Digital Marketing Pricing Overview
Here's a summary of what Australian businesses typically pay for each service. Detailed breakdowns follow below.
| Service | Typical Monthly Cost | One-Off Projects |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | $2,000–$8,000/month | Audits: $1,500–$5,000 |
| Google Ads Management | $1,500–$5,000/month + ad spend | Audits: $1,000–$3,000 |
| Meta Ads Management | $1,500–$4,000/month + ad spend | — |
| LinkedIn Ads Management | $2,000–$5,000/month + ad spend | — |
| TikTok Ads Management | $1,500–$4,000/month + ad spend | — |
| Digital Analytics | $1,500–$4,000/month | GA4 audit: $2,000–$5,000 |
| CRO | $3,000–$8,000/month | Audits: $2,000–$5,000 |
| Email Marketing | $2,000–$6,000/month | Setup: $3,000–$8,000 |
| Web Design (WordPress) | — | $8,000–$25,000 |
| Web Design (Shopify/Ecommerce) | — | $10,000–$40,000 |
| Content Marketing | $2,000–$6,000/month | — |
Prices in AUD, excluding GST. Ranges reflect small-to-mid market businesses. Enterprise pricing is higher.
SEO Pricing in Australia
What You're Paying For
SEO involves technical website improvements, content creation, link building, keyword research, and ongoing optimisation. It's a monthly service because search engines require consistent effort — rankings don't maintain themselves.
Typical Pricing
$1,000–$2,000/month — Basic SEO Suitable for small local businesses in non-competitive markets. Typically includes keyword optimisation for 5–10 pages, basic technical SEO fixes, Google Business Profile management, and limited content. Not enough for competitive industries.
$2,000–$4,000/month — Standard SEO The most common range for SME businesses. Includes keyword research and strategy, on-page optimisation, regular content creation (2–4 pieces/month), technical SEO maintenance, link building, and monthly reporting.
$4,000–$8,000/month — Competitive SEO For businesses in competitive industries or with aggressive growth targets. Includes comprehensive technical SEO, extensive content production, proactive link building, competitive analysis, and dedicated senior strategist.
$8,000–$15,000+/month — Enterprise/National SEO For large websites, highly competitive national markets, or multi-location businesses. Full-service SEO with large-scale content programmes, extensive link building, and dedicated team.
SEO One-Off Projects
- Technical SEO audit: $1,500–$5,000
- SEO content strategy: $2,000–$5,000
- SEO migration (website redesign): $3,000–$10,000
- Local SEO setup: $1,000–$3,000
Google Ads Pricing
What You're Paying For
Google Ads management includes campaign strategy, account setup, keyword research, ad copywriting, bid management, conversion tracking, and ongoing optimisation. Management fees are separate from ad spend — you pay the agency to manage and Google for the clicks.
Typical Pricing
Management fees: $1,500–$5,000/month (or 15–20% of ad spend for larger budgets)
Recommended ad spend by business type:
- Local service business: $2,000–$5,000/month
- Ecommerce: $3,000–$15,000/month
- B2B lead generation: $3,000–$10,000/month
- National campaigns: $10,000–$50,000+/month
Total cost example: A local business spending $3,000/month in ad spend + $2,000/month management = $5,000/month total.
Cost Per Click by Industry (Australian Averages)
- Legal services: $15–$60+
- Insurance: $10–$40
- Finance/accounting: $8–$30
- Real estate: $5–$15
- Healthcare/dental: $5–$20
- Ecommerce: $0.50–$3
- Home services (plumbing, electrical): $5–$25
- IT services: $8–$25
- Education: $3–$15
These are broad averages — actual CPCs vary significantly by keyword, location, competition, and quality score.
Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) Pricing
What You're Paying For
Meta Ads management includes campaign strategy, audience research, ad creative direction, campaign setup and optimisation, A/B testing, and performance reporting.
Typical Pricing
Management fees: $1,500–$4,000/month
Recommended ad spend:
- Brand awareness/local reach: $1,500–$3,000/month
- Lead generation: $2,000–$8,000/month
- Ecommerce: $3,000–$20,000/month
Note: Meta Ads management doesn't usually include creative production. Ad creative (images, videos, UGC) is typically an additional $1,500–$5,000/month depending on volume and format.
Web Design Pricing
WordPress Website
- Small business website (5–10 pages): $5,000–$12,000
- Standard business website (10–20 pages): $8,000–$20,000
- Large/custom website (20+ pages): $15,000–$40,000
- Blog/content site: $8,000–$15,000
Shopify Store
- Standard Shopify store: $10,000–$25,000
- Custom Shopify store with advanced features: $20,000–$40,000
- Shopify Plus: $30,000–$60,000+
WooCommerce/Ecommerce
- Basic online store (under 50 products): $8,000–$15,000
- Standard ecommerce (50–500 products): $12,000–$30,000
- Large ecommerce (500+ products, custom features): $25,000–$50,000+
Ongoing Website Maintenance
- Basic maintenance (updates, backups, security): $200–$500/month
- Active maintenance (content updates, small changes): $500–$1,500/month
- Managed hosting + maintenance: $300–$800/month
Email Marketing Pricing
Ongoing Management
- Campaign management (2–4 campaigns/month): $1,500–$3,500/month
- Full-service (campaigns + flow management + strategy): $2,500–$6,000/month
- SMS add-on: $500–$2,000/month
One-Off Projects
- Email platform setup and configuration: $1,500–$4,000
- Automated flow builds (welcome, abandoned cart, etc.): $2,000–$6,000
- Email template design: $500–$2,000 per template
- Platform migration: $2,000–$5,000
Platform Costs (Separate from Agency Fees)
- Klaviyo: Free up to 250 contacts, then $20–$1,000+/month based on list size
- Mailchimp: Free up to 500 contacts, then $15–$600+/month
- ActiveCampaign: $29–$500+/month
CRO Pricing
Ongoing CRO Programme
- Basic CRO (audits and recommendations): $2,000–$4,000/month
- Standard CRO (audit + A/B testing programme): $3,000–$6,000/month
- Advanced CRO (testing + user research + analytics): $5,000–$10,000/month
One-Off Projects
- Conversion audit: $2,000–$5,000
- Landing page optimisation: $1,500–$4,000
- UX audit: $2,000–$5,000
Analytics Pricing
Ongoing Analytics
- Analytics management and reporting: $1,500–$4,000/month
- Marketing dashboard maintenance: $500–$1,500/month
One-Off Projects
- GA4 audit: $2,000–$5,000
- GA4 setup from scratch: $3,000–$8,000
- Marketing dashboard build: $2,000–$8,000
- Tracking implementation (GTM): $1,500–$5,000
Factors That Affect Pricing
Industry Competitiveness
Businesses in highly competitive industries (legal, finance, insurance) pay more for SEO and Google Ads because the competition is fiercer and the work required is more intensive.
Geographic Market
National campaigns cost more than local campaigns because the target market is larger and more competitive. A dentist targeting one suburb needs less investment than an ecommerce brand targeting all of Australia.
Current State of Your Marketing
If you have an existing website, analytics, and some SEO history, the startup costs are lower. Building everything from scratch (new website, new analytics, new ad accounts) requires more upfront investment.
Agency Location and Size
Agencies in Sydney and Melbourne tend to charge more than those in regional areas. Larger agencies with more overhead charge more than boutique agencies. This doesn't always correlate with quality.
Scope and Ambition
More aggressive growth targets require more investment. If you want to rank for 50 competitive keywords instead of 10, expect to pay accordingly.
How to Budget for Digital Marketing
Rule of Thumb
Most growing businesses should invest 8–15% of revenue in marketing. Of that, digital marketing typically represents 50–80% of the total marketing budget for businesses that primarily acquire customers online.
Start With What You Can Sustain
It's better to invest consistently at a level you can sustain than to invest heavily for three months and then stop. Digital marketing (especially SEO) requires consistency to deliver results.
Prioritise Based on Your Goals
If you need leads now, prioritise Google Ads. If you're building for the long term, prioritise SEO. If you're an ecommerce business, email marketing and Google Shopping are typically the highest-ROI starting points. Use our Google Ads vs SEO guide to help decide.
Get a Custom Quote
These ranges give you a realistic framework, but your specific pricing depends on your industry, goals, and current marketing maturity. Book a free audit and we'll provide a tailored recommendation with specific pricing for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there such a wide range in pricing?
Because businesses have very different needs. A local plumber targeting one suburb needs a fraction of the SEO investment of an ecommerce brand competing nationally. Pricing reflects the scope of work required, the competitiveness of your market, and the level of expertise applied to your account.
What's the minimum I should spend on digital marketing?
For most Australian SMEs, $3,000–$5,000/month is the minimum for a single-channel programme (e.g., SEO or Google Ads) that will produce meaningful results. Below that, budgets are typically too thin to move the needle. Multi-channel programmes start at $5,000–$8,000/month.
Should I do it myself to save money?
You can do some things yourself — managing your Google Business Profile, posting on social media, sending email newsletters. But specialised work like SEO, Google Ads management, and analytics requires expertise and time. Most business owners find that professional management delivers significantly better ROI than DIY, because the agency produces better results in less time.
How do I know if I'm getting good value?
Good value comes from the results you're getting relative to what you're paying. Ask your agency to report on cost per lead, cost per customer, and return on investment — not just activity metrics. If you're spending $3,000/month on Google Ads management and generating $30,000 in attributed revenue, that's good value regardless of what competitors charge.