The verdict in three sentences
For an executive recruitment firm in Amsterdam, a visual redesign (EUR 6,000 to 12,000) is enough if the current site is technically sound and jobs are published elsewhere. As soon as you want to publish your own vacancies, receive structured applications and connect them to an ATS, a new build (EUR 18,000 to 45,000, 6 to 14 weeks) becomes cheaper over 3 years than stacking plugins. The right choice comes down to four criteria: technical debt, existing SEO, ATS integration and total cost of ownership.
Four criteria to decide
Before requesting quotes, run this half-day diagnosis. It prevents paying for a redesign that gets thrown away 18 months later.
| Criterion | Signal for a redesign | Signal for a new build | How to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical debt | Up-to-date CMS, fewer than 10 plugins | Abandoned theme, outdated PHP, more than 25 plugins | Host report, CMS version |
| Existing SEO | Over 1,500 organic visits a month on useful pages | Few visits, or visits limited to searches for the firm's name | Search Console over 12 months |
| Vacancies | Published only on LinkedIn and Indeed | Plan to publish 30 to 100 jobs on your own site | Number of active vacancies |
| ATS integration | No ATS, Excel sheet | ATS in place or planned (API available) | Vendor documentation |
| Languages | Dutch only, local audience | Dutch and English for international talent | Candidate origin |
| Compliance | Simple form | CVs stored, GDPR consent and retention rules | Personal data audit |
If three or more criteria lean towards the "new build" column, a visual redesign is a sticking plaster.
Costed options in Amsterdam
Figures are 2026 market estimates for Amsterdam and the Randstad, excluding 21% VAT.
| Option | Budget (market estimate) | Timeline | What you get | Total cost over 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple visual redesign | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 | 3 to 6 weeks | New design, same features | EUR 9,000 to 17,000 with maintenance |
| Redesign plus off-the-shelf jobs module | EUR 10,000 to 18,000 | 5 to 8 weeks | Jobs published, applications by email | EUR 15,000 to 26,000 |
| New site with built-in job board | EUR 18,000 to 32,000 | 8 to 12 weeks | Filterable jobs, candidate area, CV database | EUR 25,000 to 42,000 |
| New site connected to the ATS | EUR 28,000 to 45,000 | 10 to 14 weeks | Job and application sync, dashboards | EUR 36,000 to 56,000 |
| Brochure site plus SaaS job board | EUR 6,000 to 12,000 plus EUR 150 to 500 per month | 3 to 6 weeks | Rich features without development | EUR 11,000 to 30,000 |
The SaaS job board looks cheap, but at EUR 500 a month it passes EUR 18,000 over 3 years, and applications stay with the vendor. A custom build costs more upfront and leaves you owning your talent pool.
What a recruitment firm website must do in 2026
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
The site works for two audiences. Client companies look for proof of sector expertise (finance, tech, logistics, engineering). Executives look for clear vacancies and an application that takes under 3 minutes on mobile.
| Feature | Audience | Priority | Expected impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expertise pages by sector | Clients | High | Qualified assignment requests |
| Filterable jobs (sector, city, salary) | Candidates | High | 2 to 3 times more direct applications |
| Apply with LinkedIn import | Candidates | High | Abandonment cut by 30 to 50% |
| Email job alerts by criteria | Candidates | Medium | Reusable talent pool |
| "Brief us on a hire" form | Clients | High | Trackable B2B leads |
| JobPosting structured data | Candidates | Medium | Visibility in Google for Jobs |
Mini case study
Nadia, founder of an executive recruitment firm in Amsterdam (illustrative scenario), currently pays EUR 700 a month for job multiposting, or EUR 25,200 over 3 years. Option A: visual redesign at EUR 9,000, multiposting kept, 3-year total around EUR 37,000 including maintenance. Option B: new site with built-in job board at EUR 26,000 and EUR 200 a month of maintenance, multiposting dropping to EUR 300 a month thanks to direct applications. 3-year total: 26,000 + 7,200 + 10,800 = EUR 44,000. The EUR 7,000 gap is covered as soon as one extra placement, billed at 20 to 25% of a EUR 80,000 annual salary, comes from the site.
FAQ
Does a rebuild lose existing search rankings? Not if old URLs are 301-redirected to the new ones. Without a redirect plan, losing 20 to 40% of organic visits over 3 months is common.
How long to launch a new site with a job board? Allow 8 to 12 weeks, including 2 weeks for content (expertise pages, job copy). It rises to 14 weeks with an ATS integration.
What does GDPR require for stored CVs? A lawful basis, clear consent wording and a defined retention period, often 1 to 2 years for a talent pool under Dutch DPA guidance. Plan an explicit consent checkbox and a deletion process.
Can we keep our current ATS? If the vendor offers an API or XML feed, yes. The sync usually represents 15 to 25% of the new site budget.
Should the site be bilingual? In Amsterdam, Dutch and English cover over 90% of executive candidates. English-first is often the better default for tech and international roles.
Let's scope your project. Share your site URL, vacancy volume and ATS: we will scope redesign or rebuild, an indicative budget and a timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33 or request a quote.
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.
