The verdict in three sentences
A commercial solar installer in Rotterdam handing its online pipeline to an agency should plan for a 2026 market ballpark of 2,500 to 9,000 EUR a month in fees, with media spend on top. The contract is only as good as the answers to a handful of questions: target cost per lead, who owns the ad accounts, how leads are qualified, how often you get reported to, and what happens if you leave after 3 or 6 months. An agency that stays vague on two of these is not ready to sell rooftop systems worth six figures to Dutch facility managers.
What you are actually buying, and what it costs
Your buyers are facility managers and operations directors at distribution centres in the port area, cold stores, greenhouses in the Westland and light industrial sites. Many weigh grid congestion, roof load and subsidy eligibility before price. Most search Google for terms such as commercial rooftop solar or solar panels for warehouses, compare installers on LinkedIn, then request a feasibility study. A useful agency covers that whole path, including clear content on the SDE++ scheme run by RVO, without promising subsidy outcomes it does not control.
| Offer type | Usual scope | 2026 market ballpark per month | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social media management only | LinkedIn posts, project photos | 1,500 to 3,000 EUR | No lead target, brand value only |
| Google Ads and LinkedIn Ads management | Build, optimisation, lead forms | 2,000 to 4,500 EUR excluding media | Stated and tracked cost per lead |
| Google SEO and sector landing pages | Pages for logistics, cold storage, agriculture | 1,800 to 4,000 EUR | Realistic 4 to 6 month horizon |
| Full lead generation programme | Ads, SEO, qualification, nurturing | 5,000 to 9,000 EUR excluding media | Written definition of a qualified lead |
| Recommended media budget | Google and LinkedIn | 2,000 to 6,000 EUR | Paid on your own accounts |
These are cautious estimates. For reference, Kolonell's prices are public and lower as a nearshore option: SEO Essential 152 EUR a month (100,000 FCFA), SEO Growth 305 EUR (200,000 FCFA), SEO Premium 534 EUR (350,000 FCFA), and a 152 EUR (100,000 FCFA) campaign setup.
Eight questions to ask, with good and bad answers
| Question | Good answer | Bad answer |
|---|---|---|
| What cost per lead do you target for commercial solar? | A figure range, for example 120 to 350 EUR, with the method behind it | We will know after launch |
| Who owns the Google Ads and LinkedIn accounts? | You do, we have manager access | We run everything from our own accounts |
| How do you qualify leads before passing them on? | Mandatory fields: roof area, annual consumption, grid connection status, timeline | We forward every form |
| How often will you report? | A weekly report with leads, cost, source and status | A quarterly slide deck |
| What happens if we stop after 3 or 6 months? | One month notice, handover of campaigns, audiences and content | Exit fee or loss of history |
| How will you talk about SDE++ in ads? | Accurate wording, links to RVO, no guaranteed subsidy claims | Promises of guaranteed funding |
| Who works on our account day to day? | A named lead with set availability | The whole team |
| How do you track phone calls and site visit bookings? | Call tracking and booked surveys tied to campaigns | No call tracking |
The qualification question pays back fastest. Without it, your estimators spend their week on homeowners asking about a 10 panel roof when you build 300 kWp warehouse systems.
Clauses to get in writing
Ask for the minimum term, notice period and a full handover list in the contract: ad accounts, audiences, landing pages, copy, creative and Google Business Profile access. Media spend should run through your own accounts with a monthly cap you approve. Add a 90 day review with a numeric target of qualified leads, and the right to exit without penalty if the agency delivers less than 70% of it. Also confirm the agency processes contact data as a processor under GDPR with a signed data processing agreement.
Mini case study
Illustrative example, not a real client: Joost, owner of a commercial solar installer in Rotterdam, signs with an agency at 5,500 EUR a month plus 3,500 EUR of media, 54,000 EUR over 6 months. He receives 160 enquiries, 48 of them qualified, which is about 1,125 EUR per qualified lead. His team runs 15 feasibility studies and closes 3 warehouse projects at an assumed 240,000 EUR each. With an assumed 15% margin, that is 108,000 EUR of margin, twice the marketing spend, before counting the follow on maintenance contracts.
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FAQ
How much does a marketing agency cost for a commercial solar installer in Rotterdam in 2026?
The 2026 market ballpark runs from 2,500 to 9,000 EUR a month depending on scope, excluding media. Add 2,000 to 6,000 EUR of media if you run Google and LinkedIn campaigns.
What cost per lead is realistic for commercial solar?
Raw enquiries often cost 120 to 350 EUR, while qualified leads can exceed 1,000 EUR. That remains small next to a project worth 100,000 EUR or more.
Can an agency mention SDE++ in ads?
Yes, if the wording is accurate and points to official RVO information. Avoid any agency promising guaranteed subsidies, since eligibility and amounts depend on each application round.
Why insist on weekly reporting?
Because 4 weeks without data can burn several thousand euros on a badly targeted campaign. Weekly figures let you fix targeting and forms quickly.
Is a 6 or 12 month commitment better?
Six months with a 90 day review is a sound balance. Warehouse decisions often take 3 to 9 months, so judging an agency after 6 weeks is too early.
Get found by the clients who are searching for you. Start with a visibility audit at 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), credited against setup if you start within 30 days, then a Traffic Engine plan sized for your region with a weekly report on your quote 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.
