The verdict in three sentences
For an investor visa and citizenship law firm in Geneva, an outdated site costs more than a redesign: wealthy families comparing three or four firms drop the one whose pages describe a closed programme or timelines from three years ago. A Geneva agency typically quotes CHF 20,000 to 150,000 for a redesign, while Kolonell offers CHF 4,500 (Growth) or CHF 8,200 (Premium, multilingual) for a site delivered in 3 to 6 weeks once content is ready. The real risk lies in the migration: lost rankings if old URLs are not redirected, and regulated content published without review.
Which signals make a family walk away?
Clients of these firms are often abroad, advised by a family office or private bank, and read the site before any call. They look for eligibility, timelines, full costs and the risks of each programme. Because programmes change often (in the United States, EB-5 was reshaped by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, and several European golden visas have closed or narrowed since 2023), undated content quickly becomes a source of doubt.
| Signal on the current site | What the client concludes | Fix expected in the redesign |
|---|---|---|
| Page on a closed programme with no closure notice | The firm does not keep up | Status and date of last review on every programme page |
| Wording such as guaranteed approval | Sales talk, not legal work | Criteria, steps and risks, without promising an outcome |
| No detailed partner biographies | No idea who handles the file | Partners, bar admissions, working languages |
| Form asking for passport and net worth at first contact | Privacy concern | Minimal first contact, detailed data after engagement |
| Machine-translated English version | Lack of seriousness for an international clientele | Native English copywriting, other languages on quote |
| Slow site, poor on mobile | Clients often read on their phone while travelling | Light pages, readable on mobile |
Advertising by registered lawyers in Switzerland is framed by the Federal Act on the Free Movement of Lawyers (LLCA), which requires objective advertising, alongside the Bar's professional rules. The revFADP, in force since 1 September 2023, applies to your forms, and the GDPR may cover EU residents you target. This is not legal advice.
What budget should a Geneva firm plan for a redesign?
The ranges below are a 2026 ballpark from typical Geneva agency quotes and public rate pages, for a 15 to 30 page site without a client area.
| Option | Redesign budget | Usual timeline | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer in Geneva or Lausanne | CHF 6,000 to 15,000 | 6 to 10 weeks | Who handles redirects and review |
| Mid-sized Geneva agency | CHF 20,000 to 50,000 | 8 to 14 weeks | Whether copywriting is included, languages billed separately |
| Premium agency used to law firms | CHF 60,000 to 150,000 | 12 to 20 weeks | Share of budget spent on brand rather than content |
| Kolonell Starter | CHF 2,700 | 3 to 4 weeks | Suits a small firm with few programmes |
| Kolonell Growth | CHF 4,500 | 3 to 4 weeks | One language, programme pages and news section |
| Kolonell Premium | CHF 8,200 | 4 to 6 weeks | Multilingual tier, languages set in the quote |
Every Kolonell tier includes a project manager reachable in your hours, native English or French copywriting and three months of support. A secure client area, booking connected to your practice management software or any other integration is on quote, as is maintenance beyond the three included months. Kolonell built the site of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey, another business where trust is won on the first page. Tier details are on the international offer page.
Timeline and risks: where does a redesign go wrong?
Kolonell's 3 to 4 weeks, or 4 to 6 for Premium, start once approved content is available. For a law firm, internal review of programme pages is often the longest phase.
| Phase | Indicative duration | Main risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory of URLs and pages receiving traffic | 3 to 5 days | Missing well-ranked programme pages | Full export from Search Console and analytics |
| Rewriting and dating programme content | 1 to 3 weeks | Outdated or overly categorical statements | Review date and responsible partner per page |
| Professional conduct review | 3 to 10 days | Publishing before sign-off | Written partner approval before go-live |
| Design and build | 3 to 6 weeks | Scope creep towards a client area | Client area quoted separately, later if needed |
| 301 redirect map | 2 to 4 days | Drop in brand and programme visibility | Old to new URL table, tested before switch-over |
| Switch-over and monitoring | 1 day, then 4 weeks | Downtime, broken forms | Off-peak switch, form tests, 404 monitoring |
Before signing, ask any provider who writes the redirect map, how pages are dated, what data the form collects and where it is stored, and what happens if the Bar or a partner requests a change the day before launch.
When is a Geneva agency still the better choice?
If your firm wants a full brand project with in-person workshops, a rich client area linked to case management from day one, or a supplier under Swiss law for internal policy reasons, a local agency makes sense. If the need is a credible, current and properly redirected site, the budget difference is better reinvested in copywriting and review.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Rhône Mobility Partners, a fictional four-partner Geneva firm, receives a CHF 42,000 quote from a local agency to redesign a 22-page French and English site. It compares Kolonell Premium, with French and English set as languages.
Kolonell Premium: CHF 8,200. Professional conduct review by a partner, 12 hours valued at CHF 500: CHF 6,000. Partner portraits, half a day: CHF 1,200. Total: CHF 15,400, a CHF 26,600 gap with the local quote, to be adjusted if the agency includes photography. The firm sets aside CHF 5,000 of that gap for quarterly updates of its programme pages.
FAQ
How long does a full redesign take?
Plan 3 to 4 weeks on Growth and 4 to 6 weeks on Premium once content is approved. Internal review often adds 1 to 3 weeks depending on partner availability.
Will we lose our Google rankings during the redesign?
A temporary dip of a few weeks is common, even with a good plan. A full inventory and a tested 301 redirect map limit the risk, especially on the 10 to 20 pages that bring most enquiries.
Can we show approval rates or average processing times?
Only if they are accurate, verifiable and presented objectively, and after professional conduct review. Many firms prefer citing dated official ranges rather than their own statistics.
Which languages should we plan for an international clientele?
French and English at minimum in Geneva, others depending on your markets. Premium at CHF 8,200 is the multilingual tier, and languages are set in the quote.
What stays on quote?
The secure client area, integrations with your practice software and maintenance after the three included months. These are priced separately so the site price stays fixed.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current site address and your list of programmes, and we will propose a tier, a migration plan and a launch date. See the international offer or request a free quote: detailed 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.
