What you're actually buying
"Social media marketing" is a bundle. Different agencies put different things in the box. The cost ranges below assume these line items:
- Content strategy + monthly calendar
- Content production (reels, posts, carousels)
- Posting + community management (replies, DMs, comments)
- Paid ads management (Meta + Google) — separate ad spend
- Reporting + monthly review
The three pricing tiers in Jodhpur (2026)
Tier 1 — Entry: ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 / month
| What's included | Typical limits |
|---|---|
| 2–4 reels/month + 8–12 static posts | Stock-style content, less hook-driven |
| Daily story posting | Mostly reposts, not original |
| Basic community management (comments only) | DMs not handled |
| Monthly report (3–5 metrics) | No strategy iteration |
| No paid ads | Or basic boosting only |
Best for: very early-stage brands, solo founders testing the channel. Don't expect break-out reels at this tier — production quality and strategy depth are both capped.
Tier 2 — Mid: ₹25,000 to ₹45,000 / month
| What's included | What changes vs Tier 1 |
|---|---|
| 6–10 hook-driven reels/month | Strategy-first production, on-location shoots |
| Full content calendar + theme planning | Recurring formats introduced |
| Community management (comments + DMs) | Same-day response targets |
| Meta + Google ads management | Ad spend separate, typically ₹15K–50K/month |
| Twice-monthly strategy review | Iterate based on what works |
Best for: most Jodhpur D2C brands, cafés, restaurants, wellness brands. This is where ROI actually shows up — production quality is high enough for break-out reels, and strategy is iterative.
Tier 3 — Full-service: ₹50,000+ / month
| What's included | What's added vs Tier 2 |
|---|---|
| 12–20 high-production-value reels/month | Multi-day shoots, dedicated talent |
| Branding + identity refresh included | Logo, voice, visual system |
| Website + landing page updates | Conversion optimisation |
| Influencer outreach + collabs | Curated, not spray-and-pray |
| Weekly strategy + dashboard | Performance accountability |
Best for: established brands scaling, restaurant chains, multi-product D2C, brands raising or expanding.
What freelancers cost (and the trade-off)
A solo Jodhpur freelancer typically charges ₹8,000–₹18,000/month for content + posting. The honest trade-offs:
- You manage the strategy. Freelancer executes.
- One person = one creative perspective. Less hook diversity.
- Bus-factor of 1 — if they're sick, your account is dark.
- Production tools, equipment, software costs are limited.
- Ad management usually not included or charged separately.
For a brand at <₹3 lakh/month revenue, a freelancer can work. Above that, the unit economics usually favour an agency.
Ad spend: how to budget separately
| Business stage | Suggested monthly ad spend |
|---|---|
| Launch (0–6 months) | ₹10,000–25,000 |
| Growing (6–18 months) | ₹25,000–75,000 |
| Scaling (18+ months, validated PMF) | ₹75,000–3,00,000+ |
Add agency management fee on top (usually 10–20% of ad spend or a fixed retainer). Always insist on getting ad account ownership in your name, not the agency's.
Hidden costs nobody warns you about
- Boosting separate from ads. Some agencies charge ₹500–1500 per post boost on top.
- Stock content / template licences. Should be agency-borne, often passed to client.
- Talent fees when reels need an external face (UGC creators in Jodhpur charge ₹2,000–8,000/reel).
- Reshoot fees if you change concept mid-month.
- Tool subscriptions — scheduling, analytics, design tools sometimes billed to you.
- Onboarding fee — one-time setup, usually 1× monthly retainer.
Ask in the proposal: "What's outside the retainer? Show me a typical month-2 invoice from another client."
The ROI math (use this before you sign)
Before saying yes to any agency, do this 5-minute calculation:
- Current monthly revenue from Instagram-driven customers: ₹___
- Realistic 6-month lift (be honest — most brands see 30–80% lift in attributed revenue, not 5×): ___%
- Projected monthly lift in 6 months: ₹___
- Annual lift: 12 × above = ₹___
- Total annual investment: 12 × (agency fee + ad spend) = ₹___
- Net ROI: #4 minus #5. Positive? Sign. Negative? Negotiate scope.
Red flags when reading proposals
- "Guaranteed 50K followers in 3 months." Bought followers or bot-driven engagement. Run.
- No talk about hook iteration or content strategy. Means you're paying for execution-only.
- Generic case studies that aren't named. If they can't show you the actual client account, they probably didn't run it.
- No reporting cadence promised. No reporting = no accountability.
- Lock-in over 6 months upfront. Industry norm is month-to-month after a 3-month trial.
What Social Baazi charges
We sit in the mid tier — ₹25,000 to ₹50,000/month depending on scope. We're transparent in the proposal: every reel count, every ad spend assumption, every hidden cost listed up front. Our typical Jodhpur client signs a 3-month trial, then continues month-to-month.
If you want a specific quote for your brand, drop us a message with your industry, current follower count, and what you've tried so far. We'll come back with a real proposal — not a sales deck.