What is the cost of digital marketing in Dubai?

I am planning to do a Digital Marketing business in which I would like to know the factors of the cost involved in the sizing of the companies, the scope of projects that I can expand, and the services that can be provided for the digital marketing in Dubai.

What is the cost of digital marketing in Dubai?

When I started my first blog in 1998, I marketed it at no cost. Since the concept of SEO and digital marketing didn’t really exist at that time, I used other methods, like listing my blog in Yahoo Directory, DMOZ, etc.

More than 2 decades have passed and digital marketing is a big business now. UAE has more than 10 professional digital marketing agencies and hundreds of small agencies and freelancers offering digital marketing services. Here you can find a list of digital marketing agencies in Dubai.

I started SpiderWorks Technologies in 2005 in India as one of the first digital marketing companies in the country. Over a period of time, we acquired a lot of clients from the Middle East region and later we launched our digital marketing agency in Dubai called SpiderWorks Technologies LLC. We serve hundreds of small, medium and large clients from across the globe and have a good number of clients from Dubai as well.

As an expert in the digital marketing industry who has served a lot of clients from Dubai, I believe I can share some insights into the cost of digital marketing in Dubai.

Cost involved in digital marketing services in Dubai

Since digital marketing involves several aspects and services, let me give a split of various services.

The typical cost for comprehensive digital marketing services in Dubai for a medium-competition business would be AED 5,000 to AED 10,000.

This cost can vary depending on the number of services you use, and how much you need to spend on advertising in various platforms like Meta, Google etc. 

If you opt for A-la-carte services instead of comprehensive digital marketing services, you may end up paying a higher amount for all individual services together.

Below is a split up of costs for individual digital marketing services:

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): SEO will help your business rank higher in search results for search terms that are relevant to your business. Typical SEO costs in Dubai vary between AED 3,000 to AED 7,000.

Pay-Per-Click Advertising (PPC): Search and Display ad campaigns on Google Ads can range from AED 3,000 to AED 7,000 per month, depending on the target audience and competition. This is only the retainer fee charged by the agency. The actual advertising cost to be paid to Google to run the Ads on the Google platform is not included in this cost. The ad cost depends on your budget, competition, how many leads you want to receive etc. Small companies allocate a budget in the range of AED 2,000 to AED 25,000 per month while big companies allocate anywhere from AED 10,000 to AED 500,000 per month.

Social Media Management: Creating and managing campaigns can cost AED 5,000–15,000 per month. This cost can vary depending on the number of posters, videos used, ad budget and other factors.

Content Marketing: Quality blogs, videos, and infographics are priced based on volume and quality, ranging from AED 2,000 to AED 5,000 per month.

Web Design & Development: A website is a one-time investment. Even though you can build websites for a cost starting from AED 1,000, I wouldn’t recommend building such low-cost websites. A website is the face of your business in Dubai and your entire digital marketing activities will be based around your website. A professional web development agency like SpiderWorks charges between AED 25,000 to AED 50,000 for developing a custom-designed, unique website that has the potential to rank on search engines.

Outsourcing vs in-house digital marketing team

As I mentioned earlier, the cost for comprehensive digital marketing services in Dubai would be approximately the same as the salary for hiring one person in your office. However, digital marketing requires several skills and finding a single person with all these skills will be really challenging.

Typically, a digital marketing team should have the following skills:

1. SEO person

2. Social media marketing person

3. Creative designer & Video Editor

4. Google Ad specialist

5. Meta Ad specialist

6. Content writer

7. Website administrator 

8. Hosting and server manager

You will probably never find a single person who can handle them all. Typically, you will need 3-4 people to handle all aspects of your digital marketing. If you consider the cost of 4 employees, it will turn out to be a lot cheaper to outsource the digital marketing to an agency.

Few things to consider while choosing a digital marketing agency in Dubai

Below are few points you should consider while choosing a digital agency in Dubai. 

1. Years in business: How many years the agency has been in digital marketing? Go for a company which has at least 10 years of experience in the field.

2. Number of employees: Don’t go for small agencies with 5 or 10 employees. If some of their employees leave, your business will suffer. Choose a digital marketing agency with at least 50 employees to handle various aspects of digital marketing like SEO, social media, Google Business Profile, content writing, designing, video editing, video shoots, influencer marketing, website maintenance, email management, email marketing etc.

3. In-house or outsource: Many digital marketing agencies which claim to handle big clients actually do not have an in-house team for themselves. Instead, they get projects through their sales skills but they will outsource the projects to other digital agencies. I suggest you choose an agency which has an in-house team and avoids agencies which outsource work to other agencies.

4. Comprehensive services: Choose agencies which provide all services under one umbrella. If you outsource different aspects of digital marketing to different companies, you may end up spending a lot of time coordinating all activities. 

5. Cost: Some agencies charge unusually high amount of fees. Don’t think that just because someone is charging you higher, they will offer better services. 

6. Credibility: Even though public reviews are always not reliable, you can contact the clients and ask for feedback regarding the agency before you finalise your digital marketing agency in Dubai. 

7. Office in Dubai: Always choose an agency which has a team or representative in Dubai. If you outsource your work to an agency in another country, you may find it difficult to coordinate the activities. Also, when you need any urgent services, you may find it difficult to contact them.

Conclusion - Cost for digital marketing marketing in Dubai:

The cost of digital marketing in Dubai can vary between AED 5,000 to AED 10,000 depending on many factors. On top of that, you need to allocate an advertising budget.

By handling digital marketing in-house within your company, you may be able to save some cost initially but you will eventually end up hiring multiple people to handle each aspect of digital marketing, which will increase the cost. If you can find a good digital marketing agency in Dubai which can handle your digital marketing at a cost affordable to you, I would recommend hiring an agency.

If you need any help with digital marketing in Dubai, feel free to connect with me any time. I will be happy to guide you or connect you with the best agency in Dubai. 

Depending on the services, target market, agency or supplier, and length of the campaign, digital marketing in Dubai costs vary. Social media marketing, SEO, PPC advertising, content marketing, email marketing, and the complexity and breadth of the campaign are a few variables that determine the cost of digital marketing. Typically, the price per month or project might range from a few hundred to several thousand dirhams. It's crucial to engage with a seasoned and reputed firm that provides fair pricing and can assist you in achieving your marketing objectives within your financial constraints.

Depending on the services provided and the organisation's size, the cost of employing a digital marketing agency in Dubai might vary greatly.

However, due to the high cost of living and conducting business in the city, employing a digital marketing agency in Dubai is typically more expensive than in other nations.

The average monthly fee charged by agencies for their services ranges from AED 5,000 to AED 80,000. For bigger, more reputable companies, as well as for specialised or all-encompassing services, the price may even be greater.

It's crucial to remember that prices differ depending on the services you need and the bundle you select. 

Before engaging any digital marketing company in Dubai, most businesses try to find an anticipated cost of digital marketing. The estimated cost of digital marketing varies by firm. However, the average monthly cost in Dubai ranges from AED 9000 to AED 45000 when all services are included.

According to my study, the price of digital marketing in Dubai varies depending on a number of variables, including the nature of the business, the target market, the marketing goals, and the digital channels employed. I can verify that the price of digital marketing in Dubai can range from a few thousand dirhams to hundreds of thousands of dirhams per month as a digital marketing specialist who has worked with multiple customers there.

For example, the cost of basic social media marketing services can start as low as AED 2,000 per month if you are a small business owner trying to boost your online visibility. On the other hand, depending on the complexity of your marketing campaigns and the channels employed, your digital marketing cost in Dubai may approach AED 100,000 per month if you are a major company with many marketing goals.

It's important to remember that the price of digital marketing in Dubai isn't set in stone and can change based on your industry's level of competition, the size of your target market, and the intricacy of your marketing initiatives. In light of this, it's crucial to deal with a trustworthy digital marketing company in Dubai that can assist you in creating a personalized digital marketing strategy that suits your spending plan and professional objectives.

According to my research, The cost of digital marketing in Dubai can vary greatly depending on the needs and goals of any given business. For example, a small business may invest less than AED1,000 per month in digital marketing, while a large business may invest up to AED20,000 or more in digital marketing every month. Additionally, the cost of services such as website design, SEO, and social media marketing can add up quickly, making it important for businesses to work with a reputable and experienced digital marketing agency to ensure they are getting the most for their money.

Digital marketing in Dubai might cost a lot of money depending on the size and complexity of the project. In order to effectively execute a digital marketing campaign, companies must factor in the expense of selecting skilled staff, developing a digital strategy, and procuring the equipment they need. Depending on the role and amount of skill required, different experienced workers are priced differently for digital marketing in Dubai. A digital marketing strategist, for instance, can charge up to AED 10,000 per month, whereas a content writer might charge AED 1000–5000 per month. The price of creating a digital strategy varies depending on the project's complexity but normally costs between AED 5,000 and 20,000. The price of digital marketing in Dubai is significantly influenced by technology expenses as well. Companies will need to invest in software and tools for website design and development, as well as in digital marketing software and tools. These prices might range from AED 10,000 to AED 50,000 or more, depending on the project's size.