19 Social Media Marketing Agency Success Stories [2024]
Whether you want to clear your utility bills, finance your college education or save for a vacation, a social media marketing agency is one of the best ways to earn extra income. The advantage is that you do not need to commit so much time to automate using social media marketing tools. All you need to do is develop a good social media marketing strategy that will enable you to serve customers efficiently. Besides, you need to create an agency portfolio to market your services to target customers.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a social media marketing agency:
1. Article-Writing Co ($1.5M/year)
David Tile, the founder of Article-Writing.co, originally tried to start a penny auction website after college but failed. He then turned to freelance writing to make some cash, which eventually led to him building a successful content writing service. With $40k - $50k in monthly revenue from clients like Answers.com, Tile's business has grown without any outside funding, emphasizing the importance of taking action and adapting to market forces.
How much they make: $1.5M/year
Current team size: 25
How David Tile turned a freelance writing gig into an $80k/month business, discussing lessons learned through managing growing demands and maintaining a remote team operation.
2. Ignite Social Media ($6M/year)
In 2006, Jim Tobin had an epiphany while sitting in church and the idea of a social media agency was injected into his brain. Despite the lack of social media platforms at the time, Tobin launched Ignite Social Media and became one of the first agencies in the space. Since then, the company has grown and attracted clients through their blog and website, focusing on client success and sharing knowledge.
How much they make: $6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
Current team size: 37
Learn how the founder of Ignite Social Media launched the first-ever social media agency in the US, attracting big-name clients like Microsoft and Intel through organic leads and referrals, and stay on top of the constantly changing industry by focusing on one area of marketing.
So... can you actually make money with a social media marketing agency?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. The Creative Collective ($2.4M/year)
Yvette Adams, founder of The Creative Collective, came up with the idea to start her marketing agency out of both ambition and necessity. With a diverse background in marketing and media, she saw the potential in offering a one-stop-shop for creative services on the Sunshine Coast. She began by offering her services to people she knew and quickly gained clients and referrals, positioning her agency as a pioneer in the industry.
How much they make: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 20
The Creative Collective is a full-service marketing agency that has grown its revenue and doubled its team in the past year, with around 100 active clients and responding to an average of 160 inquiries each month.
4. LeadsBridge ($6M/year)
How much they make: $6M/year
Current team size:
Learn how two founders turned their start-up into a $150k/month business in just three years with LeadsBridge, an impressive all-in-one lead generation platform.
So... can you actually make money with a social media marketing agency?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. The Agent Nest- Social Media and Marketing for Real Estate ($120K/year)
How much they make: $120K/year
Current team size:
Learn how one founder achieved 75 trials per month and will likely hit $10k in monthly recurring revenue by September for her real estate SaaS, The Agent Nest.
6. Avci socso ($120K/year)
Mahsun Avci, the founder of Avci ApS, came up with the idea for his online marketing agency at the age of 15. After trying various online businesses and failing, he stumbled across the concept of SMMA and convinced his dad to let him run Facebook ads for his restaurant. Seeing successful results, Avci knew he had found the right business for him and dedicated himself to learning and mastering Facebook ads and personal branding.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $350
Current team size: 0
A 15-year-old entrepreneur started Avci ApS, an online marketing agency, that has now grown to $10k/mo and aims to hit $175k in profit in 2021 through Facebook ads, content marketing, and social media client outreach.
So... can you actually make money with a social media marketing agency?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Social Beat ($4.2M/year)
Founder Vikas Chawla started Social Beat after realizing a gap in the market for ROI-driven digital marketing solutions. With less than 100 million internet users in India at the time, Chawla saw the potential for growth and started the business with a pay-for-performance fee model, eventually building a 300+ member team and becoming one of the fastest-growing digital agencies in the region. They now manage 3% of the digital media investment in the country and have an MRR of $400,000.
How much they make: $4.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
Current team size: 300
Social Beat founder Vikas Chawla started up a successful digital agency by identifying a gap in the market for ROI-driven digital marketing strategies; the Chennai-based firm has grown to 300+ staff, manages 3% of India's digital media investments and boasts a monthly recurring revenue of $400k, all since its founding ten years ago.
8. Base Coat Marketing ($360K/year)
Austin Houser, the founder of Base Coat Marketing, came up with the idea for his business after acquiring painting businesses as clients at his previous agency and realizing the industry lacked effective marketing solutions. By creating a niche-focused agency dedicated to the professional painting industry, Houser has been able to quickly scale his business and generate impressive results, with $30,000 in monthly recurring revenue and a 50% profit margin within just three months of launching.
How much they make: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $15K
Current team size: 2
Austin Houser, founder of Base Coat Marketing, launched a full-service digital marketing agency catering exclusively to the professional painting industry and within three months exceeded last year's revenue under his previous agency and is generating $30,000 in monthly recurring revenue with roughly a 50% profit margin by offering simple, niche-focused packages and providing personalized, valuable interactions with customers.
9. Regex SEO ($480K/year)
Dmitrii Kustov, the founder of Regex SEO, came up with the idea for his data-driven internet marketing agency while working as a PHP developer at a digital agency. After being given the ultimatum to learn SEO or get fired, Dmitrii immersed himself in the intricacies of SEO and quickly became the head of the agency's marketing department. In 2015, he decided to start his own business to provide individualized, results-driven marketing solutions for businesses.
How much they make: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 18
Learn how Regex SEO, a data-driven internet marketing agency, grew from a one-man company to a team of 16 full-time employees and over 30 contractors, with $1M+ annual revenue pre-COVID, by prioritizing individual approach, hard work, and retention of good people.
10. 6 Figure Agency ($240K/year)
How much they make: $240K/year
Current team size:
Learn how Billy Wilson, the founder of 6 Figure Agency, achieved a six-figure run rate in his first year of business and successfully coached thousands of business owners to grow their online presence and increase sales through his in-depth course on starting, growing, and automating an SMM agency.
11. Rossman Media ($11.9M/year)
How much they make: $11.9M/year
Current team size: 36
Rossman Media, founded in 2017, has been recognized by Business Insider as the "Best New Social Media Agency" of 2020 after collaborating with big brands such as Airbnb, Nike, and Louis Vuitton.
12. Mari Smith ($1.32M/year)
How much they make: $1.32M/year
Current team size: 14
Learn from the "Queen of Facebook" herself - Mari Smith teaches entrepreneurs how to maximize their social media presence and produce measurable results with her comprehensive social networking strategy.
13. Eight Loop Social ($2.4M/year)
How much they make: $2.4M/year
Current team size: 5
This case study explores Eight Loop Social, an independent social media agency that has generated over $35M for companies since its establishment in 2011, having worked with huge brands such as Coca-Cola, AMP Insurance, Vodafone, and Midori through specialized digital growth solutions.
14. iContact ($28.8M/year)
How much they make: $28.8M/year
Current team size: 151
iContact was built by Ryan Allis and Aaron W. Houghton to provide user-friendly email marketing tools for small businesses worldwide, resulting in the recent $169 million purchase of the company by Vocus.
15. Wealth Ideas Agency ($1.44M/year)
Chris Anthony, the founder of Wealth Ideas Agency, came up with the idea for his digital marketing agency after struggling to maintain stable revenues and generate enough leads through traditional means of prospecting. He realized that automating the agency's lead generation would provide more consistency, and within a year, Wealth Ideas Agency went from a one-man band to a team of ten. Three years later, they reached an impressive $5 million in revenue.
How much they make: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $850
Current team size: 10
Learn how Wealth Ideas Agency Founder/Head of Growth, Chris Anthony, went from a one-man agency to $5M revenue in three years, to now generating $120K/month while helping other agencies implement a proven lead generation system.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings