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What running paid media for local business actually costs

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Featured · Agency Alternatives·8 min read·October 5, 2026

Agency, In-House, or Done-for-You? How a Small Business Should Choose

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~$9,200
Monthly cost of one in-house marketing specialist, before a dollar of ads (based on BLS data)
70%
Less than a full-service agency
Agency Alternatives · 5 min

Agency Results on a Non-Agency Budget

What you actually need from an agency is a short list. Most of the cost sits outside it.

July 2, 2026
3rd
The option nobody pitches
Agency Alternatives · 6 min

Too Small for an Agency, Too Busy to Do It Yourself

The two options everyone offers you are a retainer you cannot justify and a job you do not have time for. There is a third.

June 30, 2026
1
Phrase, many definitions
Agency Alternatives · 5 min

What "Full Service" Is Supposed to Mean

Every provider calls itself full service. The phrase has no fixed meaning, which is precisely why it appears in every pitch.

January 29, 2026
2
Real options, honestly compared
Agency Alternatives · 6 min

One Team or Do It Yourself: An Honest Comparison

Doing it yourself is cheaper on paper and rarely cheaper in practice. Here is the comparison with the hidden columns filled in.

January 6, 2026
4
Signs it is working
Agency Alternatives · 5 min

What a Good Provider Relationship Actually Feels Like

Not friendliness. Four specific behaviours that distinguish a provider who is working from one who is managing you.

December 9, 2025

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