Compare your marketing options before you commit
Agency, fractional CMO, in-house hire or a mix. These guides lay out the cost, the control you keep and what each option is good for, so you can pick the one that fits your business.
30 minutes with Crystal or Nick. You leave with a one-page plan either way.
The three questions behind every marketing decision
What will it really cost?
Salary is only part of a hire. Agency quotes often hide setup fees, ad markups and long contracts.
Who controls the accounts?
Under the rented marketing model, the agency sets up your ads, site and data in its own name. Leaving means starting over.
Who does the work?
Some options give you a plan and leave the doing to you. Others do the work with no one setting direction.
What one mid-level marketer costs each month
Most owners compare us to hiring. Here’s the monthly math on one mid-level digital marketing manager, once you add benefits, tools and the freelance help they’ll need.
| Option | Monthly cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| One mid-level in-house marketer | about $13,000 | One person, plus salary, benefits, tools and freelance help |
| CNV Full-Stack Core | from $5,000 | A senior team running two channels, site care and a monthly revenue report |
| CNV Full-Stack Growth | from $7,500 | Three or more channels, email and conversion work, from one senior team |
| CNV Full-Stack Leadership | from $10,000 | Fractional CMO leadership plus full execution |
Growth costs about $5,500 a month less than one mid-level marketer, with every account in your name. See all pricing →
Salary from the digital marketing manager average of $94,535 a year (AAF Jobs). Benefits load from BLS employer cost data, where wages are 68.5% of total compensation. Tools about $500 a month; freelance design and copy about 20 hours at about $50 an hour. Ohio and smaller markets pay below national figures.
A senior team that plans the work, does the work and keeps it in your name
Yours on day one
Your domain, site, ad accounts, Google profile and data sit in your name from the start. How ownership works →
Published prices
Every plan has a starting price on our site, from $1,499/mo for Local SEO to Leadership from $10,000/mo.
Terms in plain sight
A 90-day first term, then month-to-month with 30 days notice.
Ad spend on your card
Your ad budget runs in your own accounts and bills to your own card, so you see every dollar.
Agency models: full-stack, performance or boutique
CNV Creative vs. Hawke Media
How a full-stack team and a performance agency differ on strategy, pricing and accountability.
Full-stack vs. boutique vs. in-house
Cost, expertise and room to grow across the three most common setups.
Best MarketerHire alternatives
Options for growth-stage companies looking past freelancer marketplaces.
Leadership, channels and choosing an agency
Fractional CMO vs. in-house CMO
What each costs and when a full-time marketing leader makes sense.
Fractional CMO vs. full-stack agency
When you need a strategist on their own, and when you need the team that carries out the plan.
GEO agency vs. in-house
What it takes to show up when customers ask ChatGPT, and who should own that work.
Outsourcing SEO vs. in-house
The trade-offs of hiring for SEO versus handing it to a specialist team.
How to choose a marketing agency
The questions to ask, the red flags to watch for and how to compare quotes.
Six years in the driver's seat
Crystal and Nick have led marketing for Ideal Practices for more than six years. Read more client reviews →
Comparison questions
Is an agency cheaper than hiring in-house?
Usually, once you count benefits, tools and freelance help. One mid-level marketer runs about $13,000 a month all in. Our Full-Stack Growth plan starts at $7,500.
When does an in-house hire make more sense?
When you have enough steady work to keep a full team busy and someone senior to manage them. Many companies at that stage still keep an outside team for specialist channels like SEO and AI search.
What's the difference between a fractional CMO and a full-stack agency?
A fractional CMO sets your plan, budget and channel decisions. A full-stack team adds the people who carry it out. Our Fractional CMO starts at $4,000/mo, and Full-Stack Core adds the team for $1,000 more.
What should I ask an agency before I sign?
Whose name the accounts are in, how long the contract runs, how you leave, and who does the work day to day. Our founder’s checklist covers the rest.
Can I start with one service?
Yes. Many clients start with SEO, ads or a new website and move to a full-stack plan later.
Still weighing your options?
Book a free marketing review. We’ll look at your current setup and tell you which option fits, even if the answer isn’t us.