Marketing agency services are evaluated based on the scope of work: strategy, channels, timeline, team, rights, analytics, and pricing model.

Marketing Agency Services

An AKAR survey conducted in 2023 revealed that on federal campaigns, 80–85% of the budget goes to media buying, 3–8% to content development and production, and 7–8% to agency commissions. At the regional level, commissions are higher — 8–11%. This data covered 57 agencies and focused primarily on display advertising. It does not encompass the full range of services and should not be used as a pricing framework for all market segments.

An ACAR study on creative services from 2023 recorded average pricing: creative strategy — 2 mln ₽, communication strategy — 1.28 mln ₽, positioning — 1.6 mln ₽, naming — 609500 ₽. The sample included 31 agencies. 79% respondents adjusted their rates in 2023, with half raising prices by 15–25%. These figures reflect a specific market moment and don't account for differences in team expertise, timelines, or intellectual property rights.

80–85%of budget goes to media buying campaigns (AKAR, 2023)
7–8%agency commission at the federal level
8–11%commission in regions

The first industry-wide study of agency commissions in influencer marketing, conducted by the AKAR Influence Marketing Committee and the RIR Analytics Center, revealed a structural imbalance: 9 out of 10 agencies face a mismatch between their commission and actual labor costs. 95% of agencies prepay influencers, 80% finance placements before receiving payment from clients, and 41% assessed the current model as economically unsustainable.

What Makes Up an Influencer Marketing Agency's Service Costs

A budget estimate consists of eight components, each of which affects the final cost. If any of them is missing from a commercial proposal, it's worth clarifying whether that work is included in the price or will need to be paid separately.

  • Strategy and research. Audience analysis, competitor research, channel selection, KPI setting. For influencer campaigns — author scoring, evaluation of blogger audiences, reach forecasting.
  • Creative and production. Concept development, content creation, filming, editing. In blogger integrations — technical specifications, scenario approval, publication control.
  • Media placement. Media buying, direct contracts with bloggers, work with platforms, coordination of publication dates.
  • Team labor costs. Project management, communication with counterparties, revisions, document handling. In influencer marketing, a single project may require simultaneous work with dozens of counterparties.
  • Content rights. Exclusive, non-exclusive, usage period, territory, possibility of adaptation across other channels.
  • Ad labeling. Registration with the advertising disclosure registry, document preparation, compliance monitoring with legal requirements.
  • Analytics. Reporting, conversion measurement, attribution, post-click analysis.
  • Payment model. Fixed commission, percentage of budget, project fee, hybrid model. Cash flow gaps between advance payments to bloggers and deferred client payments increase financial burden on the agency and are factored into pricing.

The vast majority of agencies operate with a misalignment between their commission and actual labor costs. The root cause lies in the structural complexity of the service: managing a full campaign cycle requires substantial human hours.

How to compare proposals

The difference in estimates reflects not only price variations but also scope differences. Two agencies might quote different amounts for "blogger advertising" because one includes only media buying of integrations, while the other covers the full cycle from research through analytics.

Checklist for comparing proposals:

  1. Request a detailed breakdown: which stages of work are included in the estimate and how many human hours are allocated to each.
  2. Clarify team composition: who specifically will work on the project and what are their qualifications and experience.
  3. Verify whether strategy, research, creative development, production, ad labeling, and analytics are included—or if these are separate line items.
  4. Understand the payment model: flat fee, percentage of budget, or hybrid scheme. If the agency charges a percentage, clarify the base—media budget only or the total contract value.
  5. Ask about rights: will the content be exclusive, for how long, and can it be used in other channels.
  6. Determine financing terms: who pays bloggers and when, who bears the risk of cash flow gaps.
  7. Agree on KPIs and measurement methodology: which metrics will be tracked, what tools will be used, and how frequently reports will be provided.

According to AKAR survey data from 2023, the figures represent market averages but do not replace individual project estimates. Each campaign requires assessment of scope, channels, timeline, and team expertise.

How ETC Agency Structures Project Scope

ETC builds estimates based on the specific brief and objectives. During the research phase, the agency identifies the target audience, analyzes media consumption patterns, and selects relevant creators. Each influencer is scored on reach, engagement rate, audience quality, and content relevance. This allows the team to forecast reach and CPM before campaign launch.

The strategy includes channel selection, integration scenarios, and KPI calculation. The agency determines which formats suit the objective—direct integration, native content, collaboration, or ambassadorship—and defines tracked metrics: reach, engagement, clicks, and conversion.

During production, ETC prepares technical briefs for creators, aligns on scripts, and ensures compliance with brand guidelines and legal requirements. The agency handles ad labeling: registers the campaign in the disclosure registry, prepares documentation, and monitors token publication.

The media plan accounts for cash flow timing: advance payments to creators and deferred payments from the client. ETC finances placements and assumes operational risks. This is factored into the fee model and ensures process stability.

Analytics is built on data from Yandex Metrica and other tools. The agency sets up conversion goals — user actions that the website owner wants to track. A goal can be tied to viewing a specific page, submitting a form, adding a product to cart, or making a purchase. Based on goal completion, the agency calculates conversion rate, target visit, and target visitor metrics. CPA cannot be calculated without budget data and the number of target actions — these metrics are only available after the campaign launches and sufficient statistics accumulate.

Data Limitations and Currency of Figures

The AKAR survey of 2023 covered agencies working primarily in media advertising — TV, internet, outdoor advertising, radio, and print. Data on influencer marketing was obtained in a separate study of 2026 and cannot be extrapolated to the entire advertising market. Figures on creative services are current as of the survey date and do not account for demand fluctuations, legislative changes, or regional differences.

Average values do not replace individual assessment. Two agencies may quote different prices for creative strategy because one works with a team of five people and delivers results in a month, while another engages ten specialists and completes the work in two weeks. Content rights, exclusivity period, territory of use — all of this affects the final price.

A realistic pricing range can only be provided after a briefing. Without data on project scope, channels, timeline, and KPIs, any figure would be purely speculative.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does marketing agency work cost

The final price is determined by the brief and scope of work.Without specifying channels, deadlines, teams, and payment models, it's impossible to name a correct range.The AKAR survey of 2023 showed, that agency commission on federal campaigns is 7–8%, in the regions — 8–11%, However, these figures apply to display advertising and do not account for the full scope of services.

How to Compare Offers from Different Agencies

You can only compare proposals when the scope of work is identical: strategy, creative development, production, media placement, ad labeling, analytics, team labor costs, rights, and payment structure. If one quote covers only media buying for integrations while another includes the full cycle from research to reporting, the price difference reflects the difference in services. Request itemization and clarify exactly what is included in the estimate.

Why agency commission is higher in influencer marketing

The first industry study by AKAR revealed that 9 out of 10 agencies face a mismatch between commission rates and labor costs. Managing a full campaign cycle requires working with dozens of counterparties, handling numerous content revisions, managing extensive documentation, and vetting bloggers. 95% of agencies prepay creators, while 80% finance placements before receiving payment from clients. Cash flow gaps and operational risks are built into the compensation model.

In brief

  • Agency services are evaluated across eight components: strategy, creative, production, placement, labor, rights, ad labeling, analytics, and pricing model.
  • An AKAR survey from 2023 revealed that agency commissions on federal campaigns range from 7 to 8%, while regional campaigns range from 8 to 11%. These figures apply to media buying and do not cover the full scope of services.
  • A study on influencer advertising commissions found that 41% agencies view the model as economically unsustainable, 95% require prepayment to bloggers, and 80% finance placements before client payment arrives.
  • Proposals can only be compared when they include the same scope of work. Differences in quotes often reflect differences in services rather than pricing.
  • Yandex Metrica metrics — goals, conversions, goal visits — are used to determine campaign results. CPA is calculated after accumulating statistics on budget spent and the number of target actions completed.
  • An accurate price forecast is only possible after a briefing: without data on scope of work, channels, timeline, and KPIs, any figure would be purely speculative.

CEO comment

Leonid Naumtsev CEO, ETC AGENCY

I see that the marketing services market is facing a fundamental imbalance, which is particularly acute in influencer marketing. Nine out of ten agencies operate under a mismatch between their commission and actual labor costs — this signals a systemic issue rather than isolated pricing errors. Research has shown that 41% of agencies view the current model as economically unsustainable, and rightfully so: 95% take prepayment from bloggers, 80% finance placements before client payment, bearing operational risks. Brands need to understand that the difference in quotes between two agencies often reflects not a difference in price, but a difference in scope of work. We recommend requesting complete itemization: strategy, creative development, production, ad placement, ad labeling, analytics, labor costs, and payment structure. A proper price range is only possible after a brief that specifies channels, timelines, and KPIs.

ETC AGENCY

ETC will help you build a transparent influencer campaign budget—breaking down labor costs for creator selection, content revisions, ad labeling, documentation, and financial planning. You'll get a detailed breakdown at every stage from strategy through analytics.

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