The short answer
Set your budget by working back from what a new client is worth to your firm. Then pick a program you can keep up for at least six months. At Up And Social, programs are $1,750, $2,750 or $4,750 per month, plus a one-time $1,497 activation fee. Ad spend, if any, is separate and paid directly to the ad platforms.
Start with what a new client is worth
Before you pick a number, write down three things. First, your average fee for a new estate planning client. Second, how many new clients your firm can take on each month. Third, about how many consults it takes to sign one client. Those three numbers show what a new client is worth to you and how many calls you need. A budget that makes sense on paper but brings in more calls than your team can handle is not a good fit.
Plan for at least six months
Search and content work builds over time. Google needs time to find and trust new pages, and reviews grow one client at a time. Paid ads can start sending clicks once campaigns are live, but they still need testing. That is why we suggest a plan you can keep up for at least six months, rather than a bigger plan you stop after two.
Budget by firm size
These are the same three programs listed on our pricing page. Pick the row that sounds most like your firm today.
| Detail | Activate | Elevate | Dominate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firm stage | Firm that needs stronger local visibility and conversion first | Growing firm ready to add an active high-intent lead channel | Established firm with proven intake capacity |
| Monthly fee | $1,750 | $2,750 | $4,750 |
| Activation fee | $1,497 | $1,497 | $1,497 |
| Content each month | One priority service or location-page optimization | Two service, location, FAQ or authority content assets | Four service, location, FAQ or authority content assets |
| Recommended Paid Ads budget | Not included | $2,500 to $5,000 per month | $5,000 to $12,000+ per month |
| Strategy call | Monthly 30-minute call | Monthly 45-minute call | Monthly 60-minute session |
Should you start with SEO or ads?
It depends on how soon you need calls and how much your intake can handle. Ads are paid by the click and can show up as soon as campaigns are live. SEO and local search take months to build, but the work keeps helping while you keep it up. Our Activate program builds the local search, website and AI visibility foundation first, with no ads budget. Elevate and Dominate add paid ads once a firm is ready for more calls.
What is included in the monthly fee
The monthly fee pays for strategy, the work itself, reporting and a monthly strategy call. Every program includes one office location. Anything outside the plan is quoted before work starts: paid-media spend, additional locations, full website redesigns, custom development, photography, video, hosting, emergency repairs, new practice areas, legal review, state bar filings, and work outside scope.
See the full list on our pricing page or read how our estate planning SEO program is built.
How long before calls come in?
There is no fixed date. It depends on your market, your website, your reviews and how many other firms compete for the same searches. Paid ads can bring clicks soon after launch. Search work usually takes months. We report on calls, form fills and booked consults each month so you can see what is working. We do not promise a date or a number of calls.
How to choose a level
Start with the Visibility Report. We review your search, AI visibility, reviews, website, content and paid ads, then tell you plainly which level makes sense and what should wait.
Not sure which program fits?
Book a short call and we will walk through your market, your intake capacity, and the level that makes sense.
Book a CallFrequently asked questions
How much should a small or solo estate planning firm spend on marketing?
Start with an amount you can keep up for six months. Our Activate program is built for firms that need stronger local visibility first: $1,750 per month plus the $1,497 activation fee, with no ads budget required. Growing firms often look at Elevate at $2,750 per month, and established firms with proven intake capacity look at Dominate at $4,750 per month.
Should an estate planning firm start with SEO or ads?
Ads can bring clicks soon after launch, but you pay for every click. SEO and local search take months to build. Many firms start with the local search and website foundation, then add ads when their intake can handle more calls.
What is included in the monthly fee?
Strategy, the work itself, monthly reporting and a monthly strategy call. Each level adds more content, more channels and longer strategy calls. Every program includes one office location. See /pricing for the full list.
How long before marketing brings in calls?
It depends on your market, your website, your reviews and your competition. Paid ads can bring clicks soon after launch. Search work usually takes months. No. No ethical agency can guarantee how Google, an answer engine, or a prospective client will behave. We build strategic, documented, measured work around the factors your firm can control.
Is ad spend included in the monthly fee?
No. Paid ads budget is separate from the agency fee and is paid directly to the ad platforms. Activate does not include paid ads. We recommend $2,500 to $5,000 per month on Elevate and $5,000 to $12,000+ per month on Dominate.