The verdict in three sentences
For a Rotterdam haulier moving containers and pallets from the port to the Ruhr, Antwerp, Lyon or Poznań, a complete 12 month SEO quote sits at a 2026 market ballpark of 38,000 to 60,000 EUR, excluding VAT, with roughly 60 % of it recurring. The lines that create value are the lane and cargo pages in Dutch and English (250 to 600 EUR per page), because they match what shippers and forwarders type when they need a carrier. A credible quote shows the days, the deliverable and the frequency for every line; without those you cannot compare two proposals.
The sample quote, line by line
This is a sample 12 month quote for a mid sized haulier (50 to 120 trucks), built on 2026 Rotterdam market ballparks.
| Line | Days or units | Unit price | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical site audit (speed, indexing, mobile) | 6 days | 800 EUR per day | 4,800 EUR |
| Keyword research per lane and cargo type, NL and EN | 3 days | 800 EUR per day | 2,400 EUR |
| Optimising 20 existing pages | 8 days | 700 EUR per day | 5,600 EUR |
| Writing 14 lane and cargo pages | 14 pages | 400 EUR per page | 5,600 EUR |
| Google Business Profile for the depot | 1 listing | flat fee | 600 EUR |
| Ethical link building (logistics directories, trade press) | 9 months | 1,200 EUR a month | 10,800 EUR |
| Monthly management: rankings, fixes, recommendations | 12 months | 1,500 EUR a month | 18,000 EUR |
| Total over 12 months | 47,800 EUR |
The one-off share (audit, research, optimisation, writing, listing) is 19,000 EUR. The recurring share (link building and management) is 28,800 EUR, or 60 % of the budget, which is where negotiation should start.
How to read each line: ranges and red flags
| Line | 2026 market range | What must be written down | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical audit | 3,000 to 7,000 EUR | prioritised issue list, written deliverable | free audit with no document |
| Optimising 10 to 25 pages | 2,500 to 7,000 EUR | named list of pages covered | page count left vague |
| Lane and cargo pages | 250 to 600 EUR per page | length, target search, review by your planners | the same text recycled across lanes |
| Ethical link building | 600 to 2,000 EUR a month | list of sites secured, no bulk link buying | a promised number of links with no list |
| Monthly management | 900 to 2,500 EUR a month | ranking table, actions done and planned | no quote request tracking |
| Commitment | 6 to 12 months | exit option after 6 months | 24 months with no exit clause |
The pages that convert are specific: container transport Rotterdam to Duisburg, temperature controlled haulage Rotterdam to Lyon, groupage to Poland. Each should state usual transit times, ADR capability where relevant and how to request a rate, in both Dutch and English, because many shippers using the port search in English.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Daan, commercial director of a 70 truck haulier in Rotterdam, signs the 47,800 EUR sample quote. From month 6, lane pages bring 5 rate requests a month, and 1 in 5 becomes a regular account. A shipper booking 10 loads a month to the Ruhr at a net margin of 180 EUR per load is worth 1,800 EUR a month. Two accounts signed in month 7 generate 21,600 EUR over the final 6 months, and 43,200 EUR a year from then on, so the budget is recovered during year two while the pages keep working.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
What does SEO cost for a road haulier in Rotterdam in 2026?
A 2026 market ballpark is 38,000 to 60,000 EUR over 12 months, audit included. Monthly management alone usually runs 900 to 2,500 EUR.
Do we need a page for every lane?
For your main lanes, yes, because shippers search for a specific route. A well written page costs 250 to 600 EUR and can target both the lane and the cargo type.
Do we need Dutch and English versions?
In most cases, since international shippers and forwarders using the port often search in English. Budget roughly 1.6 times the single language writing cost.
When will we see results?
First rankings usually appear between months 3 and 6. Commit for 6 to 12 months before judging the channel on rate requests.
Which clause matters most in the contract?
An exit option after 6 months, ownership of all content produced and access to your tracking tools. Turn down a 24 month commitment with no exit clause.
Get found by the customers searching for you. Start with a visibility audit at about 152 EUR (100,000 FCFA), credited against setup if you launch within 30 days, then a Traffic Engine plan (Presence about 191, Momentum about 343 or Flood about 534 EUR a month) with a weekly report on rankings and rate requests: Traffic Engine. 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.
