Run and optimize a company's Meta, Google or TikTok ad campaigns, paid on retainer or a percentage of spend.
Why that grade Two industry rate-guide sources give consistent ranges, though both are aggregated/self-reported freelancer and agency pricing data. Course-seller index 6/10.
Figures are researched estimates, not guarantees. Check local rules before you trade.
Running paid ads well requires constant hands-on optimization and platform-specific expertise that most small businesses don't have time to develop in-house, and the ROI is directly measurable, which makes the value easy to sell.
Freelance hourly $15-150/hr (median ~$25-40/hr independent, $100-150/hr senior/US-based); standard model is 10-20% of monthly ad spend; monthly retainers $2,000-10,000 per platform.
Someone with real, provable ad-account management experience, ideally with their own or a client's numbers to show.
Anyone without a real track record trying to charge % of spend from day one - build proof on small accounts first, or you'll take on accountability you can't yet deliver on.
You're directly accountable for a client's ad spend and ROAS even though creative, offer, and market conditions also drive results - a bad month gets blamed on you regardless of cause.
6 steps to your first paying customer
Complete Meta Blueprint and Google Ads certifications - free, and a minimum credibility signal for clients who can't otherwise vet your skill.
Done when You've completed Meta Blueprint and Google Ads certifications and can show both credentials on your profile.
Watch out: Certifications alone don't prove you can manage a real budget - pair with actual case studies.
Run ad spend for your own product or a friend's small business, even at a modest $200-500/month budget, to generate a real case study with actual ROAS numbers.
Done when You've run at least one campaign with real ad spend, your own or a friend's, and can show actual ROAS numbers even at a small budget.
Watch out: Small budgets have noisier results - be transparent about sample size when presenting this case study.
The rest of the playbook: what to charge, what you need in place before you take money, where the first customers come from, and what each step costs.
Free forever · no card · 30 secondsPlatform tactics are publicly documented, and a competitor can undercut you on price easily - your documented ROAS track record is what's harder to replicate.
Specialize in one platform or vertical deeply enough that you're the go-to, not a generalist among many
Build proprietary tracking/reporting that makes results visibly clearer than a typical freelancer's
Move into fractional Head of Growth roles for a couple of larger retainer clients, or build a small media-buying agency with junior buyers under you.
Same idea, different rules. One playbook, with the facts that actually differ overlaid per market.
Strong competition from agencies in lower-cost countries - specialize in a platform or vertical to stand out.
Highest-paying clients, but also strongest competition from established agencies.
Design custom databases and internal tools in Airtable for operations teams - under-served niche.
Manage monthly books in QuickBooks or Xero for small businesses that don't want an in-house accountant.
Build email/SMS flows for ecommerce brands - retention marketing is 25-30% of most DTC brands' revenue.