What should a digital marketing proposal include?

The client's goal and current numbers, the target audience and offer, a channel plan, a budget that separates your fee from ad spend, tracking set-up, KPIs, a testing plan, reporting cadence, pricing options and terms covering ownership and notice.

Should ad spend be included in my fee?

Keep it separate. Have the platforms bill the client directly inside their own ad accounts, and show your management fee on its own line. It's clearer for the client and avoids you carrying their media costs.

How should I price digital marketing services?

Common models are a monthly retainer, a percentage of ad spend, a one-off strategy or audit fee, and hybrids. Charge set-up separately, because tracking, account structure and first creatives take most of the effort in month one.

Which KPIs should a digital marketing proposal use?

One primary KPI tied to money, such as cost per lead, cost per acquisition or return on ad spend, supported by conversion rate, click-through rate and landing page performance. Avoid leading with reach or likes unless awareness is the goal.

How many channels should I propose?

As many as the budget can properly fund. With a modest budget, one or two channels done well usually tell you more than five done thinly. Add channels once the first ones prove the offer.

How often should I report to a digital marketing client?

Weekly check-ins in the first month while campaigns settle, then a monthly report and a quarterly review of strategy and budget.

Can I use this template for Upwork or Freelancer.com bids?

Use the short bid version as your first message, then send the full proposal once you've seen the client's current numbers and ad accounts.

Proposal template

Digital marketing proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

A digital marketing proposal should start from one business goal, pick the few channels most likely to reach it, and separate your fee from the ad budget the client pays to the platforms. It should also say how conversions will be tracked, which KPIs you'll report on and how often, and what you'll test first. Copy the template below and replace every [bracket] with the client's numbers.

The digital marketing proposal template

Digital marketing proposals often try to do everything: search ads, social ads, SEO, email, content and influencers, all on a budget that can properly fund one or two of them. Clients end up with thin activity everywhere and no clear answer to the only question they care about: is it working?

This template keeps the plan focused. It ties every channel to a goal, makes the money transparent (your fee on one line, ad spend on another), sets up tracking before any spend, and agrees in advance how success will be judged.

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, budgets and prices are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

Digital marketing proposal for [Client business name]

Prepared for: [Client name], [Company]
Prepared by: [Your name], [portfolio or case study link]
Date: [date]
Valid until: [date]

1. Where you are now
[Company] sells [product or service] to [audience]. Today most customers come from [referrals / marketplaces / organic search / walk-ins], and you'd like [the goal, e.g. 30% more enquiries / steady online sales outside the busy season]. Current numbers: [monthly enquiries or sales], [average order or customer value], [current ad spend, if any].

2. Goal and KPIs
Goal: [one measurable business goal and a date].
Primary KPI: [cost per lead / cost per acquisition / return on ad spend], target [range, once we have first-month data].
Supporting KPIs: conversion rate, click-through rate, landing page performance.

3. Strategy and channel plan
Audience: [who we're targeting and what they care about].
Offer: [the hook, e.g. free consultation, first-order discount, guide download].
Channels in phase 1:
- [Channel 1, e.g. search ads]: [what it's for, e.g. capture people already searching for (service) in (area)]
- [Channel 2, e.g. paid social]: [what it's for, e.g. reach (audience) with (offer)]
- [Supporting channel, e.g. email or retargeting]: [what it's for]
Not in phase 1: [channels left out and why, e.g. SEO and content, phase 2 once paid channels prove the offer].

4. Scope of work
Set-up (month 1)
- Conversion tracking, analytics key events and UTM conventions, tested before launch
- Account and campaign structure, audiences and keyword research
- [Number] ad creatives and [number] landing page(s)
Ongoing (every month)
- Campaign management and optimisation [X times a week]
- [Number] new creatives to test
- [Email campaigns or automations, if included]
- Monthly report and next month's plan

5. Testing plan
Month 1: [e.g. two offers against each other on search ads].
Month 2: [e.g. three audiences on paid social with the winning offer].
Month 3: [e.g. a new landing page against the current one].

6. Timeline
Week 1 to 2: tracking, accounts and creative.
Week 3: campaigns live, checked daily for the first week.
Month 2 to 3: optimise towards the primary KPI, then decide where to scale.
Month 3: review results and agree the next quarter's plan.

7. Budget and investment
Media budget (paid by you directly to the platforms): [amount] per month, split [channel 1: X / channel 2: Y].
Option A, one channel: set-up [price], then [price] per month.
Option B, two channels plus retargeting (recommended): set-up [price], then [price] per month.
Option C, full plan including [email / content / creative production]: set-up [price], then [price] per month.

8. What I need from you
- Admin or partner access to your ad accounts, analytics and website, in your company's name
- Your brand assets, product photos and any past campaign results
- Someone to approve ads and landing pages within [X] working days
- A quick way to tell me which leads turned into customers

9. Terms
Payment: set-up fee before work starts, then monthly in advance. Ad spend is billed to you by the platforms.
Term: [3] months minimum, then rolling with [30] days' notice.
Ownership: ad accounts, data, audiences and the creative I produce for you are yours once paid.
Results depend on many factors, including your offer, pricing and market. I commit to the work, the testing and transparent reporting.

10. Next steps
1. Choose an option and a starting media budget.
2. I'll send the agreement and set-up invoice.
3. Once I have access, tracking set-up starts within [X] working days.

[Your name]
[email] | [phone or messaging link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a digital marketing proposal

The client is buying an outcome, not a list of channels. Lead with their goal and the numbers behind it, then show how each part of the plan serves that goal.

The business goal and the current numbers: enquiries, sales, average order value or customer value, and where customers come from today.
Target audience and the offer you'll put in front of them.
A channel plan: which channels, what each one is for, and why others are left out for now.
Budget, split clearly into your management fee and the media budget paid to the ad platforms.
Tracking: conversion tracking, analytics key events and consistent UTM tags on every campaign link.
KPIs, a testing plan and a reporting cadence.
Who owns the ad accounts, the data and the creative.

Choose channels from the goal, not the other way round

Match channels to where the client's customers are in their decision. People already searching for a product are often best reached with search ads and SEO. People who don't know the brand yet are often reached with paid social and content. Past visitors and customers are reached with retargeting and email.

With a modest budget, start with one or two channels, prove they work, then expand. Say this in the proposal: it shows you're protecting the client's money, and it gives each channel enough budget to produce data you can act on.

Search ads: capture people already looking for what the client sells.
Paid social: reach new audiences with targeting and creative.
SEO and content: slower to build, but traffic keeps coming without paying per click.
Email: turns visitors and past customers into repeat sales.
Retargeting: brings back people who visited but didn't buy.

Separate your fee from the ad budget

Clients get nervous when they can't tell how much of their money reaches the platforms. Put the media budget on its own line, have it billed straight to the client's card or invoice inside their own ad accounts, and show your fee separately.

Recommend a starting media budget for each channel and explain the reason in a sentence: enough to test a few audiences and ads properly, not so much that the client risks a lot before you have data.

Ad accounts created in the client's name, with you added as a user or partner.
A test budget for the first month, and the rule for scaling up or cutting back.
Creative costs (design, video, copy) listed separately if they're not in your fee.
Tools and subscriptions, such as landing page or reporting tools, and who pays for them.

Tracking and KPIs: agree them before any money is spent

Set up and test conversion tracking before the first campaign goes live. Without it, nobody can tell which channel produced the sales, and every report becomes a debate. Include the consent set-up too: cookie and tracking consent rules vary by country, so check the local rules or ask the client's legal adviser.

Check the Google Analytics data retention setting during set-up. In standard GA4 properties it defaults to 2 months for explorations and can be raised to 14 months, which matters when you want to compare results across a year.

Primary KPI tied to money: cost per lead, cost per acquisition or return on ad spend.
Supporting KPIs: conversion rate, click-through rate, cost per click and landing page performance.
Weekly check-ins during the first month, then a monthly report and a quarterly review.
A written testing plan: which audiences, offers, ads or landing pages you'll compare first.

How to price digital marketing work

Common models are a monthly retainer for ongoing management, a percentage of ad spend, a one-off fee for strategy or an account audit, and hybrids such as a retainer with a minimum plus a percentage above a set spend. A flat retainer is easier for clients to budget. A percentage of spend grows with the account but can look like an incentive to spend more, so explain how you guard against that.

Price the set-up separately from the monthly work. Tracking, account structure, audiences and first creatives take far more time in month one than in month four.

Number of channels and campaigns you manage.
Size of the media budget and how often you optimise.
Creative production: static ads, video, landing pages, email designs.
Tracking complexity, such as several conversion types, offline sales or call tracking.
Reporting depth and meeting frequency.

Digital marketing proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up budgets and prices.

Digital marketing proposal for Fernside Candle Co.

Where you are now
Fernside sells hand-poured candles online. Most sales come from two craft fairs a year and Instagram posts. Average order: $42. No paid ads yet.

Goal and KPIs
Goal: steady online sales between fairs, with a profit on every order after ad costs.
Primary KPI: return on ad spend, with a target set after month 1.

Channel plan
- Paid social: reach gift buyers with the bestselling scents and a bundle offer.
- Retargeting: remind site visitors who viewed a product.
- Email: welcome series with a first-order discount.
Not in phase 1: search ads (low search volume for the brand) and influencers.

Scope
Month 1: pixel and conversion tracking tested, analytics key events, 6 ad creatives, welcome email series.
Monthly: campaign optimisation twice a week, 4 new creatives, 2 email campaigns, report.

Budget
Media budget paid to the platforms: $1,200 per month.
Set-up: $650. Management: $800 per month, 3-month minimum.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short digital marketing bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You want more [sales / enquiries] from online marketing, but [current situation, e.g. ads have been running without clear results / you're relying on referrals], so it's hard to know where to put your budget.

Here's how I'd approach it:
1. Set up and test conversion tracking so every sale or lead is credited to the right channel
2. Launch focused campaigns on [channel 1] and [channel 2], with a clear test plan for offers and audiences
3. Report weekly in the first month, then monthly, against the KPI we agree up front

[proof: a similar campaign you ran, with what you changed and the outcome]

Quick question: roughly how much is a new customer worth to you over their first year?

I can have tracking and the first campaigns live in [timeline] for [price], with ad spend paid directly to the platforms.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose digital marketing clients

Mixing your fee and the ad budget into one number, so the client can't see what reaches the platforms.
Launching campaigns before conversion tracking is set up and tested.
Spreading a small budget across every channel instead of proving one or two first.
Reporting reach and likes when the client asked for sales or enquiries.
Creating ad accounts in your own name, which leaves the client without their history if you part ways.
Promising a return on ad spend before you've seen the client's offer, margins and conversion rate.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a digital marketing proposal include?: The client's goal and current numbers, the target audience and offer, a channel plan, a budget that separates your fee from ad spend, tracking set-up, KPIs, a testing plan, reporting cadence, pricing options and terms covering ownership and notice.
Should ad spend be included in my fee?: Keep it separate. Have the platforms bill the client directly inside their own ad accounts, and show your management fee on its own line. It's clearer for the client and avoids you carrying their media costs.
How should I price digital marketing services?: Common models are a monthly retainer, a percentage of ad spend, a one-off strategy or audit fee, and hybrids. Charge set-up separately, because tracking, account structure and first creatives take most of the effort in month one.
Which KPIs should a digital marketing proposal use?: One primary KPI tied to money, such as cost per lead, cost per acquisition or return on ad spend, supported by conversion rate, click-through rate and landing page performance. Avoid leading with reach or likes unless awareness is the goal.
How many channels should I propose?: As many as the budget can properly fund. With a modest budget, one or two channels done well usually tell you more than five done thinly. Add channels once the first ones prove the offer.
How often should I report to a digital marketing client?: Weekly check-ins in the first month while campaigns settle, then a monthly report and a quarterly review of strategy and budget.
Can I use this template for Upwork or Freelancer.com bids?: Use the short bid version as your first message, then send the full proposal once you've seen the client's current numbers and ad accounts.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.

Proposal template

Digital marketing proposal template

Updated 23 October 2026

Quick answer

The digital marketing proposal template

The filled-in example further down uses a fictional client. Its names, budgets and prices are illustrations, so use your own numbers.

Digital marketing proposal for [Client business name]

Prepared for: [Client name], [Company]
Prepared by: [Your name], [portfolio or case study link]
Date: [date]
Valid until: [date]

1. Where you are now
[Company] sells [product or service] to [audience]. Today most customers come from [referrals / marketplaces / organic search / walk-ins], and you'd like [the goal, e.g. 30% more enquiries / steady online sales outside the busy season]. Current numbers: [monthly enquiries or sales], [average order or customer value], [current ad spend, if any].

2. Goal and KPIs
Goal: [one measurable business goal and a date].
Primary KPI: [cost per lead / cost per acquisition / return on ad spend], target [range, once we have first-month data].
Supporting KPIs: conversion rate, click-through rate, landing page performance.

3. Strategy and channel plan
Audience: [who we're targeting and what they care about].
Offer: [the hook, e.g. free consultation, first-order discount, guide download].
Channels in phase 1:
- [Channel 1, e.g. search ads]: [what it's for, e.g. capture people already searching for (service) in (area)]
- [Channel 2, e.g. paid social]: [what it's for, e.g. reach (audience) with (offer)]
- [Supporting channel, e.g. email or retargeting]: [what it's for]
Not in phase 1: [channels left out and why, e.g. SEO and content, phase 2 once paid channels prove the offer].

4. Scope of work
Set-up (month 1)
- Conversion tracking, analytics key events and UTM conventions, tested before launch
- Account and campaign structure, audiences and keyword research
- [Number] ad creatives and [number] landing page(s)
Ongoing (every month)
- Campaign management and optimisation [X times a week]
- [Number] new creatives to test
- [Email campaigns or automations, if included]
- Monthly report and next month's plan

5. Testing plan
Month 1: [e.g. two offers against each other on search ads].
Month 2: [e.g. three audiences on paid social with the winning offer].
Month 3: [e.g. a new landing page against the current one].

6. Timeline
Week 1 to 2: tracking, accounts and creative.
Week 3: campaigns live, checked daily for the first week.
Month 2 to 3: optimise towards the primary KPI, then decide where to scale.
Month 3: review results and agree the next quarter's plan.

7. Budget and investment
Media budget (paid by you directly to the platforms): [amount] per month, split [channel 1: X / channel 2: Y].
Option A, one channel: set-up [price], then [price] per month.
Option B, two channels plus retargeting (recommended): set-up [price], then [price] per month.
Option C, full plan including [email / content / creative production]: set-up [price], then [price] per month.

8. What I need from you
- Admin or partner access to your ad accounts, analytics and website, in your company's name
- Your brand assets, product photos and any past campaign results
- Someone to approve ads and landing pages within [X] working days
- A quick way to tell me which leads turned into customers

9. Terms
Payment: set-up fee before work starts, then monthly in advance. Ad spend is billed to you by the platforms.
Term: [3] months minimum, then rolling with [30] days' notice.
Ownership: ad accounts, data, audiences and the creative I produce for you are yours once paid.
Results depend on many factors, including your offer, pricing and market. I commit to the work, the testing and transparent reporting.

10. Next steps
1. Choose an option and a starting media budget.
2. I'll send the agreement and set-up invoice.
3. Once I have access, tracking set-up starts within [X] working days.

[Your name]
[email] | [phone or messaging link]

Replace every [bracket] with your own details. Want a version written for a specific client brief? Paste it into the free proposal generator.

What to include in a digital marketing proposal

The client is buying an outcome, not a list of channels. Lead with their goal and the numbers behind it, then show how each part of the plan serves that goal.

The business goal and the current numbers: enquiries, sales, average order value or customer value, and where customers come from today.
Target audience and the offer you'll put in front of them.
A channel plan: which channels, what each one is for, and why others are left out for now.
Budget, split clearly into your management fee and the media budget paid to the ad platforms.
Tracking: conversion tracking, analytics key events and consistent UTM tags on every campaign link.
KPIs, a testing plan and a reporting cadence.
Who owns the ad accounts, the data and the creative.

Choose channels from the goal, not the other way round

Search ads: capture people already looking for what the client sells.
Paid social: reach new audiences with targeting and creative.
SEO and content: slower to build, but traffic keeps coming without paying per click.
Email: turns visitors and past customers into repeat sales.
Retargeting: brings back people who visited but didn't buy.

Separate your fee from the ad budget

Recommend a starting media budget for each channel and explain the reason in a sentence: enough to test a few audiences and ads properly, not so much that the client risks a lot before you have data.

Ad accounts created in the client's name, with you added as a user or partner.
A test budget for the first month, and the rule for scaling up or cutting back.
Creative costs (design, video, copy) listed separately if they're not in your fee.
Tools and subscriptions, such as landing page or reporting tools, and who pays for them.

Tracking and KPIs: agree them before any money is spent

Primary KPI tied to money: cost per lead, cost per acquisition or return on ad spend.
Supporting KPIs: conversion rate, click-through rate, cost per click and landing page performance.
Weekly check-ins during the first month, then a monthly report and a quarterly review.
A written testing plan: which audiences, offers, ads or landing pages you'll compare first.

How to price digital marketing work

Price the set-up separately from the monthly work. Tracking, account structure, audiences and first creatives take far more time in month one than in month four.

Number of channels and campaigns you manage.
Size of the media budget and how often you optimise.
Creative production: static ads, video, landing pages, email designs.
Tracking complexity, such as several conversion types, offline sales or call tracking.
Reporting depth and meeting frequency.

Digital marketing proposal example

Illustration only: a fictional client with made-up budgets and prices.

Digital marketing proposal for Fernside Candle Co.

Where you are now
Fernside sells hand-poured candles online. Most sales come from two craft fairs a year and Instagram posts. Average order: $42. No paid ads yet.

Goal and KPIs
Goal: steady online sales between fairs, with a profit on every order after ad costs.
Primary KPI: return on ad spend, with a target set after month 1.

Channel plan
- Paid social: reach gift buyers with the bestselling scents and a bundle offer.
- Retargeting: remind site visitors who viewed a product.
- Email: welcome series with a first-order discount.
Not in phase 1: search ads (low search volume for the brand) and influencers.

Scope
Month 1: pixel and conversion tracking tested, analytics key events, 6 ad creatives, welcome email series.
Monthly: campaign optimisation twice a week, 4 new creatives, 2 email campaigns, report.

Budget
Media budget paid to the platforms: $1,200 per month.
Set-up: $650. Management: $800 per month, 3-month minimum.

Use your own real work, numbers and prices in yours.

Short digital marketing bid for Freelancer.com or Upwork

Marketplace clients read short bids, not documents. Send this first, and the full proposal once they reply.

Hi [client name],

You want more [sales / enquiries] from online marketing, but [current situation, e.g. ads have been running without clear results / you're relying on referrals], so it's hard to know where to put your budget.

Here's how I'd approach it:
1. Set up and test conversion tracking so every sale or lead is credited to the right channel
2. Launch focused campaigns on [channel 1] and [channel 2], with a clear test plan for offers and audiences
3. Report weekly in the first month, then monthly, against the KPI we agree up front

[proof: a similar campaign you ran, with what you changed and the outcome]

Quick question: roughly how much is a new customer worth to you over their first year?

I can have tracking and the first campaigns live in [timeline] for [price], with ad spend paid directly to the platforms.

[Your name]

More on bids in our Freelancer proposal template and how to bid on Freelancer.

Mistakes that lose digital marketing clients

Mixing your fee and the ad budget into one number, so the client can't see what reaches the platforms.
Launching campaigns before conversion tracking is set up and tested.
Spreading a small budget across every channel instead of proving one or two first.
Reporting reach and likes when the client asked for sales or enquiries.
Creating ad accounts in your own name, which leaves the client without their history if you part ways.
Promising a return on ad spend before you've seen the client's offer, margins and conversion rate.

More proposal templates

Frequently asked questions

What should a digital marketing proposal include?: The client's goal and current numbers, the target audience and offer, a channel plan, a budget that separates your fee from ad spend, tracking set-up, KPIs, a testing plan, reporting cadence, pricing options and terms covering ownership and notice.
Should ad spend be included in my fee?: Keep it separate. Have the platforms bill the client directly inside their own ad accounts, and show your management fee on its own line. It's clearer for the client and avoids you carrying their media costs.
How should I price digital marketing services?: Common models are a monthly retainer, a percentage of ad spend, a one-off strategy or audit fee, and hybrids. Charge set-up separately, because tracking, account structure and first creatives take most of the effort in month one.
Which KPIs should a digital marketing proposal use?: One primary KPI tied to money, such as cost per lead, cost per acquisition or return on ad spend, supported by conversion rate, click-through rate and landing page performance. Avoid leading with reach or likes unless awareness is the goal.
How many channels should I propose?: As many as the budget can properly fund. With a modest budget, one or two channels done well usually tell you more than five done thinly. Add channels once the first ones prove the offer.
How often should I report to a digital marketing client?: Weekly check-ins in the first month while campaigns settle, then a monthly report and a quarterly review of strategy and budget.
Can I use this template for Upwork or Freelancer.com bids?: Use the short bid version as your first message, then send the full proposal once you've seen the client's current numbers and ad accounts.

MoreGigs is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Freelancer.com. You're responsible for how you use your Freelancer account and for following Freelancer's own terms.