30 Social Media Marketing Service Success Stories [2024]
Here are some real life success stories of starting a social media marketing service:
1. Vital Traffic Labs ($600K/year)
David Schlais, co-founder of Vital Traffic Labs, came up with the idea for his social media marketing agency after realizing the massive margins that larger marketing firms were making for mediocre work. With almost no experience in social media marketing, he and his partner set up their agency in a day and quickly secured their first client, leading to a successful growth trajectory and the ability to leave their 9-5 jobs within six months.
How much they make: $600K/year
Current team size: 0
This case study follows the co-founder of a social media marketing agency who left their 6-figure 9-5 jobs to build a business that has grown to between 50-60K in monthly recurring revenue in just 3 years, attributing their success to putting clients and quality of work first while scaling to new clients and opportunities.
2. NextWave Social ($36K/year)
Samuel Gordon, the founder of NextWave Social, got the idea for his boutique-styled digital marketing agency after realizing the outdated websites and social media struggles of wedding vendors while attending a wedding. With a background in marketing and a fascination with the data behind ads, Samuel identified a problem and a need within the service industry and decided to provide a solution.
How much they make: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
Current team size: 1
NextWave Social, a boutique-styled digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, social media management, web development, and Facebook ads for service and product-based industries, hit six figures in revenue for 2021 since launching in January 2020 with only $1,500 in startup costs and a team motto of "Under promise and Over deliver."
So... can you actually make money with a social media marketing service?
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. Tatum Digital Agency ($120K/year)
AJ Tatum, founder of Tatum Digital Agency, came up with the idea for his business after realizing his passion for digital marketing and automation. With a background in web development and a desire to work with startups and small businesses, he launched TDA and has maintained an impressive average monthly income of ~$10k since May 2021. Through networking, offering free consultations, and creating quality content, AJ has been able to attract and retain customers for his digital presence management agency.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2.5K
Current team size: 1
4. Flying V Group ($3M/year)
Flying V Group was founded by Robb Fahrion and his brother based on an opportunity they identified in the market. After helping a mentor with his website and seeing the demand for digital help, they decided to start a marketing services firm. They focused on serving professional service industries and used SEO and content marketing to establish their clients as industry experts online. The company has since grown to employ 12 people, worked with over 300 clients, and is on track to double its revenue for the second year in a row.
How much they make: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 16
Flying V Group, a digital marketing agency co-founded by Robb and Tyler Fahrion, has experienced explosive growth and profitability through their focus on SEO and content marketing, generating 540% more traffic in 2020 compared to the previous year, and increasing revenue YoY, all while operating debt-free and cash-positive.
So... can you actually make money with a social media marketing service?
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. SharpNet Solutions, Inc ($4.2M/year)
SharpNet Solutions was founded in 1998 by Christopher Sharp, a chemical engineer who wanted to secure his family's future. After self-training in website building, he realized the potential of internet marketing and launched his own company. Today, with a team of 38 talented members, SharpNet generates over $4 million in annual gross sales, offering SEO, PPC, social media management, and website design services with a strong focus on customer satisfaction.
How much they make: $4.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
Current team size: 39
This case study is about Christopher Sharp, who founded digital marketing company SharpNet Solutions, which employs 38 people and has gross sales of over $4 million/year, and focuses on customer satisfaction and producing bottom-line results.
6. Digital Next ($3.48M/year)
Nathan Elly, founder of Digital Next Australia, came up with the idea for his search marketing agency after completing a year of industry experience in SEO. Through selling SEO services and witnessing the growing importance of digital marketing, he recognized the potential for SEO to become an essential part of the marketing mix. After launching the business in Australia, they have since achieved a turnover of approximately $2 million per year.
How much they make: $3.48M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 13
Nathan Elly, founder of Digital Next Australia, shares how he started a search marketing agency that now turns over approximately $2 million per year through organic growth, cold calling and effective partnerships.
So... can you actually make money with a social media marketing service?
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. Socialbuzzhive ($96K/year)
Emily Standley, a single mother with a passion for digital marketing, started her blog Socialbuzzhive to provide expert resources for entrepreneurs looking to grow their business online. With a community of over 4 million, Emily earns over $8,000 monthly through a combination of affiliate marketing, advertising, digital courses, and product reviews. Her blog serves as a go-to resource for those seeking work-life balance and financial success in the digital age.
How much they make: $96K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 1
South Florida-based digital marketing strategist turned blogger grows her online business from zero to over 4 million followers, using a combination of affiliate marketing, advertising, digital courses, and product reviews, earning over $8,000 monthly.
8. Add Value | Growth Marketing Agency ($600K/year)
24-year-old Joachim Brouckaert founded Add Value, a growth marketing agency, after noticing that many marketing agencies prioritized money over delivering value to their customers. With a background in digital marketing and experience freelancing as a digital marketer, Joachim decided to start his own agency focused on full-funnel marketing services. After a year in business, Add Value generates an average monthly turnover of 30k and works with 18 active clients.
How much they make: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 5
A 24-year-old founder shares how his growth marketing agency generated €360,000 in its first year, with a team of 5 people working for 18 active clients per month, using SEO, Facebook and Google ads, organic content on LinkedIn, and a hybrid agency model with a focus on client retention.
9. 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.
10. Major Impact Media ($342K/year)
Brice Gump, the founder of Major Impact Media, got his start in digital marketing after helping a friend sell cell phones online. He saw the explosive growth of the business and realized the power of working on the internet. After taking online courses and freelancing in various areas of marketing, Brice launched Major Impact Media in 2015, offering Google Ads for a monthly retainer. He learned through trial and error and eventually found his niche, providing high-quality marketing services to a specific market. Today, the company has generated over $5.8 million in online sales for their clients and is expanding their services to adapt to changes in the advertising landscape.
How much they make: $342K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 3
This case study follows the story of Brice Gump, founder and CEO of Major Impact Media, a hybrid agency/education company that has generated over $5.8M in online sales for their clients through their marketing services.
11. Social Ktchn ($420K/year)
Chris and Camila, founders of Social Ktchn, came up with the idea for their digital marketing business after realizing the value of social media for restaurants. They leveraged their experience in photography, fashion, branding, and design to offer services such as social media management and email marketing. Eventually, they focused on Facebook and Instagram paid ads, capitalizing on the platforms' growth and becoming experts in the field.
How much they make: $420K/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
Current team size: 1
Social Ktchn is a successful digital marketing company, specializing in providing Facebook and Instagram paid ads for small to midsize businesses in the lead gen and eCommerce spaces, with an annual revenue of $300-$400k.
12. Zero Gravity Marketing ($9.6M/year)
Chris Uzzo, the founder of Zero Gravity Marketing, came up with the idea for his digital marketing agency after building and overseeing the SEO and PPC departments for multiple agencies. With a focus on data-driven strategies and a commitment to transparency, Zero Gravity Marketing has experienced impressive growth, including being recognized by Inc as one of the fastest-growing privately-owned companies and projecting over $10 million in revenue for 2022.
How much they make: $9.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 70
Zero Gravity Marketing is a five-star rated digital marketing agency with Premier Google Partnership and recognized by Inc 5000 for the last three years, on track to gross over $10M in 2022, specializing in SEO, paid media management, social media marketing, email marketing, website design, CRO, content marketing and creative services.
13. Jumper Media ($19.2M/year)
How much they make: $19.2M/year
Current team size: 50
Jumper Media-founder Colton Bollinger's Instagram-focused marketing strategies helped him to assist over 3000 small businesses to build brand awareness and boost audience engagement and sales, leading Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Yahoo to recognize him for his efforts.
14. 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.
15. MeetEdgar ($4M/year)
Laura Roeder, the founder of MeetEdgar, came up with the idea for her social media automation tool after realizing the burden of managing social media accounts and creating new content across multiple platforms. With her background in teaching social media marketing and her own online course business, she saw the need for a tool that could handle the grunt work of social media management. By validating the idea through her course, she decided to create MeetEdgar and launched the software in 2014.
How much they make: $4M/year
Current team size: 11
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
16. Social Burro Inc. ($156K/year)
Frank Kecseti, the creator and data nerd behind Social Burro, came up with the idea for the business after being laid off and receiving negative feedback about his overthinking and non-traditional approach to marketing. He walked up and down Main Street sharing his ideas with business owners, and within 48 hours, he secured his first two clients. Since then, Social Burro has grown and helped 37 brands increase their revenue by 235.3%.
How much they make: $156K/year
How much did it cost to start: $125
Current team size: 2
Social Burro Inc, a social media agency founded during the pandemic, has increased its revenue by 235.3%, averaging $13,000 per month, and has helped 37 brands gain momentum, clarify their purposes, and rally their offline communities.
17. Fomo ($1.08M/year)
Ryan Kulp, a marketer and self-taught developer, acquired a social proof tool called Notify in 2016 and rebranded it as Fomo. Through strategic product-led growth, integrations, and a focus on social proof, Fomo scaled its business by 600% and achieved over $1 million in annual revenue.
How much they make: $1.08M/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 5
Fomo, a social proof tool for eCommerce stores, scaled its original business by 600% and now generates >$1m in annual revenue through product-led growth via integrations and an extensive case study library.
18. DAD OF AD ($154K/year)
Shamreen and Rumit, with backgrounds in graphic design and computer science engineering, respectively, came up with the idea for Dad of Ad over a party discussion. They saw the opportunity to provide social media marketing services during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and since then, the agency has grown to have an average annual revenue turnover of $153,840 with 12 retainer clients and project-based services. Despite facing challenges and making mistakes in the beginning, they have continuously adapted and learned to attract and retain customers through effective communication, moment marketing, and setting clear goals.
How much they make: $154K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.26K
Current team size: 35
Dad of Ad, a social media marketing and advertising agency based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has 12 retainer clients and provides project-based services, generating an average annual revenue turnover of $153,840 while catering to various industries like sport, skin care, and venture capitalists.
19. Postscript ($37.2M/year)
How much they make: $37.2M/year
Current team size: 203
Postscript, a user-friendly SMS platform for Shopify stores, generated $3.1M per month in revenue in just six months and now ranks in the top five revenue generators.
20. Socialistics ($500K/year)
How much they make: $500K/year
Current team size: 8
Socialistics founder Jason Yormark turned a side project into an advertising agency managing social media campaigns ranging from $2K to $5K for 15 clients, providing content marketing, social media marketing, Facebook advertising and more.
21. MuteSix ($76.3M/year)
How much they make: $76.3M/year
Current team size: 361
MuteSix is a full-funnel performance marketing agency that adds value to DTC brands, overseeing an advertising budget of $300 million and scaling brands to success quickly and effectively.
22. 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.
23. Social Reach ($78K/year)
Stephen, the founder of Micro Bikes UK, stumbled upon the idea of mini bikes when his suppliers sold a few of them alongside ride-on cars on their eBay store. After realizing their potential, he took some time away, developed a business plan centered around mini bikes, secured seed investment, and launched Micro Bikes. With a solid after-sales service and his expertise in digital marketing, Stephen was able to overtake older, handymen-run competitors and generate six-figure revenue within 18 months.
How much they make: $78K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 2
Micro Bikes UK is a successful e-commerce store specializing in kids quad bikes and dirt bikes with petrol engines, currently on track to hit six-figures in revenue with strong branding and a solid after-sales service.
24. Pony Express Studio ($3.6M/year)
Thibault Louis-Lucas, the founder of Taplio and Tweet Hunter, came up with the idea for his startups after experiencing failures with previous ventures. Through trial and error, he and his co-founder committed themselves to building new products every week until one gained traction. Their "aha" moment came when they developed Tweet Hunter, a simple search bar that retrieved viral tweets, leading to a successful launch and subsequent growth.
How much they make: $3.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 7
Taplio and Tweet Hunter, founded by Thibault Louis-Lucas, experienced tremendous growth, going from $0 to $3.5m in ARR in just two years, targeting Twitter, LinkedIn and social media creators and becoming one of the most successful startups in the industry.
25. Altar'd Socials ($60K/year)
Altar’d Socials was founded by Claire Ficek, who started the business at 18 years old in the midst of 2020. Inspired by her parents' entrepreneurial background, she decided to offer social media management services to other companies. Within 24 hours of launching her business, she had secured three clients, which reassured her that there was a market for her expertise.
How much they make: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 2
Altar'd Socials, a social media management company founded by Claire Ficek, grew to 10+ clients and a team of 5 women with revenue on track to hit $100k in the first year of business, specializing in full-time social media management and online courses targeted towards women-owned businesses.
26. Travel Tractions ($420K/year)
Matthew Davison, the founder of Travel Tractions, came up with the idea for his tourism-focused marketing agency after scaling his previous travel startup to over 500,000 page views a month. He saw an opportunity to help other travel businesses achieve similar results and launched Travel Tractions as a productized service agency, focusing on SEO content and audits before expanding into other services like social media, PPC, and web builds. Despite facing challenges during the COVID pandemic, the company has rebuilt and grown to a monthly revenue of $35k, with a focus on client retention and a predicted triple-digit growth in 2024.
How much they make: $420K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 11
Travel Tractions, a tourism-focused marketing agency, which produces and optimizes almost half a million words of content a month for a wide range of travel publications and businesses all over the world, has built back up to be a formidable business today after losing 95% of its business due to COVID and many of the team two years ago, now doing around $35k/month.
- 4,818 founder case studies
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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
