Almost every agency works on commission: you pay nothing upfront, the agency takes a share of what you earn. That sounds fair, and often it is. But not always.
The usual ranges
- 20 to 30 percent: agencies that take over only one part, usually chat or marketing, not both.
- 30 to 50 percent: full service, meaning chat around the clock, reach, content plan, protection and account management.
- Above 50 percent: rarely justified. Mostly agencies that run the account completely and the creator only shoots.
What matters is not the percentage but what is left. 60 percent of $15,000 is more than 100 percent of $3,000.
When an agency pays off
An agency is worth it when it raises revenue by more than it costs. At 40 percent commission it has to bring revenue to at least 1.7 times, so that you end up with more. For most creators who worked alone before, this happens through the chat: a team that answers at night doubles chat revenue in the first weeks.
It is not worth it if you already chat around the clock yourself, your reels are running and you only want someone to handle your taxes. An agency is too expensive for that.
The questions you ask before signing
- What exactly is included? Chat, reach, content plan, protection, bookkeeping? Have everything listed one by one.
- Who chats? Humans or bots? In which language? At which hours?
- How do I see the numbers? Daily in a dashboard or monthly as a screenshot?
- How long is the term, how do I cancel? Anything that binds you longer than three months needs a good reason.
- Who owns the accounts? The answer has to be "you". Always.
- What happens on a ban or a leak? Is there a process, or "we will sort that out then"?
The warning signs
Upfront payments for "setup" or "photo shoot". Contracts that transfer the accounts to the agency. Agencies that cannot say who is writing with your fans right now. Promised sums. Nobody can guarantee you $10,000 a month, and whoever does is lying.
At Northfeed you pay nothing upfront, see every number daily in the dashboard and keep your accounts. What we cost and what is included is in the contract we go through together before the start.