Include photography, ad spend, tools and contingency. A small group may need a project fee, not a long retainer.
Common questions
What is the first step in an RFP for hospitality social media?
Write the brief before the questions. List venues, data, content rights and paid-media ownership. Then set scoring weights.
How many agencies should we shortlist?
Three to five is workable. Fewer limits comparison. More creates too much reading for a small team.
Should we ask for a paid social survey tool?
Yes. Ask how they will research audiences and which tool they will use. Include storage and security questions.
What should we do if the agency owns our ad account?
Request admin access before you sign. Confirm ownership in the contract. Plan a handover process for the exit.
