Most agencies sell a retainer. Fewer explain what’s inside it. If you’re comparing social media agencies in Toronto, this is the checklist we’d want in your hands, including the parts worth asking about before anything is signed.
The four parts of a real retainer
A full social media retainer does four jobs. If a proposal is missing one, ask why.
- Strategy. Positioning, audience research, content pillars and a monthly editorial calendar, plus campaign planning for launches and promotions. This is the part that decides whether the rest works.
- Content. Someone has to make it. Ask how many content days are included each month, who films, who edits, and how many Reels, posts and Stories come out of each day.
- Management. Scheduling, captions, calls to action, profile upkeep and community management: replying to comments and messages in your voice, and knowing which questions to pass back to your team.
- Reporting. A monthly report on reach, engagement and follower growth, and more importantly what it did for the business. Plus a check-in where someone walks you through it.
What usually costs extra
A retainer pays for the agency’s time and team. Some costs sit outside it, and a good contract names them:
- Ad spend, which is paid to Meta or the platform directly and is separate from any ads management fee.
- Paid models, talent or creator fees.
- Printing, props and production beyond a normal content day.
- Websites, SEO and channels the agency doesn’t manage.
- Texting and email platform fees, if the agency runs follow-up for your leads.
None of these are red flags. Surprises are.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Who actually makes the content: an in-house team, freelancers, or you?
- How many content days and posts per week are included?
- Who approves posts, and how quickly do you need to reply?
- Who owns the accounts, the content and the ad account if you leave? The answer should be you.
- What’s the term, and what does it cost to leave early?
- What will the monthly report show, and what counts as a good month?
How we do it
At Socialite, the full retainer covers strategy, monthly content days, editing, posting, community management and reporting, all made in-house in Toronto. Paid social on Meta can be added, and ad spend is always paid directly to Meta. Every retainer is built around the brand’s goals, so we don’t publish a price list. Tell us what you need and we’ll show you what makes sense, or see everything we do.