The verdict in three sentences
Unifying web presences after a merger or acquisition budgets between 30,000 and 90,000 EUR (approx. USD 33,000-98,000) in 2026, depending on page volume and the degree of brand unification. The most critical item is not design but the 301 redirect plan: poorly executed, it can cost 20-40% of organic traffic. Plan a 5-month timeline for a clean consolidation of 500+ pages.
Migration or rebuild: the real trade-off
Two strategies compete. Migrating the existing site preserves SEO but inherits technical debt; rebuilding offers a clean base but demands a flawless redirect plan. The choice depends on the state of the two source sites.
| Criterion | Migration/consolidation | Full rebuild |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 cost (EUR) | 30,000 - 55,000 | 55,000 - 90,000 |
| Timeline | 3 - 4 months | 5 - 7 months |
| SEO preservation | High | Medium (redirects critical) |
| Technical debt | Inherited | Eliminated |
| Traffic-loss risk | Low to medium | Medium to high |
| Suited if | Recent, healthy sites | Obsolete or incompatible sites |
Costing the migration and SEO risk
Content migration and the redirect plan concentrate the business risk. Here is a 2026 order of magnitude to consolidate two sites into one.
| Item | Typical volume | 2026 cost (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| SEO audit of both sites + mapping | 500-800 URLs | 4,000 - 8,000 |
| 301 redirect plan | 500+ rules | 3,000 - 6,000 |
| Content migration | 500+ pages | 8,000 - 18,000 |
| Unified design system | 1 brand | 8,000 - 15,000 |
| Dev + CMS + QA | Full base | 12,000 - 30,000 |
| Post-migration SEO monitoring | 3 months | 3,000 - 6,000 |
Rigorous monitoring in the 90 days after cutover lets you detect and fix ranking drops before they cost revenue.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Nadia, marketing director of a group formed by merging two services mid-caps (combined revenue 45M EUR), must unify two sites totaling 640 pages under a new brand. Rebuild option at 68,000 EUR, plus 4,000 EUR of SEO monitoring. Combined organic traffic is 12,000 visits/month generating ~30 leads. Thanks to a complete 301 redirect plan and 90-day monitoring, traffic loss is contained to 8% (versus a typical 30% without a plan), i.e. ~960 visits/month preserved and roughly ten leads saved each month.
FAQ
What does consolidating two sites after a merger cost? Between 30,000 and 90,000 EUR in 2026 depending on page volume, brand unification and the migration-vs-rebuild choice. A 500+ page consolidation commonly sits around 50,000-70,000 EUR.
Is the 301 redirect plan really critical? Yes, it is the most sensitive point. Every old URL must point to its new equivalent. Without a complete plan, expect 20-40% organic traffic loss within weeks.
Should we keep both domain names? You typically redirect the old domain to the new one via 301s, keeping it for several years to preserve link equity and direct traffic. Abandoning it abruptly destroys hard-won SEO.
How long for a post-merger rebuild? Plan 5 months on average for 500+ pages: audit and mapping, unified design system, migration, QA, then cutover and 90-day SEO monitoring.
How do we measure migration success? By tracking organic traffic, key keyword positions and 404 errors over 90 days. Returning to pre-migration traffic within 60-90 days is the standard target.
Let's scope your project. Share the page count, the state of the source sites and your rebranding deadline: we cost migration or rebuild with an SEO plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
