Local agencies have spent the last two years trying to ignore AI. The honest version of the conversation, with numbers attached, is overdue. Here it is (without trashing agencies, because the right ones still earn their fee).
| Ooklo | Agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | €89-499 | €1,500-5,000+ |
| Onboarding | <1 day | 4-8 weeks |
| Speed of execution | Hours | 1-2 weeks |
| Strategy | You + AI | Senior strategist |
| Local nuance | You bring it | Often missing |
When the platform wins outright
- You're a single owner-operator with under €100k revenue.
- You know your customers and your neighbourhood: you just don't have time for the production work.
- You've already worked with an agency and felt their work was generic.
- You want to be in control and learn the craft alongside the platform.
When an agency still earns its fee
- You're launching a new brand or repositioning: strategy work is the bulk.
- You're running 20+ locations and need senior coordination, not just tooling.
- You're entering a new market and need on-the-ground research.
- You genuinely don't have the time or interest to spend an hour a week on marketing.
−68%
avg. cost reduction when switching from full agency to platform + freelancer
+40%
avg. campaign volume on the same workload
7-12h
weekly owner time on marketing: same in both models
"I had an agency for €2,400/month. They were nice. Their work was 3/10. I switched to a platform and a senior freelancer at €700/month total. Better work, faster, and I learned a lot."
