Instagram Marketing Agencies: 23 Firms Compared

Published Updated 21 min read
Hiring an Instagram agency usually means handing over one of three jobs: running your account and making the content, recruiting creators to post about your products, or buying ads on the platform. Agencies sell all three under the same name, so two proposals for "Instagram marketing" can describe very different work and very different budgets.
This guide compares twenty-three agencies whose own sites offer Instagram work. It groups them by the job they suit, shows the evidence and prices each publishes, and lists what to settle before you sign.
DisclosureinBeat and Web Tonic are part of Fieldtrip, a group of marketing agencies in which Jake Jorgovan is a partner. Both are among the 23 firms in this list.
Compare Instagram agencies by what you are buying
Every firm here offers Instagram work on its own site and publishes at least one client result or client testimonial for social, creator or Instagram work. The order carries no ranking, and other agencies also sell Instagram work.
The evidence column shows selected evidence from each firm's pages. Where a case does not name Instagram, the table says so: a result without an Instagram breakdown gives less evidence for your Instagram brief.
| Firm | Instagram service on its site | Selected public evidence | Published pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account management and content13 of 23 firms | |||
| BrandBurp | Instagram marketing page: strategy, content, campaigns, reporting | Portfolio testimonial reporting 6.1 million Facebook page likes; client not named | Not published |
| Brafton | Five Instagram offerings, from rolling account management to Reels and ad management | Girl, LASH: content and boosted posts over three months, 572 new followers (case first posted 2021) | Not published |
| Coalition Technologies | Instagram page: content, imagery, ads and biweekly reporting | Codale: $2,374.20 in social media revenue in six months; Instagram not named | Not published |
| DMA (Digital Marketing Agency) | Instagram management: content, growth, ads and influencers | Permanent Marker Company testimonial: Instagram followers up 178% | No standard pricing model |
| Firebelly Marketing | Social media management, ads and content for food and beverage brands | Envy: Instagram following up 30% in 12 months | Management $3,000 to $10,000 a month; ads from $4,000 plus media spend |
| Goodman Lantern | Instagram strategy and content development | Social media agency client: 16 LinkedIn posts a month, $30k from one client; not Instagram | Not published |
| LYFE Marketing | Instagram marketing, advertising and video | Wingstop: 1,305 new Instagram followers (case first posted 2020) | Management plans $750 to $1,550 a month, plus a $300 setup fee |
| Savage Global Marketing | Social media management that includes Instagram, with reels and on-location filming | A Google review by Henrik Margard citing a year of work and a larger social media presence | Subscriptions $2,500 to $7,500 a month for 16 to 50 hours |
| The Go! Agency | Instagram page: account management, content, ads, influencer outreach, contests | Named client testimonials for social media management, none naming Instagram | Not published |
| Thrive Internet Marketing Agency | Instagram ads and organic management, with video and photography | Ambler Industries: new Instagram followers up 100% on the previous year within five months, no ad spend | Not published |
| True North Social | Instagram marketing, advertising and DM management | Peerspace: 323,000 new Instagram followers in under 24 months | Not published |
| Volume Nine | Social media management and boosting across Facebook, Instagram and Threads | Bed Head: Instagram reach up 1,958% | Management typically $3,000 to $10,000 a month |
| WebFX | Social media packages that include Instagram, with boosted posts | Social advertising cases, such as a 205% rise in social ad impressions | Setup $4,650 to $7,500; management $3,150 to $5,100; custom pricing from $3,000 a month |
| Creator and influencer programs4 of 23 firms | |||
| inBeat | Instagram micro-influencer programs and creator content | Miro testimonial on its influencer program; Hurom performance UGC case, 65% lower overall CPA; platform not named | Varies by campaign |
| Moburst | Influencer marketing and social media management that names Instagram | Bedsure: 30-day creator campaign, 2.06 million+ views; platform not named | Not published |
| Obviously | Instagram influencer marketing: creators, content, giveaways, paid amplification | Firm-wide: 152,562 influencer collaborations; two named testimonials | Not published |
| Ubiquitous | Instagram creator campaigns with a testing roadmap | Lyft: nine creators, 8.1 million views at a $4.31 CPM; platform not named | Not published; a minimum budget applies |
| Paid Instagram ads6 of 23 firms | |||
| Disruptive Advertising | Facebook and Instagram ads with in-house creative support | Named testimonial: social ad CTR nearly doubled in the first week; no Instagram split | Not published |
| Inflow | Instagram ads in feeds, Stories, Reels, Explore and Shop | KEH Camera paid social: 29x average ROAS; Instagram not named | Not published |
| JumpFly | Paid social advertising on Meta | Custom name labels retailer: Facebook and Instagram campaigns, revenue up 74% | Not published |
| Taktical Digital | Instagram ads in Reels, Stories, carousel and Shopping formats | Rachel Zoe's Box of Style: Instagram ads, purchases up 217% | Not published |
| Web Tonic | Paid social, including Facebook and Instagram campaigns | Food Allergy Institute: Meta cost per landing page view down from $4.56 to $3.19; Meta and Google case, no Instagram split | Not published |
| Xcentric Services | Meta ads covering Instagram sponsored campaigns, and social media management | Papa John's Pakistan: 180K+ digital campaign reach during a 1+ month promotion involving Meta and Google; no Instagram split | Not published in a stated currency |
Account management and content
13 of 23 firmsThese agencies offer Instagram content or account services. Check whether the scope includes planning, production, publishing, comment replies and monthly reporting. Several also run Instagram ads or creator work. Choose by the proof that resembles your brand and by what each fee covers.
BrandBurp
Back to the comparisonBrandBurp website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand that wants an Instagram program from an agency that also handles app, web and search marketing
A testimonial on BrandBurp's brand portfolio (opens in a new tab), attributed to Frenk Taekshi, a delivery manager, says BrandBurp's work produced 6.1 million likes on a Facebook page and a 120% rise in user engagement rate. The company behind it is not named in the page text, and the result is for Facebook. The testimonial card also shows an Instagram figure of 31.4k without defining the metric or period. The other proof on the pages read is for app, web and search work.
Its Instagram page describes a five-stage process (strategy, content, launch, monitoring and reporting) and the ad formats it buys. Ask first: Instagram cases with the client named.
Brafton
Back to the comparisonBrafton website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand that wants Instagram content bought as rolling management or one-off posts
- Evidence
- the Girl, LASH Instagram case (opens in a new tab)
Girl, LASH, a founder-run online shop for lash artists, received about 24 posts in its first three months with Brafton. The case reports a 25,572% rise in impressions, 572 new followers, 222 product-page views and 14 cart additions through Instagram shop tags. Boosted posts produced nearly 75% of the impressions, 95% of the engagements and 62% of the link clicks, so the result reflects paid distribution as well as content. The case was first posted in 2021.
Five options are sold: rolling account management (posts, stories, user-generated content, influencer relationships, and monthly analytics with a 30-minute review call), and separately bought posts, social listening, Reels and ad management. Prices for the Instagram service are not published on the pages read.
Coalition Technologies
Back to the comparison- Potential fit
- A business that wants Instagram content alongside search and web work from one agency
- Evidence
- the Codale social media case (opens in a new tab)
Codale, a Utah electrical supply company, had no revenue from social media when it hired Coalition, according to the case. Over six months Coalition reports $2,374.20 in revenue via social media and an 85.56% rise in social media sessions, alongside SEO work. The case does not name Instagram.
Coalition's Instagram page covers content and imagery, advertising recommendations, product tagging, and biweekly meetings and reports. Its pricing page (opens in a new tab) is an estimator without published rates.
DMA (Digital Marketing Agency)
Back to the comparisonDMA (Digital Marketing Agency) website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand that wants Instagram management, ads and influencer outreach quoted as one campaign
- Published pricing
- no standard pricing model; each campaign is quoted
John Lawrence of Permanent Marker Company is quoted on DMA's testimonials page (opens in a new tab): "We increased our Instagram followers by 178 percent and sales are up by 35 percent." The testimonial gives no period.
DMA's Instagram service covers audience research, profile optimization, content creation, organic growth, paid ads and influencer marketing. Its FAQ says it does "not use a standardized pricing model" and tailors each campaign, so ask for a written scope with the fee.
Firebelly Marketing
Back to the comparisonFirebelly Marketing website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A food or beverage brand that wants a social-only agency with published prices
- Where it works
- food and beverage brands (its site)
- Evidence
- the case-study index (opens in a new tab)
- Published pricing
- management $3,000 to $10,000 a month by scope; full-funnel ads from $4,000 plus media spend
Envy, a group of apple orchards, grew its Instagram following by 30% in 12 months, according to Firebelly's case-study index. The same index says R-C Ranch, a Wagyu beef brand, grew its Instagram audience by more than 3,600% in under two years. The R-C Ranch case page (opens in a new tab) itself covers Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest from June 2021 to May 2023 and reports 68% audience growth across the three channels together.
"Social is all we do," the homepage says. In October 2026 Firebelly's social media management page (opens in a new tab) priced management at $3,000 to $10,000 a month depending on scope, with a social media manager who has more than five years of experience. Its social advertising page (opens in a new tab) says full-funnel ads start at $4,000 plus media spend.
Goodman Lantern
Back to the comparisonGoodman Lantern website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A technical or B2B brand that wants Instagram strategy and content written for it
- Evidence
- the social media agency case (opens in a new tab)
A European social media agency hired Goodman Lantern to write 16 LinkedIn posts a month for one of its clients, according to a case posted in 2023, and the case says the work secured $30k from that single client. This is LinkedIn content evidence, not an Instagram result.
Its Instagram service covers profile setup, strategy, content planning and development, page growth analysis, monitoring and reporting, and its FAQ says the client owns the copyright to the work. Prices are not published on the pages read.
LYFE Marketing
Back to the comparisonLYFE Marketing website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A small business that wants a fixed monthly plan for posts on Instagram and one other platform
- Evidence
- the Wingstop case (opens in a new tab)
- Published pricing
- $750, $1,350 or $1,550 a month for management, plus a one-time $300 setup fee
Wingstop gained 1,305 new Instagram followers and 1,247 new Twitter followers, LYFE reports, with no period or spend; the case lists advertising among the services. A Hilton case (opens in a new tab) reports a 30,740% rise in Instagram and Facebook followers across three Hilton hotel locations. Both pages were first posted in 2020.
The management pricing page (opens in a new tab) listed three plans in October 2026: $750 a month for 12 image posts on Facebook and Instagram, $1,350 for 12 vertical videos on Instagram and TikTok, and $1,550 for 20 vertical videos, with a $300 setup fee and "No Longterm Contracts". LYFE does not bill your advertising budget; ad spend is separate. Its social advertising price page (opens in a new tab) sets a three-month initial term for ad plans, after which they go month to month. An account manager monitors comments and direct messages in business hours and generally responds within 24 hours.
Savage Global Marketing
Back to the comparisonSavage Global Marketing website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand near Fort Lauderdale that wants social content, video and filming bought as a block of monthly hours
- Published pricing
- subscriptions of $2,500 a month for 16 hours, $5,000 for 33 hours and $7,500 for 50 hours
A Google review by Henrik Margard, shown on Savage's social media page, says the writer's company has worked with Savage "for about one year" and that its social media presence has increased. The other reviews on that page either concern websites, video and design or do not say what work was done. The homepage lists featured cases by title without figures.
The social media management service covers Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok, with custom reels and on-location filming. In October 2026 the pricing page (opens in a new tab) sold monthly hours of work, with unused hours rolling over for three months. Every plan except the $2,500 starter requires a three-month minimum, cancellation needs 30 days' notice, and on-site filming is included within 20 miles of Fort Lauderdale.
The Go! Agency
Back to the comparisonThe Go! Agency website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A professional-services or community organization that wants its Instagram run alongside other social accounts
The Go! Agency's testimonials page (opens in a new tab), first published in 2016, quotes named clients on social media management. Clint Dockery of Senior Management Advisors says the agency has managed social accounts for "many of our communities", and Megan Galane of Mountain West IRA says it "skyrocketed our social media presence". None of the testimonials names Instagram.
Account optimization, a dedicated manager, custom content, Instagram ads management, influencer outreach, brand ambassador programs, contests and monthly reporting are listed on its Instagram page. Ask first: an Instagram example from the last two years.
Thrive Internet Marketing Agency
Back to the comparisonThrive Internet Marketing Agency website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A business that wants Instagram ads and organic management from a full-service agency
- Evidence
- the Ambler Industries case (opens in a new tab)
Ambler Industries, a landscaping company, had its Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor accounts managed organically by Thrive. Within five months, the firm reports, new Instagram followers rose 100% and Facebook interactions 71% against the previous year, with "$0 spent on ads". Its Instagram page adds results for two clients it does not name, a building material distributor and a Mexican shoe company.
Thrive describes ad strategy, creative, A/B testing, retargeting, and video production and photography for Instagram. Prices for the Instagram service are not published on the pages read.
True North Social
Back to the comparisonTrue North Social website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A consumer brand that wants Instagram growth, ads and direct-message management from one social agency
- Evidence
- the Peerspace case (opens in a new tab)
Peerspace, a marketplace for venues, gained 323,000 new Instagram followers "in less than 24 months" and a 2,471% rise in Instagram engagement, according to True North Social, with no starting figures. The case lists the services as Instagram, TikTok and Meta ads, and was posted in 2025.
On its homepage, Instagram marketing, Instagram advertising and DM management sit among its social services, alongside TikTok, influencer work and photography. Its FAQ mentions "competitive pricing" without a figure.
Volume Nine
Back to the comparison- Potential fit
- A consumer or B2B brand that wants Instagram run as part of a wider social and search program
- Evidence
- the Bed Head case (opens in a new tab)
- Published pricing
- social media management typically $3,000 to $10,000 a month
For the haircare brand Bed Head, Volume Nine reports that Instagram reach rose 1,958%, engagements 976% and saves 1,286% after the agency rebuilt its content around its audience. No period or starting figures are given. Its social media case studies (opens in a new tab) also include Vitamin World and Myron Promotional Products, and its social portfolio quotes Kayla Roofe, senior social media manager at RE/MAX.
The social media service covers strategy, content, profile optimization and social boosting, and names Facebook, Instagram and Threads among the platforms it manages. Its FAQ said in October 2026 that it charges for the individual services a company needs and that management typically runs $3,000 to $10,000 a month.
WebFX website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand that wants a fixed social media package that includes Instagram, with posts, images and boosted posts priced in advance
- Evidence
- social advertising cases (opens in a new tab)
- Published pricing
- setup fees of $4,650, $6,525 or $7,500; ongoing management fees of $3,150, $4,425 or $5,100
WebFX's case index lists social advertising results such as a 205% increase in social ad impressions for Mount Wachusett Community College and a 630% rise in newsletter sign-ups through social ads for Kent County Tourism Corporation. Neither entry names Instagram.
In October 2026 the Instagram page published a three-tier table covering one, up to two or up to three networks: 10, 20 or 30 posts a month, a required boosted-post spend of $100, $200 or $300, and vertical content creation for an extra $1,200 a month. The same page also offers custom pricing "starting at $3,000" a month, so ask which offer applies to your scope. The table does not state a contract length or whether the boosted spend is billed separately, and the page's text describes "up to 15 posts" a month, which differs from the table.
Creator and influencer programs
4 of 23 firmsThese agencies recruit creators, brief them, approve their posts and report on the results. Their published proof is mostly creator work across several platforms, so ask each for Instagram campaigns specifically.
inBeat
Back to the comparisonPart of Fieldtrip, in which the author is a partner
- Potential fit
- A consumer or app brand that wants micro-influencer content it can also use in ads
- Evidence
- the Hurom case (opens in a new tab)
- Published pricing
- none; its page says pricing varies by campaign
inBeat's Instagram page quotes Aida Ahmed, head of social media and influencer marketing at Miro, on inBeat managing and scaling Miro's influencer program. For Hurom, its case describes performance-optimized UGC creatives and reports a 65% reduction in cost per acquisition and 300% ROAS growth. The case does not name the platform.
The Instagram service offers to find, vet and work with micro-influencers, plan product placement and run sponsored direct-response collaborations. Its FAQ says it works "strictly with micro-influencers" and does not run celebrity collaborations.
Moburst
Back to the comparisonMoburst website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- An app or retail brand that wants creator campaigns run by an agency that also buys media
- Evidence
- the Bedsure case (opens in a new tab)
Bedsure's 30-day creator campaign, built around its products in Target stores, produced 2.06 million+ views, 168% more content than planned and a 60% lower cost per view, Moburst reports in a case posted in 2026. It says the campaign helped drive a 10% increase in in-store sales. The case does not name the platform.
Its influencer service runs from planning and recruiting to managing creators and reporting weekly and monthly, and it repurposes creator content into ads. Its social media management page (opens in a new tab) names Instagram among the platforms it manages, with Reels, Stories and carousels.
Obviously
Back to the comparisonObviously website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A consumer brand that wants creator campaigns at volume, with gifting and fulfillment handled
- Where it works
- Instagram, TikTok and YouTube (its homepage)
Obviously's homepage (opens in a new tab) counters showed 152,562 influencer collaborations, more than 5.1 billion organic impressions and 425,634 pieces of content on October 6, 2026. These are firm-wide totals across platforms. The homepage also quotes Sara Waters, head of creator partnerships, and Evelyn Brown, associate manager of influencer relations, without naming their companies or an Instagram campaign. Its Instagram service page says always-on ambassador content and activations see a 65% engagement lift over one-off campaigns, without naming a client or period.
Its Instagram service covers creative strategy, influencer management from identification to payment, content creation, giveaways, paid amplification and gift boxes packed and shipped from its own logistics center. Ask first: Instagram campaigns for brands in your category.
Ubiquitous
Back to the comparisonUbiquitous website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A mid-size or enterprise brand that wants creator campaigns with a performance measure such as CPM
- Evidence
- the Lyft case (opens in a new tab)
Lyft's campaign for Divvy bikes and scooters in Chicago ran for under a month, according to a Ubiquitous case posted in September 2024. The agency recruited nine creators, made more than 40 pieces of content and reports 8.1 million views at a $4.31 CPM. The case does not name the platform. The homepage says Ubiquitous has activated more than 40,000 creators across TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
Its FAQ says it specializes in "medium to enterprise sized brands" and works with any brand that meets its minimum budget, which is not stated. The FAQ also says it is recognized for TikTok influencer marketing and has run campaigns on YouTube and Instagram.
Paid Instagram ads
6 of 23 firmsThese agencies buy and manage Instagram ads, usually as part of paid social on Meta. If the ads are most of the job, the Meta advertising agencies list covers more firms.
Disruptive Advertising
Back to the comparisonDisruptive Advertising website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand that wants Facebook and Instagram ads managed with creative support from an in-house design team
Josh Kedzuch, director of marketing at SNH Capital Partners, is quoted on Disruptive's Facebook and Instagram ads page saying that in the first week its social media expert's changes to targeting and bidding "nearly doubled the CTR". The testimonial gives no Instagram breakdown.
The service monitors campaigns weekly, optimizes ads and targeting, and uses Disruptive's internal design team for ad creative. The page reports more than $450M in annual ad spend managed across clients. Prices are not published on the pages read.
Inflow
Back to the comparisonInflow website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- An ecommerce brand that wants Instagram ads run as part of a full-funnel paid social program
- Evidence
- the KEH Camera case (opens in a new tab)
KEH Camera's paid social campaigns returned a 29x average return on ad spend, and overall ROAS including view attribution rose 75.7%, according to Inflow's case. The case was first posted in 2021 and does not name Instagram.
Inflow names placements in feeds, Stories, Reels, Explore and Shop, and a process that starts from the account's past organic and paid data. Its page says the client supplies the creative for Inflow to optimize, and that it can oversee production with an external designer when necessary. Prices are not published on the pages read.
JumpFly
Back to the comparisonJumpFly website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- An ecommerce brand that wants Meta ads, including Instagram, run by a paid media agency
A case featured on JumpFly's paid social page, for a retailer of custom name labels for kids, says the agency isolated the client's Facebook and Instagram campaign data to measure its Meta strategy, and reports 74% revenue growth and a 30% increase in goal conversions. No period is given. The same page shows a case for a seller of rosaries that moved from paid search to paid social and reports 696% sales growth over two years.
The paid social service describes brand lift studies as standard and real-time reporting software, and is led by a named social media director. Prices are not published on the pages read; the contact form asks for monthly ad spend.
Taktical Digital
Back to the comparisonTaktical Digital website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A direct-to-consumer brand that wants Instagram ads with a monthly creative refresh
- Evidence
- the Rachel Zoe case (opens in a new tab)
Taktical's Instagram page presents its work for Rachel Zoe's Box of Style as an Instagram ads case. The case, posted in 2025, starts from a $30k monthly budget and a target cost per website purchase under $100, and reports a 217% increase in purchases and a 37% lower acquisition cost, without a period. Taktical's homepage says it is now a MediaMint company.
Reels, Stories, carousel and Shopping ads are covered, with a fresh set of creative assets made each month. Its FAQ says costs vary, and no prices are published on the pages read.
Web Tonic
Back to the comparisonPart of Fieldtrip, in which the author is a partner
Web Tonic website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand that wants Meta ads, including Instagram, run alongside Google and other paid channels
- Evidence
- the Food Allergy Institute case (opens in a new tab)
Web Tonic reports that Food Allergy Institute's booked consultations rose from 243 in January 2026 to 1,012 in September 2026. Separately, comparing matched twelve-month periods, it reports a 1.7% increase in Meta spend and a fall in Meta cost per landing page view from $4.56 to $3.19. The case combines Meta and Google paid media and gives no Instagram breakdown.
Web Tonic's paid social service plans and manages Facebook and Instagram campaigns, with audience planning and a creative testing plan, alongside TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn and other platforms. Prices are not published on the pages read; ask for a quote that separates agency fees from media spend.
Xcentric Services
Back to the comparisonXcentric Services website, captured October 2026.
- Potential fit
- A brand targeting Pakistan or North America that wants Meta ads and social management
- Where it works
- businesses in Pakistan and US clients targeting North American audiences (its site)
- Evidence
- the Papa John's Pakistan case (opens in a new tab)
Papa John's Pakistan hired Xcentric to build an ordering platform and run Meta and Google campaigns, according to the case. Before the work, its Instagram and TikTok promotions had no direct ordering links. For a promotion lasting more than a month, the case reports 180K+ new digital campaign reach and a 4.6% average engagement rate.
The Meta ads page offers Instagram sponsored campaigns in Stories, Reels and carousel formats, and Facebook and Instagram retargeting. Its social media management page (opens in a new tab) listed a monthly retainer range of 1,000 to 6,000 in October 2026 without stating a currency, with one to two weeks of onboarding and a typical three-month minimum contract. Ask for a quote in your currency and confirm those terms.
What the published prices cover
Five firms publish prices with a stated currency for Instagram or social media work on the pages read, and they price different things:
- A monthly management range that depends on scope: Firebelly and Volume Nine.
- Fixed packages with a set number of posts: LYFE, with a one-time setup fee, and WebFX, with a larger setup fee, a management fee and a required boosted-post spend.
- A block of hours: Savage Global Marketing, whose subscriptions cover any of its services, from social media management to filming.
Firebelly prices its ads service plus media spend, LYFE leaves the ad budget to you, and the creator agencies quote per campaign or do not publish prices. A low monthly fee and a high one can buy the same number of posts or very different work, so compare a written scope: posts a month, who makes the video, who answers comments, whether ads or creators are included, and how long the contract runs.
Prove Instagram before you add a second platform
Most of the results above give no starting figure, and several do not name the platform. So agree in advance what the first months of your own program should show.
In 2020 I wrote about Andrew Chen's law of shitty click-through rates: "every marketing tactic is great when it starts, but then everyone starts doing it and people become immune to the tactic." In the same post I described cold email, then LinkedIn outreach, flooding with imitators and spam until results were harder to get. Instagram formats can wear out the same way. So I'd ask an agency how it will know when a format or a set of creators has stopped working, and what it changes when that happens.
I'd also keep the first engagement narrow:
- Agree the main outcome, the budget and the monthly report before work starts.
- Hold a review at the end of the first quarter, with enough activity behind it to judge that outcome.
- Use the review to decide whether to continue, change the work, or add TikTok or a second agency.
Instagram's reach and rules are set by Meta, not by you or the agency. In 2019 I wrote that the fatal flaw in Lead Cookie was that "we built our business on top of Linkedin": whenever LinkedIn changed something, our business had to change with it. Keep the account, the audience data and the content in your name. That won't remove the platform risk, but it makes a change of agency cheaper.
What to settle before you sign
Creator endorsements need a clear disclosure when the creator has a material relationship with the brand. Instagram's branded content rules (opens in a new tab) say content counts as branded when a creator is paid in money or "something else of value", which can include gifted products, and "must be disclosed using the paid partnership label". The FTC's guide for influencers (opens in a new tab) tells creators to make any relationship with a brand obvious and not to assume a platform's disclosure tool is enough on its own. Ask the agency who checks each post and what happens when a creator leaves the disclosure off.
- Which of the three jobs are you pricing: account management, a creator program, ads, or a mix?
- Which Instagram cases from the last two years resemble our brand, and what was the starting point?
- How many posts, videos and stories does the monthly fee include, and who produces the video?
- Are ad spend, creator fees, boosted-post spend and product gifting billed on top?
- What is the minimum term, and what notice ends the contract?
- Who owns the account, the content and the audience data if we part ways?
- Who checks both the paid partnership label and the creator's own disclosure on each post?
- What will you report each month, and what result in the first quarter would tell us to stop?
Sources and method
How this list was made
Each firm's own Instagram, social, creator or ads service page, its case, testimonial or client pages and any pricing or FAQ page it links were read on October 6, 2026. A firm is listed where its site offers Instagram work and shows at least one named or described client result or client testimonial for social, creator or Instagram work. Figures, client names and prices are the firms' own.
Jake's record
- The outbound industry is evolving, 2020
- The fatal flaw I made with my business, 2019
Platform and regulator
- Instagram Help Center, branded content, read October 6, 2026
- FTC, Disclosures 101 for social media influencers, November 2019
Firm pages read October 6, 2026

Jake Jorgovan
Jake works with enterprise leaders on marketing strategy and executive talent. He co-founded Alpha Apex Group, founded Content Allies, owns Listen Network and is a partner in Fieldtrip, a group of marketing agencies. He founded Lead Cookie and later sold it.
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