The verdict in three sentences
An equipment maker's site lives on its machine pages (25 to 70, with video), its hygienic design credentials and its ability to generate enquiries from processing engineers. Before signing, ask 15 questions in 5 groups and compare the answers rather than the mood boards. An agency that is vague on code ownership or on how it handles technical content will cost more in year two than in year one.
Reference scope
| Item | 2026 market ballpark |
|---|---|
| Website budget | 18,000 to 50,000 EUR |
| Machine pages with video | 25 to 70 |
| Languages | English, plus French or German for export |
| Timeline | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Maintenance | 180 to 600 EUR a month |
| Factory video shoot | 3,500 to 9,000 EUR |
Irish meat and dairy buyers look for hygienic design evidence and food contact compliance. Have your quality team write or approve every claim, and link to the certifying body's own wording rather than paraphrasing it.
The 15 questions, in 5 groups
| Group | Question | Good answer | Bad answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain knowledge | 1. How will you structure 50 machine pages? | Shared template, filters by process and throughput | One free form page per machine |
| Domain knowledge | 2. Who writes the specifications? | Your engineers supply, agency edits and checks | Our copywriters handle it, no sign off |
| Domain knowledge | 3. Which conversions do you target? | Quote, demo visit, spec sheet download | A contact form is enough |
| Content and languages | 4. How do you handle export languages? | One tree per language, hreflang tags | Auto translation plugin |
| Content and languages | 5. Who translates and reviews? | Technical translator, review by your export reps | Not in the quote |
| Content and languages | 6. What does an extra language cost? | Written figure, for instance 10 to 20% of budget | We will see later |
| Technical | 7. Where are videos hosted? | Video platform or CDN, light pages | Heavy files on the web server |
| Technical | 8. What mobile performance score do you target? | A number, for instance 85 out of 100 | No target |
| Technical | 9. How do we add a machine ourselves? | 2 hour training and documentation | Just send it to us |
| Ownership | 10. Who owns code and content? | You, in the contract | A usage licence |
| Ownership | 11. Whose name are the domain and hosting in? | Your company's | The agency's |
| Ownership | 12. What happens if we switch agency? | Full export and credentials | Silence or exit fees |
| After launch | 13. What response times do you commit to? | Written, by severity | As soon as possible |
| After launch | 14. What does maintenance include? | Task list and hour allowance | A price with no detail |
| After launch | 15. How do you track enquiries? | Form tracking by machine and language | Visitor stats only |
Scoring the answers
| Good answers out of 15 | Reading | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 13 to 15 | Mature industrial agency | Shortlist |
| 10 to 12 | Solid, gaps to contract | Negotiate missing clauses |
| 7 to 9 | Risks on languages or ownership | Ask for a revised offer |
| Under 7 | Brochure mindset | Reject |
For comparison, Kolonell's prices as a nearshore option: a Growth site at 1,830 to 3,050 EUR, Premium at 3,050 to 5,340 EUR, 110 EUR per extra language, 40 EUR per extra page and 90 EUR per written page. Technical translations still need your team's sign off.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Niamh, sales director of a 110 person equipment maker in Dublin, receives three offers at 24,000, 33,000 and 46,000 EUR. The 24,000 EUR offer scores 8 out of 15, with no German version and no content export; adding them costs 7,000 EUR, bringing it to 31,000 EUR. The 33,000 EUR offer scores 14 out of 15 with everything included. The real gap shrinks to 2,000 EUR for far lower risk, so she signs the second.
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FAQ
Why 15 questions rather than a full specification?
Both help, but the questions reveal an agency's maturity in a 1 hour meeting. The specification then fixes the written scope.
Is machine translation good enough?
Not for technical pages: one wrong throughput figure can lose a client. Budget human review at around 10 to 20% of the language budget.
How many machine pages at launch?
Start with your 25 best sellers, then add the rest over 3 to 6 months. Launch should not wait for the last page.
What should we check on code ownership?
An assignment of rights clause, admin access and a full export at exit. Without it, switching agency can cost several thousand euros.
How long with two or three languages?
Ten to 16 weeks, including 3 to 4 weeks of translation and sign off. A factory video shoot often adds 1 to 2 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Send us your machine list and target languages, and we will answer the 15 questions in writing and price the site with a firm 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.
