The fastest way to compare two social media content quotes is to divide each total by the number of distinct finished videos, then check what the quote leaves out. A bigger video count on the page often hides cut-downs of the same clip, and a lower price often hides the planning you will end up doing yourself. Here is how we read a quote, with illustrative numbers.
This post gives no price range for Miami, Broward or Palm Beach, because quotes vary with the scope, the location and the person you hire. It gives you a method that works on any quote you receive.
What should a content quote spell out?
A usable quote names five things in plain words: how many finished videos you get, how long the shoot is, who writes the ideas and scripts, how many rounds of edits are included, and how soon you get the files. If any of the five is missing, ask before you sign. A vague line like "social media package" tells you nothing you can compare.
Our Shoot Day quote states the five lines plainly: $1,500, up to 2 hours of filming, 4 videos, strategy and scripts included, up to 2 edit revisions per video, and delivery within 7 days. You can see the full scope on the Shoot Day page. Use it as a yardstick, even if you hire someone else.
How do you compare price per video?
Count distinct videos, not files. A distinct video has its own idea, its own script and its own footage. A vertical, a square crop and a 15-second trim of the same clip are one video in three sizes.
Here is an illustrative example. Quote A is $1,500 for 4 videos, with strategy and scripting included. That is $1,500 / 4 = $375 per video. Quote B is $2,000 for 8 videos, which looks like $250 each. But say 6 of Quote B's 8 videos are cut-downs of the same 2 clips. You really have 4 distinct videos: $2,000 / 4 = $500 each. If Quote B also leaves out scripting, you are paying more per video and writing the hooks yourself.
We think per-distinct-video is the only fair number, though cheaper doesn't always win. A $500 video from someone who has shot in your type of business can beat a $375 video from someone who hasn't.
What is usually missing from a quote?
The most common gap is the work before the camera rolls. Ideas, hooks and scripts take real time, and a quote that doesn't mention them is probably leaving them to you. A hook is the first line a viewer hears or reads, and it decides whether anyone watches the rest. If a quote includes scripting, ask to see the script before the shoot day, not after.
The second gap is edits. Ask for the number of revision rounds per video, and ask for the turnaround time per round. "Unlimited revisions" with no turnaround can mean weeks of waiting. Two clear rounds with a stated delivery date is easier to plan around.
The third gap is usage rights. Confirm in writing that you own the finished videos and can run them as ads, post them on your website and reuse them on your booking page. If the quote says the creator keeps the rights, you may be renting your own content.
What should you ask about location and logistics in South Florida?
Ask where the shoot happens and what it adds to the bill. If your office is in Brickell, ask whether parking or loading fees are billed on top. If you are in Boca, ask whether travel time is billed. If you want to shoot outside, such as a rooftop, a beach or a public sidewalk, ask who checks whether a location permit is needed. Don't assume a quote covers these. Ask, and get the answer in the quote.
Ask, too, about the shoot day itself. How long is the crew on site, how many setups fit in that time, and what happens if you need to reschedule around a South Florida rainstorm?
Which compliance details matter for your industry?
Your industry's rules don't change because a vendor quoted you a package. If you are a dental practice, patients who appear on camera need a signed authorization before you post. The HIPAA rule on authorizations is 45 CFR 164.508. In practice, that means clearing the room, charts, screens and X-rays out of frame, and asking whether the quote includes a consent form or leaves it to you. We cover the full workflow in our post on short video for new dental patients.
If you are a realtor, the Fair Housing rules cover how you describe neighborhoods and buyers. The advertising rule is 24 CFR 100.75. Ask whether the person writing your scripts knows it. If they don't, you review every line. For a med spa, the same logic applies: patient consent for any before-and-after content, and no promises about results.
What should you do this week?
Gather every quote you have and put them in one table with five columns: distinct videos, shoot length, scripting included, revision rounds with turnaround, and usage rights. Divide each price by distinct videos. Circle every blank cell, then send one email asking each vendor to fill in the blanks.
Next, decide what you will do yourself. If you plan to write your own hooks, our 300 Viral Hooks for Dentists guide ($59) gives you 300 of them organized by goal. Other industries have their own versions on the guides page. And if you would rather skip the comparison, the free 30 hooks signup is on the same page, so you can test the style before you spend anything.
The quote that wins is the one where you can say, in one sentence, exactly what you will have in your hands in 7 days. If you can't say it, keep asking.
Sources
- eCFR: 45 CFR 164.508, Uses and disclosures for which an authorization is required
- eCFR: 24 CFR 100.75, Discriminatory advertising, statements and notices
- newtwelve Shoot Day