Ask five agencies what social media marketing costs and you may get five very different numbers. That is not always because someone is overcharging. "Social media marketing" can mean anything from four festival posts a month to a full team running content, video, ads and customer replies across several platforms.
The way to make sense of quotes is to break the work into its parts. Once you can see the parts, you can decide which ones your business actually needs and what a fair price looks like for each.
The five parts of the cost
1. Content creation
This is the visible work: posts, carousels, stories, festival creatives, reel covers and the captions that go with them. It is usually the largest part of a monthly fee.
What drives the price:
- Volume: how many pieces each month.
- Type: a single post is quicker than a five-slide carousel; a carousel is quicker than a well-edited reel.
- Originality: designs built around your own photos and products take more care than templates.
- Language: writing natural Hindi, English or both.
- Revisions: how many rounds of changes are included.
Many agencies, including ours, also sell creatives one at a time. At ArcBig, a social media post is ₹499 + GST, a carousel ₹999 + GST, a story ₹299 + GST and a festival creative ₹699 + GST, as listed on our homepage. That gives you a useful yardstick when comparing monthly packages.
2. Video and reels
Short video is now central to reaching new people, and it costs more to make than static posts because it involves scripting, shooting and editing. Costs rise if the agency comes to your premises to shoot, if the video needs voice-over, or if it is longer and more polished. A promotional video at ArcBig is ₹4,999 + GST; regular reel packages are quoted separately. See our reels and AI video service.
3. Management and posting
Planning the content calendar, scheduling and publishing, keeping an eye on comments and messages, updating your Google Business Profile, and coordinating with you. This is the "running the operation" part of the fee. It is sometimes bundled into content pricing and sometimes charged separately.
4. Paid promotion (ad spend)
If you boost posts or run ads, there are two costs: the ad spend you pay to the platform, and the management fee you pay the agency to plan, set up, monitor and report on campaigns. Keep these separate in any agreement, so you always know exactly how much of your money reaches the platform. Our guide to AI ads for small businesses explains how to avoid wasting ad budget.
5. Reporting and strategy
A monthly report that explains results and next steps, and occasional strategy sessions. Good reporting is what turns a posting service into a marketing partner.
Typical setups and what they suit
Rather than guessing at "average" prices, it is more useful to think in terms of setups:
| Setup | What it includes | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Occasional creatives | Festival posts, offers and flyers ordered when needed | Businesses that post themselves but want professional design |
| Starter monthly plan | 8 to 12 posts, a few stories, a reel or two, posting, simple report | Local shops, clinics, small institutes |
| Growth plan | 15 to 25 posts, weekly reels, Google Business posts, detailed report | Businesses with competitive local markets or seasonal peaks |
| Full service | Content, video shoots, ads management, community management, strategy | Brands running paid campaigns or selling online |
Prices for each setup vary with your volume and requirements; ask agencies to quote against a specific list of deliverables so you can compare.
Hidden costs to watch for
- Ad spend presented as part of the fee. Always ask how much goes to the platform.
- Extra charges for revisions beyond a small number.
- Stock images or music licences charged separately.
- Shoot days charged on top of the monthly fee.
- Setup fees for things like page clean-up or brand kits.
- Lock-in periods that make it expensive to leave.
None of these is wrong in itself. They just need to be clear before you agree.
How to set a budget
A simple way to work out what you can spend:
- Start from the goal. If one new customer is worth a certain amount to you over a year, how many extra customers would make the spend worthwhile?
- Fund the basics first. A complete Google Business Profile, a clear logo and consistent posting matter more than ads in the early months.
- Commit for long enough. Social media builds over months. Plan a budget you can sustain for at least six months before judging results.
- Add ads once content works. Put paid budget behind posts and offers that already perform well organically.
- Review monthly. Track enquiries, not just likes, and adjust.
Cheaper is not always cheaper
Very low monthly prices usually come with trade-offs: template designs used for many clients, copied captions, little or no video, no real reporting, and sometimes bought followers to make numbers look good. The problem is not just poor results; generic content can make your business look less professional than it really is.
On the other hand, a high price does not guarantee quality. The fair test is simple: compare quotes against the same list of deliverables, look at real current work, and ask how the agency measures success. Our checklist on how to choose a social media agency walks through it.
Doing part of it yourself
Many small businesses save money by splitting the work:
- You shoot simple phone videos at the shop, reply to messages and share stories.
- An agency designs posts and festival creatives, edits reels and plans the calendar.
This hybrid approach often gives better results than either doing everything yourself or paying for full service you do not need. If you are weighing up hiring someone in-house instead, see in-house designer vs agency costs.
Agencies buying for their clients
If you run an agency yourself, the same breakdown applies to your costs. Many agencies outsource production through a white-label partner and focus on strategy and client relationships, which keeps costs predictable.
How ArcBig prices social media
Our one-off design prices are published on our homepage, so you always have a reference point. Monthly social media management is quoted in writing after a free audit, based on the number of posts, reels and channels you actually need, with ad spend always kept separate. We work with businesses in Modinagar, Meerut, Delhi and across India.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a small business spend on social media marketing?
There is no single right amount. Start with a budget you can sustain for six months, fund consistent content and a strong Google Business Profile first, and add paid promotion once you know which posts work.
Is ad spend included in an agency's fee?
It should not be mixed in. Ask for ad spend (paid to the platform) and the agency's management fee to be listed separately, so you know exactly where your money goes.
Why do social media agency prices vary so much?
Because packages differ in volume, video, originality, language, reporting and whether ads are managed. Compare quotes against the same list of deliverables.
Can I pay for individual posts instead of a monthly plan?
Yes, many agencies sell single creatives. At ArcBig, individual posts start at ₹499 + GST and stories at ₹299 + GST.
What is the cheapest way to start with social media marketing?
Complete your Google Business Profile and social profiles yourself, post consistently with phone photos and videos, and buy professionally designed creatives for festivals and offers.