These ranges come from the same data we publish on our ad benchmarks page, reviewed 2026-07. They're a starting point for comparing quotes, not a price list — actual cost depends on scope, competitiveness of your category, and what's bundled into the retainer.
Retainer ranges by service
- Social media management: RM2,500–RM6,000/month — scales with posting frequency, number of platforms, and whether content production (photo/video, not just scheduling) is included.
- Ad management (Google/Meta): RM1,500–RM5,000/month flat, or 15–20% of ad spend — this figure is the management fee only; the ad spend itself is a separate line, paid to the platform directly or through the agency.
- SEO: RM2,000–RM8,000/month — the range is wide because keyword competitiveness and whether content production is bundled in vary enormously between accounts.
Flat fee vs. percentage of ad spend
Both models are standard in this market. A flat fee is predictable and doesn't scale with your budget, which means at a small budget it may be a larger share of total spend than a percentage model would charge, but at a large budget it can work out cheaper. A percentage-of-spend model scales naturally with account size but creates an incentive worth being aware of: the agency's revenue grows if your ad budget grows, independent of whether that increase is actually justified by performance. Neither model is inherently better — ask which one you're being quoted, and if it's percentage-based, ask what evidence would justify a recommended budget increase versus what's simply convenient for the agency.
What's usually included, and what usually isn't
The retainer figures above typically cover strategy, campaign setup and management, and reporting. What's commonly billed separately, or not included at all without asking:
- Ad spend itself — the media budget is separate from the management fee in almost every arrangement.
- Creative production — professional photography, video, or design work beyond basic ad creative is frequently a separate line item or a different retainer tier.
- Landing page development — building or maintaining dedicated landing pages (versus linking ads to an existing website) is sometimes bundled, sometimes not.
- Reporting or analytics tooling — some agencies use paid third-party dashboards and pass that cost through; others build reporting into the retainer.
Get a written breakdown of exactly what's covered before comparing two quotes against each other — a lower number that excludes creative production isn't actually cheaper than a higher number that includes it.
How to use these numbers when evaluating a quote
If a quote sits meaningfully below these ranges, ask what's different about the scope — it may be legitimately leaner (smaller ad account, narrower platform coverage), or it may mean less attention than the number implies. If a quote sits meaningfully above, ask what justifies it — specialized experience in a regulated vertical, a larger dedicated team, or additional services bundled in are all legitimate reasons, but the agency should be able to explain which one applies to you. See our broader guide to evaluating a marketing agency for the non-price criteria that matter just as much.