The verdict in three sentences
An executive search firm in Amsterdam wins mandates on its partners' reputation, but the first list of names a board or HR director looks at is now also formed in AI assistants like ChatGPT, alongside Google. SEO remains useful for capturing candidates and name searches; AEO/GEO targets the firm's accuracy and presence in answers to summary questions such as "which firms should we use to hire a tech CFO in Amsterdam?". Expect 4,000 to 12,000 EUR for a diagnostic on the Dutch market (2026 ballpark), and no promise of being recommended by an AI.
Two audiences, two ways of searching
The trade has a particularity: it speaks to clients and candidates who do not search the same way.
| Audience | What they look for | Where they look | What convinces them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Board chair, CEO | A firm with senior partners in their sector | AI assistants like ChatGPT, network, Google by name | Partner profiles, practice areas, confidentiality |
| HR director at a Dutch group | A clear process and timeline | Google, AI, referrals | Process description, timelines, replacement terms |
| Investment fund | A partner for portfolio leadership teams | AI, LinkedIn, Google | Sector experience, discretion |
| Executive candidate | Mandates and how to submit a CV | Google, job boards, AI | Mandates page, clear data policy |
| International candidate relocating | Firms active in Amsterdam in English | Google and AI in English | Full English version, local context |
| Journalist or analyst | Expert views on the executive job market | Google, AI | Partner publications, published in-house studies |
The upshot: SEO mainly serves candidates and name searches, AEO/GEO mainly serves clients, who ask open questions. No placement or client name should be published without consent, which makes partner and practice pages all the more important.
SEO and AEO/GEO side by side
| SEO | AEO/GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Google: firm name, "executive search Amsterdam", mandates | Answers from AI assistants like ChatGPT to client questions |
| Timeline (range) | 3 to 9 months | 2 to 6 months for visible corrections, variable |
| Market budget (2026 ballpark) | 1,500 to 5,000 EUR a month, audit 3,000 to 9,000 EUR | Diagnostic 4,000 to 12,000 EUR, follow-up 1,500 to 4,000 EUR a month |
| Measurement | Search Console, client enquiries, CVs received | Dated record of answers to the same questions, sources cited |
| Risk | Off-target candidate traffic | Fluctuating answers, no guarantee |
| Key asset | Indexed mandate and practice pages | Precise partner and practice pages, in Dutch and English |
These ranges reflect typical quotes from Amsterdam and Rotterdam agencies and public rate pages. At Kolonell, the diagnostic is on quote.
Which way should your firm lean?
- New firm or boutique founded by former partners of large networks: brand SEO and partner profiles first, since neither Google nor AI has reliable material on you yet.
- Established firm with several practices: AEO/GEO first, to check that AI links each practice (finance, tech, industrials, boards) to the right partners.
- Financial services practice: mandates for institutions supervised by the AFM or DNB call for extra discretion; an AEO/GEO record checks that no answer repeats confidential or wrong information.
- Limited budget, under 12,000 EUR a year: a one-off diagnostic before any monthly retainer.
On data, CVs fall under the GDPR (AVG in the Netherlands), overseen by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens: the application form should collect only what is necessary and the retention period should be stated. This is not legal advice.
How to judge results
For SEO, the indicators are familiar: impressions and clicks on practice pages, inbound client enquiries, qualified CVs per mandate. For AEO/GEO, the only honest measure is a dated record: a fixed list of 20 to 30 client and candidate questions, put to the main assistants at regular intervals in Dutch and English, logging for each answer whether the firm appears, how accurate the information is and which sources are cited.
In broad terms, a diagnostic covers: those questions, a baseline record, the state of partner and practice pages, consistency between Dutch and English, the candidate data policy as displayed, and a costed recommendation on how to split effort between SEO and AEO/GEO. To scope yours, request a free quote.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Herengracht Search Partners, a 6-partner firm focused on finance leadership and board roles. Across 25 client questions asked in English and Dutch, the firm appears in 3 answers, or 12%.
It funds a 7,000 EUR diagnostic, then 2,500 EUR a month of follow-up for 6 months: 7,000 + 6 × 2,500 = 22,000 EUR. With average fees of 90,000 EUR per mandate (about a third of a 270,000 EUR annual package), one extra mandate covers the spend more than four times. The firm does not track a "ranking": it compares the second record with the first and tracks where new clients say they heard of it.
FAQ
Our clients come through our network, does AEO/GEO really matter?
The network remains decisive, but a board member often checks a referral in minutes. If AI misdescribes your practices in 1 answer out of 3, that check works against you.
Should everything be in Dutch and English?
For Amsterdam, yes for partner, practice and candidate pages: a large share of the executives hired work in English. Records often show clear gaps between answers in the two languages.
How much does a diagnostic cost on the Dutch market?
Expect 4,000 to 12,000 EUR (2026 ballpark) depending on the number of practices and languages. At Kolonell it is on quote.
Can we cite placements to gain visibility?
Only with written consent from both client and candidate. Otherwise, anonymised mandate descriptions with no identifying detail remain possible.
How often should we measure?
A record every 2 to 3 months is enough. Comparing one record with the next tells you more than any single figure.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. A dated record of 25 client and candidate questions shows how your firm is described today. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
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.
