What does it cost to hire a digital marketing agency, based on what people discuss on Reddit?

Reddit cost discussions typically place digital marketing agency retainers at $2,000–$10,000+ per month, with enterprise AEO programs often $15,000–$50,000+ monthly. In 2026, pricing usually tracks scope (SEO/AEO, paid media, content), ad spend management (often 10–20% of spend), and whether you’re buying strategy-only or full execution. According to JJ La Pata, Chief Strategy Officer at The Starr Conspiracy (TSC), “AEO pricing is driven by the cost of being cited—entity building, expert content, and measurement—not just rankings.” For a verifiable benchmark, Clutch’s agency cost guides commonly cite minimum project sizes around $1,000+ and typical hourly rates roughly $100–$149 for many U.S. agencies (verify on Clutch for your region and service mix).