When you run a small business, marketing can become a second job. You need to plan campaigns, publish useful content, keep social media active and follow up with enquiries while still serving customers.
An outsourced digital marketing team can take on much of that work. But before you hire one, you need a clear answer to a practical question: how much should you expect to pay?
There is no single standard agency fee.The price depends on the work included, the depth of expertise, the amount of content and the level of ongoing support. A useful quote should make those differences easy to understand.
This guide explains published pricing benchmarks in the United States and Australia, the costs to check before signing, and how our own monthly package is structured.
Pricing references checked in September 2026. USD and AUD figures are shown separately.
How much does a digital marketing agency cost in the US?
For a broad starting reference, US agency WebFX lists monthly digital marketing retainers of USD $1,000–$20,000 in its pricing guide. That is a wide range covering different service combinations and business needs; it is not a representative average for every small business.
The useful question is where your needs sit within the scope of a proposal. A business that needs help publishing social content is buying a different service from one commissioning technical SEO, paid advertising, email campaigns and website development.
How much does a digital marketing agency cost in Australia?
Australian pricing also varies with the service mix. Digital Nomads HQ’s June 2026 audit of 140 Australian agencies reports advertised small-business ranges of AUD $1,200–$2,500 per month for SEO and AUD $950–$2,500 per month for organic social media management. Its benchmarks exclude some very low-cost offers, and GST treatment varies across the prices it collected.
These are individual service benchmarks. They should not be added together to calculate a universal package price or treated as equivalent to a broader package containing basic SEO.
What are you paying an agency to do?
A proposal should explain both the work and its limits. “Social media management” might mean preparing posts, publishing them, replying to messages or handling all three. The label alone does not tell you.
The same applies to SEO. A basic strategy and search-focused articles are a different scope from extensive technical fixes, website migrations or specialist link acquisition.
Before comparing prices, check:
- Strategy:Who chooses priorities and connects activities to your business goals?
- Production:How many articles, posts, designs, videos and emails are included?
- Delivery:Does the team create assets only, or also publish and manage them?
- Support:How often will you meet, and who answers questions?
- Measurement:What will the report show, and how will it inform the next month’s work?
For example, ask whether a post allowance is shared across platforms or applies separately to each one. Small wording differences can make two apparently similar packages quite different.
What our outsourced digital marketing package includes
Our package brings planning, production, organic growth and customer follow-up together under one monthly fee.
Strategy and management
- Digital marketing strategy covering the included services
- Monthly marketing calendar and campaign planning
- Management of up to3 social media platforms
- Monthly performance reporting
- Monthly strategy consultation
Content and creative
- Up to12 social media posts per month
- Up to6 professional poster/flyer designs per month
- Up to6 AI-generated short videos per month
- Copywriting, captions, hooks and calls to action
- Content repurposing
Organic growth
- Basic SEO strategy
- Up to4 SEO-focused articles per month
- Google Business Profile content and optimisation, where applicable
- Organic lead-generation campaigns
Email and customer follow-up
- Up to2 email campaigns per month
- Basic marketing automation
- Lead and customer follow-up workflows
AI-generated video production is included within the six-video monthly allowance.Non-AI video production is quoted separately.
PPC, Google Ads, Meta Ads and TikTok Ads management, along with advertising spend, are not included.
This scope is designed for businesses seeking coordinated, ongoing marketing support. A business whose main need is paid advertising or advanced technical SEO should choose support that directly covers that requirement.
Which costs should you check before signing?
The monthly fee is only one part of the decision. Ask for the complete payment picture before you commit.
Setup fees.Check whether onboarding carries a separate charge and what that charge covers.
Security deposits.A deposit creates an additional cash requirement. Ask when it is payable, when it can be returned or applied, and what deductions may be allowed. Do not assume it automatically pays your final month.
Software subscriptions.Confirm whether email software, CRM tools, stock assets and other third-party subscriptions are included or billed separately.
Additional production.Clarify the charges for filming, extra revisions, extra content or work beyond the agreed scope.
Taxes and payment charges.Check the currency, applicable taxes and any payment or foreign-exchange fees that affect the amount you pay.
Exit terms.Understand the notice period, outstanding payment obligations and handover arrangements.
Put these answers alongside the deliverables when comparing proposals. A lower monthly figure can represent a smaller scope or more separate charges.
How do you judge whether the fee is worthwhile?
Agree on what progress should look like before work begins.
Separate the work delivered from the business response. Publishing an article is a deliverable. A relevant enquiry is an outcome. Both matter, but counting completed posts alone will not tell you whether marketing is helping the business.
A useful monthly discussion should cover:
- What was delivered against the plan.
- Whether the content reached relevant people.
- Which activities contributed to enquiries or customer engagement.
- Whether enquiries were suitable and followed up promptly.
- What should change next month.
Interpret the numbers alongside your sales process, seasonality and available tracking. A marketing team can improve execution, but customer demand, your offer and how enquiries are handled also affect results.
Frequently asked questions
Does an agency fee include advertising spend?
Do not assume so. Ask for service fees and media spend to be identified separately. Our package excludes both paid advertising management and advertising spend.
Can a small business outsource marketing without running paid ads?
Yes. Our package covers activities such as social content, SEO-focused articles, email campaigns and customer follow-up. Whether that scope suits your business depends on your goals, audience and how quickly you need results.
Does an outsourced team replace a full-time employee?
An outsourced team provides the services and capacity set out in its agreement. It does not automatically provide the same availability or responsibilities as a full-time employee. Compare the actual work you need rather than treating the two arrangements as interchangeable.
Is the cheapest agency the best choice for a small budget?
It may be suitable if its scope matches your needs. Compare work samples, delivery limits, communication and total costs before deciding. Paying for services you do not need is poor value at any price.
A boutique marketing partner with clear monthly pricing
We work with a maximum of five active clients across Australia and the United States at any one time. We deliberately keep our client roster small to give each partnership focused attention, thoughtful planning and consistent communication.
Our Outsourced Digital Marketing Team package starts at USD $2,500 per month or AUD $3,500 per month with a six-month commitment, plus the applicable security deposit. Month-to-month options are also available.
View our full package and pricing, then get in touch to discuss your needs and current availability.