A widely accepted benchmark is allocating 7–15% of your gross revenue to marketing, with digital marketing representing the majority of that spend for most businesses in 2026.
For startups and early-stage SMEs in Nigeria, we recommend starting with a defined minimum that allows for proper strategy, content creation, and at least one paid channel. Spreading too little across too many channels is a common and costly mistake.
- For organic growth (social media + content): Budget primarily covers management and content production
- For paid advertising: Set a minimum monthly ad spend that allows the algorithm to gather meaningful data — typically starting from ₦100,000–₦500,000/month depending on the channel
- For full-service marketing: Consider it an investment against projected customer lifetime value, not a cost
→ Book a free strategy session with Twenty9th Media and we will recommend a realistic budget allocation for your specific goals and industry.
