A framework to price social media retainers that protect margin, include creative, and scale with client revenue.
Social media retainers are the easiest service to underprice. Here's how top MindHub agencies structure theirs.
The three-layer price
- Management layer (hours × rate + 20% margin)
- Creative layer (per-asset cost, fixed)
- Paid media layer (management fee on ad spend, typically 10-15%)
Hours to budget
A 4-posts-per-week Instagram-only account needs roughly 30 hours/month. Multi-platform (IG, TikTok, LinkedIn) doubles that to 60+ hours.
Typical Egyptian pricing
Solo freelancer: EGP 8,000-15,000/mo. Small agency (2-4 people): EGP 20,000-45,000/mo. Mid agency (5+): EGP 50,000+/mo.
Typical Gulf pricing
Solo: SAR 4,000-8,000. Small agency: SAR 12,000-25,000. Mid: SAR 30,000+.
What to include
- Content calendar, scheduling, community management
- 12-16 static posts, 4-6 Reels/TikToks, 20+ stories/month
- Monthly performance report
- 1 strategy call/month
What to charge extra for
- UGC creator sourcing and paid usage rights
- Paid advertising management (as a % of spend)
- Influencer outreach and negotiation
- Crisis response (hourly)
The 90-day rule
Never sign shorter than 90 days. Social takes 60 days to show real momentum — a 30-day contract sets everyone up to fail.
Kill clause
Always include a 30-day out after month 3. Clients respect agencies that don't trap them.
Final tip
Price above market. Clients who won't pay a fair retainer will also be the worst clients to work with.