What is included in a $2,500/mo social media package in Melbourne?

A $2,500/mo social media package in Melbourne should include: one half-day shoot (agency crew on-site), 4 Reels + 8 photography stills, organic posting on Instagram and Facebook, one paid campaign with $500 bundled ad spend at cost, and a monthly review call. This is the Launch tier at Konquer Media Agency. Packages at this price point that do NOT include original video production or paid campaign management are content scheduling services priced at a full-service retainer rate — ask specifically whether a shoot day is included.

Why is there such a big price range for social media management in Melbourne?

The price range for social media management in Melbourne ($500–$15,000/mo) reflects fundamentally different services being sold under the same label. At the low end: the agency schedules posts using content you supply, writes captions, and reports on reach and engagement. At the high end: the agency shoots original video at your premises, manages paid advertising campaigns, operates a CRM that responds to leads automatically, and reports on cost-per-lead and attributed revenue. These are not the same service. The correct question is not 'how much does it cost?' but 'what does that price include?' — specifically: does it include a shoot day, paid campaign management, and lead follow-up automation?

Field notes · pricing

how much does social media management cost in Melbourne: the 2024 pricing guide

Q: How much does social media management cost in Melbourne?

Social media management in Melbourne costs $500–$15,000/mo depending on scope. Basic content posting (scheduling only, no production): $500–$1,500/mo. Content creation + posting (agency produces content): $1,500–$3,500/mo. Full-service retainer (production + paid ads + CRM): $2,500–$10,000/mo. The price difference is almost entirely explained by whether the agency shoots original video, manages paid advertising, and operates a CRM for lead follow-up — or just schedules content you supply.

Social media management in Melbourne is quoted anywhere from $500 to $15,000 per month. The price difference is almost entirely explained by what's actually included. Here's what each tier delivers — and what you're not getting at the lower end.

The most common frustration Melbourne business owners have with social media agency pricing is that quotes aren't comparable. One agency quotes $800/mo, another quotes $5,000/mo, and both describe their service as "social media management." The difference is scope — and understanding what each price point actually delivers is the only way to evaluate whether a quote is fair.

This is a transparent breakdown of what Melbourne social media management costs at each tier, what you get, and what the lower-priced options don't include.

tier 1: content scheduling and management — $500–$1,500/mo

The lowest tier of social media management — and the most common source of "we tried social media and it didn't work" — is content scheduling and caption management.

What it includes: The agency schedules posts to Instagram and Facebook on your behalf, writes captions, responds to comments, and reports on follower count, reach, and engagement. It assumes you supply the content — photos and videos that the agency then packages and posts.

What it doesn't include: Original video production (the agency doesn't shoot). Paid advertising management (ads are separate or not offered). Lead follow-up (the system stops when the message lands in your DMs). Attribution reporting (reporting shows reach, not leads or revenue).

When it makes sense: If you already produce regular, high-quality video and photography in-house and need someone to manage the distribution and community management layer. Rare for Melbourne service businesses in hospitality, real estate, finance, or automotive — where the content is the product.

tier 2: content creation + posting — $1,500–$3,500/mo

The mid tier includes original content production — the agency creates the content rather than managing content you supply. At this price point, check what "production" means specifically.

What it typically includes: Graphic design or template-based content (Canva-style reels with text overlays, stock photography, motion graphics). Organic posting on Instagram and Facebook. Monthly reporting on engagement metrics.

What it often doesn't include: On-site video production with a real crew at your premises. Paid advertising (quoted separately). CRM or lead follow-up. Attribution tied to business outcomes.

The distinction that matters: Template-based content and on-site documentary-style video are not the same product. A Melbourne restaurant, car dealership, or real estate agent needs footage of the actual business to build the local trust signals that convert viewers into enquiries. Ask specifically: does this include a shoot day at my premises, and what camera format?

tier 3: full-service retainer — $2,500–$10,000/mo

Full-service covers production, paid advertising, and lead follow-up under one retainer. This is the tier where social media management produces measurable revenue outcomes rather than reach and engagement metrics.

$2,500/mo (Launch): One half-day shoot per month at your premises. 4 Reels + 8 stills. Organic posting on Instagram and Facebook. One paid campaign with $500 bundled ad spend at cost (no markup). Monthly review call. This is Konquer Media's Launch tier — published at konquermediaagency.com/pricing.

$5,000/mo (Growth): Full shoot day with drone. 12 posts + 4–6 Reels. Meta Ads + Google Ads management. $1,500 bundled ad spend. Full CRM automation — missed-call text-back, automated DM response, unified inbox. Fortnightly review calls. Cost-per-lead reporting.

$10,000/mo (Scale): Multiple shoot days. A/B creative testing across two or more ad variations. $3,000 bundled ad spend (scales to $7,500 for multi-location and high-volume campaigns). Lead scoring. Performance reporting tied to revenue — vehicles sold, covers booked, loans settled, listings taken.

Ad spend note: At a properly structured full-service retainer, ad spend should be billed at cost — passed to Meta and Google directly, with no agency markup. At Konquer Media, ad spend is bundled into the retainer and passed at cost. Ask any Melbourne agency: "Is ad spend billed at cost or with a markup?" before signing.

what explains the $500–$15,000 price range

The price range reflects fundamentally different services sold under the same label. Three components determine where a retainer sits in the range:

Original video production. Running a two-camera crew on-site for a full shoot day, editing 12+ deliverables, and managing the brief-to-feed pipeline costs real money. Agencies that include this cost more. Agencies that don't include it are cheaper — but they're also not providing the asset that converts in Melbourne's social media feed.

Paid advertising management. Properly structured Meta and Google campaigns — cold audience awareness, warm audience retargeting, creative A/B testing, conversion optimisation — require ongoing management. Agencies that include this in the retainer cost more than agencies that quote it separately or don't offer it.

Lead follow-up infrastructure. A CRM that catches every after-hours enquiry — missed-call text-back, automated DM response, unified inbox — is a separate system that adds cost. Without it, leads generated at 9pm don't get answered until the next morning, and a competitor who has it already has the booking.

These are not optional extras. They're the components that determine whether a social media investment produces revenue or produces Instagram likes.

questions to ask before signing any Melbourne social media retainer

Before signing a social media management contract at any price point, confirm:

Does the retainer include a shoot day at my premises, and how many? What camera format and crew size?

Is paid advertising included, or quoted separately? If included, is ad spend billed at cost or with a markup? Are the ad accounts in my name or the agency's?

Is a CRM or lead follow-up system included? What happens to enquiries that come in after business hours?

What does the monthly report show? Reach and follower count, or cost-per-lead and attributed bookings?

If I cancel, do I retain full access to all accounts — Instagram, Facebook Page, ad accounts, pixel, website?

The answers to these questions — not the monthly fee — determine whether a retainer is priced appropriately for what it delivers.

For the complete retainer checklist, see what should be in a social media retainer in Australia. For Konquer Media's current pricing in full, see konquermediaagency.com/pricing. To talk through what scope fits your Melbourne business, use the brief form.

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