Melbourne Social
Melbourne Social Co is a Melbourne-headquartered social-first creative agency founded in 2011, serving enterprise clients across lifestyle, retail, technology, property, and hospitality with strategy, lo-fi and hi-fi content, paid social management, influencer campaigns, and social media retainers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersMelbourne, Australia
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Melbourne Social does
Melbourne Social Co PTY LTD is a Melbourne-headquartered social-first creative agency founded in 2011 by Shelley Friesen, operating with a team of approximately 15 across offices in Melbourne, New York, and London. The company delivers a full-service social media offering spanning strategy development, lo-fi and hi-fi content production, social media management, paid social advertising on Meta and TikTok, UGC-style content creation, and end-to-end influencer campaign management. Its technical and creative approach is built around proprietary methodologies including the Attention Architecture™ framework (Pulse/Pattern/Spike) and the 'Organic Trojan Horse' paid-social approach, supported by an in-house studio and props library. Public pricing for Content for Paid Social packages is disclosed at AUD 1,500 / 3,800 / 7,000 for 2 / 5 / 10 videos respectively, while social media management and strategy engagements are bespoke retainers.
The agency's go-to-market is sales-led, centered on discovery calls, strategy sessions, and project enquiries routed through Typeform, with a multi-tier funnel that includes The Social Co Academy for SMBs and a branded podcast ('Can I Buy You a Coffee?') for community-building. Revenue is generated through four primary streams: recurring social media management retainers, project-based strategy engagements, project-based content production (lo-fi and paid social), and influencer campaign fees. The client base skews enterprise and is diversified across at least 12 verticals including food delivery (DoorDash), technology (Xero, Fitbit), retail (Lululemon, Adairs, Twinings), property (Satterley, Villawood), hospitality (Novotel, TFE Hotels, Quincy Hotel), and healthcare (Epworth), with the DoorDash ANZ TikTok account winning the 2024 Netty Award for Best TikTok Account ANZ. The agency is privately held, founder-controlled, and operates as a female-led organization with no disclosed external investment.
Melbourne Social firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Melbourne Social
- Legal name
- Melbourne Social Co PTY LTD
- Website
- https://melbournesocialco.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Melbourne Social Co is a Melbourne-headquartered social-first creative agency founded in 2011, serving enterprise clients across lifestyle, retail, technology, property, and hospitality with strategy, lo-fi and hi-fi content, paid social management, influencer campaigns, and social media retainers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Melbourne Social industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Media Creative Agency Services
- NAICS
- Advertising Agencies (541810), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418), Public Relations Agencies (541820)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Social Media & Community Management (BPAFAAAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Social Media Creative Agencies (Content & Community) (MPAAAAAE), Paid Social Advertising (BPAFACAB), Digital PR & Social Media Communications (MPAAADAJ), Social Media Reputation & Community Management (MPAAAOAI)
Keywords
Where Melbourne Social is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Melbourne
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Melbourne Social business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Social Media Management Retainers: Ongoing retainer agreements covering content curation, scheduling, community management, and reporting across social platforms. Monthly retainer-based revenue with dedicated social media manager as day-to-day contact.
- Social Media Strategy Development: Custom social media strategy roadmap delivered as a project engagement, including research deep dive, competitor analysis, content pillars, content schedule, and paid amplification plan. Many clients transition to ongoing management retainers after strategy completion.
- Content for Paid Social Packages: Project-based content production with three tiers: 2 videos from $1,500, 5 videos from $3,800, and 10 videos from $7,000. Turnaround of 2–4 weeks with 6 months paid usage included. These are one-time or periodic purchases supplementing existing ad campaigns.
- Lo-Fi Content Production: Flexible lo-fi video content production available as once-off projects or monthly retainer arrangements. In-house creators film elevated organic-style content across organic and paid social use.
- Influencer Campaign Management: End-to-end influencer marketing campaigns including strategy, creator selection, briefing, contracting, campaign management, content amplification, and performance reporting. Bespoke per campaign with ongoing client relationships.
- Paid Social Advertising Management: Campaign management for Meta and TikTok accounts, covering strategy, audience research, ad setup, ongoing optimization, and reporting. Managed as part of retainer engagements or standalone project work.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 2 Videos — from $1,500 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 5 Videos — from $3,800 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | 10 Videos — from $7,000 |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Melbourne Social product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Melbourne Social Co is a social-first creative agency that delivers end-to-end social media services for brands, including strategy development, lo-fi and hi-fi content production, social media management and community engagement, paid social advertising across Meta and TikTok, and influencer campaign management. Services are delivered by in-house teams across offices in Melbourne, New York, and London to clients in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Product overview
Melbourne Social Co is a social-first creative agency offering a comprehensive suite of social media services. The core portfolio consists of Strategy, Lo-Fi Content Creation, Hi-Fi Content Creation, Social Media Management, Paid Social Management, Content for Paid Social, Influencer Campaigns, and UGC Style Content Creation. Additionally, the company offers The Social Co Academy as an education/training product and produces the 'Can I Buy You a Coffee' podcast. The agency is organized as a service-based firm rather than a software platform, delivering these services directly to clients across various industries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Social Co Academy: An educational arm created by Melbourne Social Co, providing small business owners, marketers, and creators access to social media strategies, trend insights, and content frameworks used for agency clients.
- Can I Buy You a Coffee?
Quantifiable outcome
- Lifely: +417% organic social traffic, +3000% engagement, 10-12X ROAS from switch to social-first content strategy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Melbourne Social
Customer profileNamed customers22 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Melbourne Social technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Melbourne Social partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- The Social Co AcademyminorThe Social Co Academy is an educational arm created by the team behind Melbourne Social Co, providing small business owners, marketers, and creators with social media strategies, trend insights, and content frameworks. It serves as both a standalone product and a funnel into Melbourne Social Co's full-service agency offerings.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Melbourne Social competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Amplify: Australia-based independent creative agency with strong social, content, and influencer practice. Comparable ANZ-headquartered competitor targeting similar enterprise brand roster.
- We Are Social: Global social-first creative agency offering strategy, content creation, paid social, and influencer campaigns across markets. Closely comparable in service mix and 'social-first' philosophy to MSC, but operates at significantly larger global scale.
- Born Social: Independent social media agency focused on social-first creative, paid social management, and content production for brands. Comparable in size, service mix, and social-only positioning.
- The Social Element: Specialist social media agency providing community management, content creation, and social strategy for enterprise brands. Direct comparable on social media management and community engagement offerings.
Regional players
- Thinkerbell: Australian-founded creative agency blending advertising, PR, and social. Comparable ANZ market footprint and creative-led positioning, but broader than pure social media.
- The Royals: Melbourne-based creative agency with integrated social, content, and brand work. Comparable geography and client mix, though broader than MSC's social-first remit.
Broad incumbents
- WPP / VMLY&R: Global advertising holding company with large social and content practices. Competes for enterprise social media management RFPs where MSC participates, but at vastly larger scale.
- Ogilvy Social.Lab: WPP-owned specialist social media agency offering strategy, content, community management, and paid social. Directly comparable service portfolio to MSC within a global holding-company structure.
- Dentsu Creative (Social Chain): Global holding-company creative network with social-first DNA (via Social Chain acquisition). Competes for the same enterprise social mandates as MSC but offers integrated media buying and global delivery.
Others
- Resolution Media: Performance-media agency historically part of IPG Mediabrands, focused on paid social and digital media planning. Adjacent competitor on MSC's paid social management service line.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Melbourne Social social profiles
Digital presenceMelbourne Social financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Melbourne Social leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Melbourne Social funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Melbourne Social M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Melbourne Social
What does Melbourne Social do?
Melbourne Social Co is a social-first creative agency that delivers end-to-end social media services for brands, including strategy development, lo-fi and hi-fi content production, social media management and community engagement, paid social advertising across Meta and TikTok, and influencer campaign management. Services are delivered by in-house teams across offices in Melbourne, New York, and London to clients in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and the US.
Is Melbourne Social a public or private company?
Melbourne Social is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Melbourne Social founded?
Melbourne Social was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Melbourne Social based?
Melbourne Social is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Melbourne Social make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Social Media Management Retainers are the primary driver. The others are social Media Strategy Development, content for Paid Social Packages, lo-Fi Content Production, influencer Campaign Management and paid Social Advertising Management.
Who are Melbourne Social's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Amplify, We Are Social, Born Social and The Social Element. Regional players are Thinkerbell and The Royals. Broad incumbents are WPP / VMLY&R, Ogilvy Social.Lab and Dentsu Creative (Social Chain). Resolution Media is listed as an others.
Does Melbourne Social have an API?
No public API is recorded for Melbourne Social.
What industry is Melbourne Social in?
Melbourne Social's product category is Social Media Creative Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAE, Social Media & Community Management, with a secondary code of MPAAAAAE, Social Media Creative Agencies (Content & Community). Its NAICS code is 541810 and its SIC code is 7311.