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Chapter 7

How to price your content retainers

Three tiers that cover 90% of agency clients.

Starter
$1,500
per month
  • 10 blog posts per month
  • 1 content pillar focus
  • Basic keyword research
  • Monthly traffic report
  • CMS publishing included
Scale
$5,000
per month
  • 50+ blog posts per month
  • Full pillar coverage
  • Advanced keyword strategy
  • Weekly reporting + calls
  • GSC optimization
  • Command Center access

Choosing the right tier

Client typeTierWhy
Local business, 1 service areaStarter ($1,500)10 posts covers core topics
Regional, multiple servicesGrowth ($3,000)Needs pillar coverage
National brand or ecommerceScale ($5,000+)Volume drives authority
Startup, fast tractionGrowth ($3,000)Aggressive publishing

Your delivery cost per tier (automated path)

TierPostsYour timeRevenueMargin
Starter102-3 hrs/mo$1,500~90%
Growth254-5 hrs/mo$3,000~92%
Scale50+6-8 hrs/mo$5,000~93%

Pricing tip: Start with Growth as your default recommendation. Best balance of volume, results, and margin. The interactive calculator in Chapter 15 shows you what these numbers look like on the DIY stack instead.