The verdict in three sentences
A 12-consultant recruitment firm in London that gets fewer than 20 qualified applications a month from its website should budget 15,000 to 30,000 GBP for a redesign with a job board connected to Bullhorn. Add around 3,000 to 4,500 GBP for SEO migration so the traffic of 400 archived jobs is not lost, and a 7 to 10 week timeline. The project pays back through a lower cost per candidate, currently 300 to 900 GBP via paid job boards for specialist roles.
Why the current site produces no applications
Audits of London agencies keep finding the same causes. Jobs live in the ATS but are displayed through an iframe Google does not index. The application form asks candidates to create an account and fill 9 to 12 fields, while 70 % apply from a phone. Expired jobs return a 404, destroying rankings built on queries such as "fintech recruitment agency London" or "interim finance recruiter City of London".
A useful redesign fixes these three points: jobs published as HTML with Google JobPosting markup, application in under 60 seconds with CV and LinkedIn, and archived jobs redirected to evergreen specialism pages.
Detailed 2026 quote
| Line item | Scope | Price (ex. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and UX | Workshops, candidate and client journeys, wireframes | 2,000 to 3,500 GBP |
| Design and build | 10 to 15 pages, specialism and sector pages | 5,000 to 9,000 GBP |
| Bullhorn-connected job board | API sync, filters, JobPosting markup | 4,500 to 9,000 GBP |
| Quick apply | CV, LinkedIn, UK GDPR, auto-acknowledgement | 1,500 to 3,000 GBP |
| Client area | Vacancy brief form, meeting booking | 2,000 to 5,500 GBP |
| SEO migration of 400 jobs | Redirect map, specialism pages, Search Console tracking | 3,000 to 4,500 GBP |
| Maintenance | Security, updates, sync monitoring | 150 to 300 GBP/month |
Total before SEO migration: 15,000 to 30,000 GBP. Timeline: 7 to 10 weeks, including 1 to 2 weeks waiting for Bullhorn API credentials. For comparison, Kolonell quotes the same scope for a Lille firm at 8,000 to 14,000 EUR plus 2,500 EUR of SEO migration, and works remotely with UK clients at that grid.
Cost per application: redesigned site versus job boards
| Channel | 2026 unit cost | Qualified applications/month | Cost per qualified candidate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current site | maintenance only | 18 | not measurable, volume too low |
| General job board (paid ad) | 250 to 450 GBP per ad | 5 to 10 per ad | 40 to 90 GBP |
| Specialist board (finance, tech) | 600 to 1,500 GBP per ad | 2 to 5 per ad | 300 to 900 GBP |
| LinkedIn Recruiter + job slots | 9,000 to 13,000 GBP/year per seat | variable | 200 to 700 GBP |
| Redesigned site + specialism SEO | 650 GBP/month amortised over 3 years | 50 to 80 | 8 to 13 GBP |
| Referrals | 500 to 2,000 GBP bonus | 1 to 3 | 500 to 2,000 GBP |
Application volumes are 2026 estimates for a white-collar agency covering finance, tech and operations. The site does not replace job boards; it reduces dependence on them for recurring roles.
Mini case study
James, partner at a 12-consultant recruitment firm in London, spends 5,000 GBP a month on paid ads for about 30 qualified applications on specialist roles, roughly 165 GBP per candidate. After a 22,000 GBP redesign plus 3,500 GBP of SEO migration, the site grows from 18 to 55 qualified applications a month within six months. The firm cuts paid ads by 40 %, saving 2,000 GBP a month. Over 12 months: 24,000 GBP saved for 25,500 GBP invested and 2,400 GBP of maintenance. The investment is covered in about 14 months, before counting extra placements from a larger talent pool, each worth 15 to 25 % of a first-year salary.
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FAQ
Can we keep Bullhorn?
Yes. Bullhorn exposes a REST API and job feeds; the connection costs 4,500 to 9,000 GBP depending on filters and whether candidate records are written back. Vincere and JobAdder integrations sit in the same range.
What happens to the 400 archived jobs?
They are redirected to specialism or sector pages that stay live, using a 301 redirect map. Without this 3,000 to 4,500 GBP step, agencies often lose 30 to 50 % of organic traffic within three months.
How long does the project take?
Seven to ten weeks. The critical path is API access and consultants writing specialism pages, at 1 to 2 hours per page.
Is Google JobPosting markup still useful in 2026?
Yes, it puts your jobs in Google's job results, which often drive 20 to 35 % of visits to a well-ranked agency's vacancies.
How do we stay compliant with UK GDPR on CVs?
Explicit consent, a published retention period (many agencies use 2 years for talent pools), UK or EU hosting and automatic deletion. This setup is included in the quick apply line.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your ATS, job volume and application targets, and we will price the redesign with SEO migration included. 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.
