The questions you keep typing into google at midnight

Honestly, it depends on what you need, but here’s the range we see across the market in 2026. We won’t quote a fake “starting at” number just to get you on a call. You get the real figure during the audit, not after three follow up emails.

No. We work month to month on purpose. If we’re not earning the next month, we don’t deserve it. Cancel the freelancer group chat for good, not sign up for a new one.

No, and this is where most people get burned. A real setup covers strategy, shooting, ad management, PR pitches, and monthly reporting that shows numbers, not just a highlight reel. If an agency’s report only shows “reach” and “followers,” ask what happened to the leads.

Brand doc and content plan usually land in week one or two. Shooting starts right after. Real movement shows up around the 60 to 90 day mark for most clients.

Genuinely, it barely matters anymore. Platforms run on interest graphs now, not who follows you. One of our clients hit 90.9% of their reach from people who didn’t already follow them. A small account with content that signals right can outreach a bigger one that doesn’t.

Test organic first if you can. Reels are currently running about 35% cheaper on cost per impression than static feed posts because the platforms are pushing video inventory hard. Find what performs organically, then put money behind it.

We made a 105 year old jeweller’s Instagram look better than most funded startups. The industry was never the problem. The lack of a plan was.

Ask for a conversion audit, not a reach report. If they can’t tell you cost per lead or return on ad spend, they’re managing your page, not your business.

Promised virality is the biggest one, nobody can guarantee that honestly. Also watch for no dedicated point of contact, replies that take three days, and zero case studies from a business your size.

Sure, plenty of people start there. What usually happens isn’t a lack of ideas, it’s a lack of hours. The content plan sits half finished because you’re also running the actual business.

It’s an audit, not a pitch. We point out what’s broken whether or not it’s something we fix. Some people take the notes and leave, that’s completely fine by us.

All of it, one team. Social, paid ads, PR, brand identity, even fractional CMO work if you need it. Same people across every piece, so your ads and your content actually say the same thing.