Digital marketing pricing depends on four things: which services you need, how much work each one involves, how competitive your market is and whether advertising spend is included or billed separately. Agencies usually charge a monthly retainer for ongoing work, a fixed fee for projects such as websites, or a one-time fee for consultations and audits. At Shootup Media, starting points are ₹4,999 for a one-hour consultation, ₹35,000 a month for one core service and ₹75,000 a month for up to three services, with final scope confirmed on a free call before any work begins.
What affects digital marketing cost
- Number of services: one channel such as SEO costs less than running SEO, ads and social media together.
- Scope and volume: the number of pages, posts, campaigns, locations or languages involved.
- Competition: crowded markets and expensive keywords need more work and often larger ad budgets.
- Starting point: a site with technical problems or no content needs more groundwork than an established one.
- Geography: local campaigns in one city differ from pan-India or international programmes.
- Reporting and support: weekly reporting, dedicated strategists and faster response times add time.
- Regulated industries: healthcare, finance, legal and real estate often need extra review and compliance checks.
Common digital marketing pricing models
- Monthly retainer: a fixed monthly fee for ongoing services such as SEO, social media or ad management. It suits work that compounds over time.
- Project fee: a fixed price for defined deliverables, such as a website, brand identity or app.
- Consultation or audit fee: a one-time payment for expert analysis and a written plan.
- Per-item pricing: fees per press release, article or video.
- Performance-based fees: payment linked to leads or sales. These need clear definitions and reliable tracking, and are less common for organic work, where results depend on factors outside anyone’s control.
Agency fees and advertising spend are different
When you run paid ads, there are two costs: the agency’s fee for planning, creating and managing campaigns, and the media spend paid to platforms such as Google or Meta for clicks and impressions. Always confirm whether a quoted price includes media spend, and keep ad accounts in your own name so you control billing. In India, GST applies to digital marketing services and to advertising charges, so check whether quotes are inclusive or exclusive of tax.
How to set a realistic digital marketing budget
- Decide the main goal for the next six to twelve months, such as enquiries, sales or awareness.
- Estimate what a new customer is worth to your business over time.
- Work out how many new customers you need and what you can afford to spend to win each one.
- Start with one or two channels that match your goal rather than spreading a small budget thinly.
- Allow enough time for each channel: paid ads can be judged sooner, while SEO needs months.
- Review results monthly and shift budget towards what produces qualified leads.
How Shootup Media plans are structured
- Consultation (₹4,999, one-time): a one-hour strategy call with a website and SEO audit and a next-steps report, for businesses that want expert input before committing.
- Starter (from ₹35,000 a month): one core service, such as SEO, social media or ads, with a monthly reporting call.
- Growth (from ₹75,000 a month): up to three services run as one strategy, with weekly reporting, WhatsApp support and a dedicated strategist.
- Scale (custom): multi-service, multi-city or international programmes with a dedicated account team.
Add-ons such as India press releases from ₹7,999 and global press releases from ₹19,999 are priced separately. All figures are starting points, not fixed rates.
Questions to ask before signing any agency contract
- What exactly is included each month, and what costs extra?
- Is advertising spend included, and who owns the ad accounts?
- What is the minimum commitment and notice period?
- How will results be reported, and which metrics will be tracked?
- Who will actually do the work, and how can you reach them?
Pricing red flags
- Promises of specific rankings, AI citations or a fixed number of leads.
- Very low prices with no clear deliverables.
- Long lock-in contracts before any results can be judged.
- Agencies that keep your website, domain or ad accounts in their own name.
To compare channels before choosing a plan, read SEO vs PPC or explore all digital marketing services.