There is no standard price list for digital marketing in South Africa. The same “SEO package” can cost R3,000 a month from one agency and R25,000 from another, and both might be fair for what they include. What helps is knowing how agencies charge, what each service typically costs, and which parts of a quote you actually need to compare.
Compare what is being done each month, not the number at the bottom of the quote.
The three ways agencies charge
Monthly retainer. A fixed fee each month for ongoing work. This is normal for SEO, social media management, content and ad management, because the work never really finishes. Look at the notice period: month-to-month or a short minimum term is common, and long lock-ins with penalties are a warning sign.
Project fee. A fixed price for something with a clear end: a website, a brand identity, an audit, a campaign setup. The usual South African terms are a deposit up front and the balance on completion.
Percentage of ad spend. Some agencies charge a share of what you spend on Google or Meta ads, commonly around 10% to 20%. It is simple, but it rewards the agency for spending more rather than for spending well, so many agencies use a flat fee instead or as a minimum.
Many quotes mix these: a once-off setup fee, then a monthly retainer.
Typical ranges by service
These are broad market ranges for small and medium South African businesses. They are a starting point for judging quotes, not a price list:
- Website: under R2,000 for a DIY template up to R50,000 and more for a custom build with bookings or e-commerce. Details in how much a website costs.
- SEO: from a few thousand rand a month for local SEO up to R20,000 and more for competitive national work. Details in how much SEO costs.
- Google Ads management: a flat monthly fee or a percentage of spend, plus the ad spend itself. Details in how much Google Ads cost.
- Social media management: from about R2,500 a month for a basic posting schedule on one or two platforms, rising with the number of posts, platforms, video and community management. Ad spend on social is separate.
- Content marketing: usually priced per article or as a monthly content plan; depth and research matter more than word count.
- Logo and brand identity: a few hundred rand to R50,000 and up. Details in how much a logo costs.
What actually moves the price
- How competitive your market is. Attorneys in Johannesburg need more work to be seen than a plumber in a small town.
- How many channels. One channel done properly often beats four done thinly on the same budget.
- Who produces the content. If you supply photos and information, it costs less than if the agency shoots, writes and edits everything.
- How fast you want results. More content, more testing and more hours each month cost more.
- Reporting and contact. A plain monthly report and a named person you can phone are worth paying for, and they take time.
How to compare quotes fairly
Put each quote into the same simple table:
- Monthly fee vs ad spend. Separate the agency’s fee from money that goes to Google or Meta.
- Deliverables per month. How many posts, articles, pages, ad tests or hours?
- Setup or once-off costs, and what they cover.
- Minimum term and notice period.
- Who owns what. Your website, domain, ad accounts, analytics and content should be in your name.
- How results are reported. Enquiries and cost per enquiry, not just impressions and likes.
A quote that is half the price but delivers a quarter of the work is not cheaper. A quote that is twice the price but cannot tell you what happens each month is not better.
Warning signs in a quote
- Ad spend hidden inside a “package” price, so you cannot see what the agency keeps
- Guaranteed rankings or guaranteed numbers of leads
- Long contracts with exit penalties and no performance review point
- Accounts set up in the agency’s name, so you lose your data if you leave
- No mention of tracking, which means nobody will know what worked
There is more on spotting the right partner in how to choose a digital marketing agency.
How we price
We do not publish a rate card, for the reasons above. We look at your business, your market and what a customer is worth to you, then give you one fixed figure with the scope written out and ad spend shown separately. Website builds are 50% up front and 50% before launch; monthly services are billed in advance. See our pricing page for how it works, look through our digital marketing services, or tell us what you need.