What a monthly social media retainer actually covers

A monthly retainer is easy to sell and hard to compare. One offer lists posts per month, another lists reels, a third just says "social media management". This article sets out what a retainer with Fotilo Films actually covers, so you can compare like with like before you sign anything.

The short answer

A retainer is one team, every month, taking your social media from plan to post. At Fotilo Films that means strategy, scripting, shoots, editing and publishing, handled by the same people in Hyderabad. Our own crew shoots, our editors and designers build the content, and we schedule, post and manage your profiles.

The point of one team is simple: nothing gets lost between vendors. The person who plans the content talks to the person who shoots it, and the person who edits it knows what it is for.

What happens every month

Every engagement runs on the same five-step loop.

• Brief: we learn your brand, audience and goals.
• Monthly content plan: themes, formats and a calendar you approve.
• Shoot and create: our own crew shoots, and our editors and designers build the content.
• Publish and manage: we schedule, post and manage the profiles.
• Review and report: a monthly report and the next plan.

The calendar comes to you for approval before anything is shot, so there are no surprises on your feed.

What's included

Across the tiers, a retainer can cover:

• Social media management
• Brand profile management: Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Google Business Profile
• Content strategy and calendars
• Scripting and copywriting
• Paid promotions and ad campaigns
• AI-assisted content systems and repurposing

AI is a method here, not the product. We use it to turn one shoot into the formats each platform needs. The footage itself comes from real shoots by our own crew.

The three tiers

The exact scope is detailed in your proposal, but each tier has a clear core.

Starter Visibility, from ₹25,000 a month

For SMEs who want a consistent presence. It includes 4 short videos or reels per month, a basic content plan with themes and posting guidance, one design template set for covers and thumbnails, and standard turnaround with one revision round.

Growth Content System, from ₹45,000 a month

For brands that want leads and enquiries, and the tier we recommend. It includes 8–10 reels or shorts per month with repurposed versions, one campaign video or two product or service videos per month, Instagram and LinkedIn scheduling, a monthly performance report, and priority turnaround with two revision rounds.

Brand Authority, ₹1,00,000–₹2,00,000+ a month

For funded startups and corporates. It includes leadership and founder storytelling with 2–4 authority videos per month, one brand film per quarter or a monthly premium campaign video, event coverage or product shoot planning, advanced reporting with A/B creative variations, and a dedicated project manager with the fastest turnaround.

Your first 90 days

A new engagement follows the same three months, with a review at the end of each one.

• Month 1, foundation: we audit your presence and your competitors', set the brand positioning and tone, build the content pillars and the monthly calendar, and run the first professional shoot.
• Month 2, visibility and engagement: founder and leadership videos, service explainers, team and behind-the-scenes stories, and Reels-led brand creatives.
• Month 3, optimisation and next phase: we review the performance, do more of what worked, sharpen the messaging, hooks and formats, and plan the next ninety days.

What sits outside the retainer

Some costs depend on your project, so they are scoped separately in your proposal: ad spend, travel and extra shoot days. Add-ons such as shoot days, voice-over, motion graphics and extra revisions are available too, and are detailed in your proposal. That way you only pay for what your project needs.

Approvals and ownership are written down from the start. Each tier includes defined revision rounds, and ownership of final deliverables is set out clearly in your service agreement.

If you only need one film

Not every brand needs a monthly retainer. If you need a single film, event coverage or a shoot, production projects start from ₹29,900 per project: script and concept, a shoot with our own crew, edit, colour, sound and graphics, and a delivery cut for each platform.

How to choose

Choose the tier by what you need social media to do, not by the number of posts.

If you want to stay visible and consistent, start with Starter Visibility. If you want social media to bring in leads and enquiries, Growth Content System is built for that. If your founders and leadership need to be seen, or you need brand films and campaigns alongside the feed, look at Brand Authority.

If you are not sure which fits, tell us what you are trying to achieve. We reply within 24 hours.