Pricing

Clear pricing for growth, AI and training, in Rands

Choose a monthly package, pick individual services, or ask for a bespoke proposal. Every price is in South African Rand, set against the local market, and every scope is agreed in writing before work begins.

Request a proposal See the packages

“From” prices are starting points. We confirm a fixed price after a short discovery call. 1st Content is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added.

Monthly retainers · Search, content and AI visibility

Digital Growth packages

For businesses that want to be found in Google and in AI answers, and turn that into enquiries.

Foundation

R8 500/month

SEO and content basics for a business that needs a steady start.

Technical SEO audit and fix list
Keyword and intent map for up to 10 pages
2 articles or page rewrites a month
Google Search Console and GA4 set-up
Monthly report in plain language
Dedicated account lead

Not included: Paid media, Link outreach, Website build

Enquire

Growth

R15 500/month

SEO, content and AI search visibility, planned as one programme.

Everything in Foundation
4 articles or pages a month
AI search visibility work: structured data, quotable answers, crawler access
Internal linking and topic clusters
Local and city SEO where relevant
Fortnightly check-in call

Not included: Paid media management, Website build

Enquire

Authority

from R27 500/month

Full-programme growth for competitive markets.

Everything in Growth
8 articles or pages a month
Digital PR and earned-link outreach
Google Ads management (ad spend separate)
Conversion improvement on key pages
Weekly optimisation and reporting

Not included: Website build, Video and photo production

Enquire

Monthly retainers · Social and paid media

Social and paid media packages

For businesses that want a managed presence and paid campaigns. Ad spend is separate and goes directly to the platform.

Social Starter

R7 500/month

Social media strategy and management for small businesses.

Social media audit and strategy
Monthly content calendar
4 posts and 4 stories a week
Management and scheduling
5 hours of copywriting and 5 hours of design a month
Monthly report and check-in

Not included: Paid advertising, In-depth marketing strategy

Enquire

Social + Paid

R14 500/month

Social plus paid advertising on one channel.

Everything in Social Starter
Marketing and paid media strategy
Paid advertising on one channel (ad spend separate)
Campaign set-up and optimisation
10 hours of copy and design a month
Fortnightly performance report

Not included: More than one paid channel

Enquire

Full Channel

from R24 500/month

Social, paid on up to three channels and fuller content production.

Everything in Social + Paid
Paid advertising on up to three channels
Multi-channel paid strategy
15 hours of copy and design a month
Email automation or UGC and influencer briefs (choose one)
Reporting dashboard and weekly optimisation

Not included: Website build

Enquire

Mix and match

One-off services and projects

Use these alone, or combine them with a retainer. Marked “from” where the scope depends on your business.

Digital Growth

SEO audit and strategyA full technical, content and AI-visibility audit with a prioritised plan.
R9 500
Marketing strategy developmentA written strategy with goals, audiences, channels, budget and measures.
R13 000
Email marketing automationWelcome, nurture and follow-up flows set up and tested.
R6 500
Interactive lead magnetA calculator, quiz or checklist that captures qualified leads.
R9 500
Content production, half dayPhoto or video shoot with editing included.
R9 500
Content production, full dayA full production day with editing included.
R17 500
Brand identityLogo, palette, typography and a short usage guide.
from R25 000
Website developmentA fast, SEO-ready business website, designed around your goals.
from R29 500

AI and Automation

AI readiness review and roadmapWhere AI can help, what data and policy you need, and a ranked plan.
R14 500
Workflow automation sprintOne process mapped, automated, tested and handed over.
from R12 500
AI assistant buildAn assistant grounded in your own content, with clear limits and review steps.
from R25 000

Digital Transformation Consulting

Consulting by the hourStrategy, review or advice sessions with a senior consultant.
R1 500/hour
Digital maturity reviewAssessment of systems, data, processes and skills, with findings and priorities.
from R18 500
Transformation roadmapA phased plan with owners, dependencies and measures.
from R35 000

AI and Digital Skills Training

Leadership AI briefing (90 minutes)What AI means for your business, for up to 12 leaders.
R7 500
Team workshop, half dayPractical AI or digital marketing skills for up to 12 people, using your own examples.
R12 500
Team workshop, full dayA deeper day for up to 12 people, with exercises and a resource pack.
R22 500
Short course, per delegateDigital marketing strategy, SEO or content marketing short course, with certificate on request.
from R3 500

Flexible

Content credits

Buy small pieces of work on demand. One credit is R600 and is valid for six months. Available to retainer and project clients.

Blog article (700–2,000 words)2 credits
R1 200
Landing page design3 credits
R1 800
Landing page build4 credits
R2 400
Email sequence (up to 6 emails)10 credits
R6 000
Ad campaign set-up (one channel)10 credits
R6 000
Video ad design (15–30 seconds)5 credits
R3 000
Copywriting, 5 hours4 credits
R2 400
Graphic design, 5 hours4 credits
R2 400

Need something bespoke?

Tell us your goals and budget. We will propose a combination of retainer, projects and training, with a fixed scope and price.

Request a bespoke proposal Run the free visibility check first

How we set our prices

Priced for South Africa, not converted from London. We used a reputable London agency’s published pricing as a reference for what each package should contain. We then set every price against local published ranges for the same work: for example, social media packages of about R1,300 to R8,100 a month, full digital marketing packages of about R10,000 to R29,000 a month, business websites of about R8,000 to R15,000 and short training courses from about R1,500 per delegate per day. A straight currency conversion of London prices would overstate South African costs several times over, so comparable packages and services here land at roughly a quarter of the converted London figure (at about R22 to the pound). Ranges are market guides, not quotes, and they change, so we review this page yearly.

Sources used

Pricing questions, answered

Are these prices in Rands, and is VAT included?

All prices are in South African Rand. 1st Content is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added. Ad spend, software subscriptions and third-party costs are separate and agreed with you first.

Why are your prices lower than London agency prices?

We priced against the South African market, not by converting UK rates. London agency rates reflect London salaries and overheads. We set each package against local published ranges for the same work, so the prices reflect what the service costs to deliver here.

What does “from” mean?

Packages and services marked “from” have a scope that depends on your business. We quote a fixed price after a short discovery call, before any work begins.

Is there a minimum contract?

Retainers run for a minimum of three months so there is time to see results, then month to month on 30 days’ notice. Project work is fixed price and agreed in writing.

Can we mix packages and services?

Yes. Most clients combine a retainer with one or two one-off services, such as an SEO audit before a Foundation or Growth retainer. Tell us what you need and we will propose a combination.

What are content credits?

Credits let you buy small pieces of work on demand at one rate. A credit is R600 and is valid for six months from purchase. Retainer clients can top up at the same rate.

Do you guarantee rankings or results?

No. Nobody can honestly guarantee a ranking. We commit to the work we will do, report openly and measure against your enquiries and revenue.

Can the price change?

Prices are reviewed annually. A quote we give you is held for 30 days.