1. Lead generation services
2. SEO services
3. Content marketing services
4. Social media marketing services
5. PPC advertising services
6. SEM services
7. Email marketing services
8. Video marketing services
9. Web design services
10. Web development services

The global digital marketing industry is immense, projected at $740.3 billion as of 2024, according to Statista. There are so many aspects to digital marketing, leading to an extensive amount of opportunities for marketing agencies selling digital marketing services. For example, Lyfe Marketing is a popular digital marketing company that provides social media marketing services. Through its digital marketing agency services in just social media management related tasks, Lyfe Marketing brings in a 7-figure revenue of around $3 million each year, according to RocketReach. 

In the below list of digital marketing services, you’ll find the top services currently offered by digital marketing agencies. These services span paid advertising, design, marketing optimization, development, and more. Whether you want to provide social media marketing services like Gary Vaynerchuk or SEO services like Brian Dean, there are a vast array of digital marketing services to suit your preferences.

1. Lead generation services

Lead generation services are digital marketing activities that help businesses to attract more qualified leads. A lead is a potential client or customer who has shown some level of interest or need for a product or service. Lead generation can entail setting up effective lead generation channels within a business’s own marketing ecosystem so that the business directly collects the leads themselves. Lead generation can also mean setting up marketing channels to capture leads as a third party and then selling them to relevant businesses or lead brokers like UpLead for a fee. The average cost of a B2B lead is around $200, according to data from HubSpot. 

2. Search engine optimization (SEO) services

Search engine optimization is the process of improving a brand’s online visibility for their target audience. The goal of search engine optimization is to increase organic traffic to a brand’s web entities. Considering that 68% of all online experiences start with a search engine and the fact that SEO drives over 1,000% more traffic than organic social media, according to BrightEdge, SEO is an incredibly valuable marketing channel. SEOs charge between $75 and $100/hour, according to Ahrefs. 

The 4 major SEO services include:

1. On-page SEO
2. Off-page SEO
3. Technical SEO
4. Local SEO

On-page SEO

On-page SEO is the process of optimizing the contents of a webpage for search engines and users. On-page SEO is important because it helps search engines like Google understand content and whether it meets the search intent of users. Some of the main aspects of on-page SEO include webpage:

• URL structure
• Keywords
• HTML tags
• Image alt text
• Internal linking
• Metadata

Off-page SEO

Off-page SEO is the process of optimizing factors outside of a website that can influence the website’s ranking in search. Off-page SEO is about gaining exposure online to improve the search engine's view of a brand or website through the sentiment of other brands and websites. Off-page SEO includes factors like:

• Backlinks (link building)
• Social media mentions
• Guest posting
• Public relations

Link building

Link building is an aspect of off-page SEO and it’s considered one of the most important aspects of SEO overall. Link building is the process of attracting backlinks to a webpage to increase its ranking in search. Backlinks are when another website links to your website. Google’s Andrey Lipattsev confirmed in 2016 that backlinks are one of Google’s strongest ranking factors, meaning the amount and quality of backlinks a webpage can attract significantly affect its ranking in Google search. Some popular link building strategies include:

• HARO (Help a Reporter Out)
• Guest posting
• Niche edits
• PBNs (Private blog networks)
• Link swaps

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is enhancing a site’s structure and performance to make it easier for a search engine to crawl and interpret. Technical SEO includes factors like:

• Javascript usage
• 404 pages
• 301 redirects
• XML sitemaps
• Structured data

Local SEO

Local SEO is the process of optimizing a website to appear high in search engine rankings for local search results. Local SEO enables a business to gain more exposure from local search queries to get more local business. One of the biggest goals of local SEO is to get a business to show up in the Google Map pack, because those are the businesses that get the most attention from potential customers that are looking for their product or service. Local SEO can include tasks like:

• Setting up a Google My Business profile
• Getting a business listed in local directories
• Auditing that a business's name, address, and phone number are accurate online
• Creating local content

3. Content marketing services

Content marketing services entail the creation and sharing of relevant content to attract a target audience. Content marketing is an inbound marketing strategy that relies on content creation to achieve marketing initiatives, such as blog posts, YouTube videos, or Instagram Reels. Content marketing is one of the most popular strategies for a marketing agency, used by approximately 73% of B2B marketers, according to the Content Marketing Institute. A content marketing agency like Siege Media can charge between $2,500 and $10,000/month, according to HawkSEM. 

4. Social media marketing services

Social media marketing services leverage social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok to generate marketing results. The social media marketing services list includes:

• Paid social media campaigns (Ex: Facebook ads)
• Content creation
• Community management
• Social media marketing strategy
• Influencer marketing
• Social media management 
• Contests/giveaways

Social media marketing agency services typically cost between $500 and $5,000, according to Sprout Social. Social media can enable businesses an extensive reach because there are over 4.9 billion people on different social media platforms across the globe. 

Influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is leveraging famous influencers like Cristiano Renaldo and Addison Rae to promote products and services. 31% of social media users report finding new products through influencers, according to Hubspot. As such, influencer marketing can be an incredibly powerful marketing channel. In fact, over 80% of marketers have a dedicated influencer marketing budget because of the results it generates, according to Influencer Marketing Hub. 

5. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising services

Pay-per-click advertising services leverage paid advertising channels to reach target audiences with an offer and generate sales. PPC advertising typically works by bidding to show up in results when a specific keyword is searched and then only paying the advertising network a fee when the advertisement is clicked on. The most common PPC advertising channels include:

• Facebook Ads
• Google Ads
• Bing Ads
• LinkedIn Ads
• Instagram Ads
• Pinterest Ads
• TikTok Ads

PPC advertisers typically charge 10% to 20% of ad spend to manage a PPC advertising campaign. For example, if a company’s ad budget is $10,000, they would pay a PPC marketer $1,000 to $2,000 to manage the campaign. 32% of companies use PPC to sell products to customers, according to WebFX. 

Facebook Ads management

Facebook Ads management is a digital marketing service that entails coordinating paid advertising efforts through Facebook. Facebook Ads are one of the most popular paid advertising channels because they are effective at generating brand awareness and connecting with new customers. The average cost of a Facebook Ad is $0.26 - $0.30 per click, according to WebFX. 

Google Ads management

Google Ads management is a digital marketing service that leverages paid placements across Google to generate marketing results. Google Ads is the largest PPC platform in the world, boasting 28% of the PPC advertising market share, according to global marketing platform Mayple. The average cost per click of a Google Ad on the search network is between $0.11 - $0.50, according to WebFX. 

6. Search engine marketing (SEM) services

Search engine marketing services typically entail using a combination of paid and organic marketing strategies to increase visibility in the search engine. For example, using both Google PPC and SEO to get a website to appear more in Google search results. Search engine marketing services typically cost between $3,000 and $10,000/month, according to HawkSEM. 

7. Email marketing services

Email marketing services use the digital channel of email to reach a relevant audience and promote a brand’s products and services. Email marketing can provide an incredibly impressive ROI of $36 for every $1 spent, according to Litmus. The type of tasks that go into a successful email marketing campaign include:

• Copywriting
• Managing email lists
• A/B testing
• Automating email sequences using platforms like ActiveCampaign

8. Video marketing services

Video marketing services use video content to promote brands and products. Considering that the average internet user spends nearly 7 hours per week watching videos on digital platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, according to Limelight, video is a powerful marketing channel. In fact, 86% of marketing professionals are using video as a marketing tool, according to Wyzowl. Video production for marketing typically costs between $1,200 for a basic video to upwards of $50,000+ for a premium video. 

9. Web design services

Web design services refer to the processes that go into the visual and user experience aspects of website creation. Web designers use softwares like WordPress, Figma, Canva, Wix, Squarespace, and Adobe Dreamweaver to design captivating website layouts. Website design services typically cost between $50-$150/hour. 

10. Web development services

Web development services refer to the programming and database management aspects of creating a functioning website. Web developers use programming languages like HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP, and Python to provide structure and functionality to websites. Web development costs on average $12,000 to $150,000 per project, according to WebFX. 

11. Graphic design services

Graphic design services entail the planning and creation of visual content like infographics, logos, email marketing templates, presentations, displays, images for web, and social media ads to effectively communicate ideas in a digital format. Digital marketing relies heavily on graphic design to support marketing initiatives because humans understand visual information better than plain text. In fact, it’s estimated that the human brain processes images 60,000 times faster than written communication. As such, graphic design is an aspect of nearly every digital marketing service. Hourly rates for graphic design range between $15 to $150/hour, with $25 the average hourly rate, according to Upwork. 

12. Public relations (PR) services

Public relations services involve implementing strategic communications to enhance the public's perception of a brand. Public relations can involve tasks like:

• Creating press releases
• Managing crisis like company scandals
• Maintaining positive relationships with the media
• Planning events and preparing speeches 

Cyberattacks are one of the leading reasons companies contract PR services. In fact, approximately 40% of companies experience reputation loss following cyberattack incidents like data breaches, according to Plotlights. According to data from business services directory Clutch, PR services can range between a few hundred and upwards of $10,000/month. 

13. Market research services

Market research services include the gathering and analyzing of information to evaluate the viability of competing in a given market. Market research is an essential step at the beginning of any digital marketing campaign to ensure there is sufficient opportunity to earn a profit with the available marketing budget. Market research reports typically cost between $3,500 - $4,000, according to Market Research Blog.

14. Marketing automation services

Marketing automation services help businesses to streamline marketing processes through innovative technologies like AI. Marketing automation involves utilizing expertise in software, business operations, and task management to create more efficient marketing processes for a business. Some of the most popular marketing automation softwares include:

• HubSpot 
• Campaigner
• Mailchimp
• Salesforce Pardot
• Brevo

Marketing automation services can cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000, according to WebFX. 

15. Branding services 

Branding services involve activities that contribute to the creation of a brand’s identity. Branding aspects include: 

• Logo
• Mission and vision statements
• Colors
• Typography 
• Imagery
• Tone of voice

These days, visual aspects of branding are often most important. In fact, 81% of consumers are more likely to remember a brand’s color patterns than its name, according to Reboot. A branding campaign can cost between $11,000 and $70,000, according to Design Rush. 

16. Marketing optimization services

Marketing optimization services seek to make marketing operations more efficient and effective to improve results. For example, conversion rate optimization is a type of marketing optimization that entails improving the conversion rate of a marketing campaign to earn a higher profit margin through improved conversion metrics. Considering that only 22% of businesses are satisfied with their conversion rates, according to WPBeginner, conversion rate optimization is a marketing optimization service that is highly sought after. 

17. Copywriting services

Copywriting services are the creation of written texts for marketing purposes. Copywriting is a special type of writing whose purpose is to persuade potential customers into taking actions that can benefit a brand, such as purchasing a product. Copywriting is used across all marketing channels, such as in email campaigns, paid advertisements, social media posts, and website content. Freelance copywriters typically charge around $37/hour on average in the United States, according to data from Zip Recruiter. 

18. Mobile marketing services

Mobile marketing services are digital marketing activities that entail promoting through mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Mobile marketing is a multi-channel approach that leverages mobile channels like SMS, MMS, mobile applications, and social media. Considering that 91% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices, according to Exploding Topics, optimizing marketing campaigns for mobile is a useful strategy to improve marketing reach. 

SMS marketing

SMS marketing is using the mobile marketing channel of text message to promote products and services. SMS messages have a response rate of 45%, much higher than other digital channels, according to Gartner. 

19. Marketing analytics services

Marketing analytics services consist of collecting, organizing, interpreting, and presenting marketing data. Marketing analytics provide businesses with the information they need to make informed marketing decisions. 54% of companies that use marketing analytics extensively end up with higher average profit margins than those who don’t, according to a study by Villanova University. Marketing analytics services range from $250 to $750/month on average, according to WebFX. 

20. Marketing strategy services

Marketing strategy services entail setting long term marketing initiatives to establish a customer base and sell a brand’s offer. The marketing strategy is the plan of action that dictates which marketing strategies are utilized to realize business goals. A marketing strategy helps guide a business in their digital marketing pursuits to better ensure goals are accomplished. Marketing strategy plans can cost between $750 and $5,000+, according to digital marketing firm Joellyn Ferguson. 

Who needs digital marketing services? 

These are just some of the businesses who need digital marketing services. Any business that wants to optimize their profit potential by going beyond traditional marketing channels and attracting customers' online needs digital marketing services. 

How much do digital marketing services cost? 

Digital marketing services cost $2,500 to $12,000 per month or $50 to $500+ per hour, according to digital marketing agency WebFX. The cost of digital marketing services depends on factors like the project scope and experience level of the digital marketing team. 

How do digital agencies charge for marketing services?

Are marketing agencies profitable? 

Yes, marketing agencies are profitable. Low-performing marketing agencies can expect a profit margin between 20% to 30%, while high-performing marketing agencies can expect a 50% to 60% profit margin, according to digital agency acceleration service The OMG Center. 

How do you learn digital marketing services to start your own digital marketing agency? 

You learn digital marketing services to start your own digital marketing agency by learning digital marketing skills and implementing them in real life marketing settings. You can learn digital marketing through free online resources like YouTube videos and blogs, such as the Ahrefs YouTube channel and blog if you want to learn SEO. You could also invest into a paid course like The Complete Digital Marketing Course on Udemy by Rob Percival, Daragh Walsh, and Codestars.

To start implementing your digital marketing skills and building experience, you could try to get an entry level digital marketing job, find work as a freelancer on a platform like Upwork, or start your own digital marketing projects like building a lead generation website. 

How to start a digital marketing agency? 

1. Select an agency structure
2. Determine which services you will offer
3. Choose a niche to offer those services to
4. Establish pricing and set up payment
5. Advertise your services to find customers
6. Deliver successful results to clients

These are the basic steps for how to start a digital marketing agency. 

What are ways to grow & scale your digital marketing agency?

• Partner with other digital marketing agency professionals
• Leverage referrals for your digital marketing firm
• Utilize online directories to increase your brand’s online presence
• Connect with a digital marketing influencer to benefit from influencer marketing

These are just come of the many ways to grow and scale your digital marketing agency. 

Conclusion: Is it worth starting a digital marketing agency? 

It is worth starting a digital marketing agency because the digital marketing industry is estimated to grow at a strong compound annual growth rate of 13.1% through 2032, according to the IMARC Group. Furthermore, digital marketing offers a wide array of opportunities that can accommodate the interests and skill sets of many people. Operating a digital marketing agency can also allow extensive working flexibility and profit potential when done right. However, not every type of digital marketing agency will allow you freedom and flexibility. You can end up working well over the standard working hours for your digital marketing agency, trying to appease client complaints and coordinating marketing tasks among team members. 

To avoid this scenario, I recommend starting a local lead generation agency. A local lead generation agency can generate thousands of dollars in passive income every month. Local lead generation agencies create and rank websites on Google to attract leads for local service businesses. Potential customers that click into the websites you create looking for local services are valuable leads that you can sell to real local service businesses for anywhere between $500 and $3,000/month.

Once you rank your local lead generation website and partner with a local service business to take the leads, you can make passive income from your website. This is because the local businesses you partner with will typically stick with you for the long term as you provide them a highly efficient marketing channel and you can use software and virtual assistants to automate the website maintenance tasks. With other digital marketing agencies like social media marketing or SEO, you usually need to take regular client meetings to analyze marketing performance. However, with local lead generation, you can avoid this because your results speak for themselves as the client receives your leads every month. 

Local lead generation also protects your business because a client fully relies on your website for marketing. For example, if you offer SEO services directly to a client and work on their website, they can fire you at any time and still retain their website as a marketing channel. However, if you offer leads through your local lead generation website, the client is less inclined to fire you because then they will lose access to your website. If they do fire you, you can just go to one of their competitors and work with them instead. Those interested in earning passive income online with local lead generation can check out this lead gen training program with over 7,000 students supporting each other and making money online with local lead generation.