Summary: hiring an online marketing specialist
An online marketing specialist makes sure your business is found online and brings in customers, through channels such as Google, social media and your website. A freelance online marketer in the Netherlands costs about €75 per hour excl. VAT on average, according to Freelance.nl. An employed online marketer earns €3,708 gross per month on average in 2026, according to Intermediair. At Game-changers you work with a specialist per channel from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.
- Tasks: strategy, SEO, Google Ads, social media ads, content, tracking and conversion.
- Freelancer: about €75 per hour excl. VAT on average, ranging from €50 to €100.
- Employee: about €3,708 gross per month on average, plus at least 8% holiday pay and employer costs.
- Agency: a fixed monthly fee, with several specialists behind one point of contact.
What does an online marketing specialist do?
An online marketing specialist works out how you win customers online and carries it out. According to Ahrefs, “online marketing specialist” is searched about 700 times a month in the Netherlands and “online marketing consultant” about 400 times. The work usually consists of these tasks:
1. Strategy and goals
Who is your customer, where do they search and what may a new customer cost? A good specialist starts here, not with a channel.
2. Being found in Google
With SEO and AEO (also called AI SEO) you rank higher in the regular search results and in answers from AI search engines. With Google Ads you appear at the top straight away for keywords that make money.
3. Ads on social media
With social media advertising you reach people on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or TikTok who are not searching yet, but do belong to your target group.
4. Content
Texts, images and videos that answer customers’ questions. With AI content creation you make them faster and in your own style.
5. Measuring and improving
Without good data and tracking you do not know which channel brings in customers. With conversion rate optimisation you get more enquiries from the same visitors.
What does hiring an online marketing specialist cost?
According to Freelance.nl, the average hourly rate of a self-employed online marketer in the Netherlands is about €75 excl. VAT, with a range of €50 to €100. A junior with little experience can sometimes be hired for €40. It differs per specialism: an SEA specialist (Google Ads) charges €80 on average, an SEO specialist €70, an SEO copywriter €60 and a social media specialist €50 per hour.
Your own employee costs more than the salary alone. According to Intermediair, an online marketer in the Netherlands earns €3,708 gross per month on average in 2026. According to the Dutch government, at least 8% holiday pay comes on top. That puts you at about €48,000 a year, or €4,005 a month, still without employer costs such as contributions, pension, a laptop and training.
These amounts are an example and cover different amounts of work. In every case you pay the ad budget separately to Google or Meta. The advantage of Game-changers: you start small, from €500 per month excl. VAT for at least 4 hours of work, with no set-up fee, and you scale up when it works. And you do not get a generalist, but a specialist per channel. See our pricing. Request a free analysis.
Freelancer, employee or agency?
- Freelancer: flexible with direct contact. One person can rarely cover every channel in depth. Check cover for illness or holidays.
- Employee: knows your business best and is always available. Expensive with little work, and you have to steer and keep knowledge up to date yourself.
- Agency: several specialists behind one point of contact, and no gap during holidays. Choose an agency that measures results in customers, not clicks.
Looking for someone for one channel? Then read about hiring an SEO specialist or hiring a Google Ads specialist. Not sure whether to outsource everything? Then read about outsourcing marketing, online marketing for SMEs and choosing a good online marketing agency.
What should you look for when hiring?
1. Results in customers, not clicks
Ask for cases with revenue, leads or cost per customer. Reach and followers say little.
2. Your own accounts and data
Your Google Ads, Meta and Analytics accounts should be in your name. Then all data stays yours if you switch.
3. Measurement in place
Ask how enquiries and sales are measured. Without measurement a specialist steers on gut feeling.
4. Clear agreements
Agree in advance how many hours you get, what it costs and how often you see a report. No surprises afterwards.
Our research: what Google shows for “online marketing specialist inhuren”
On 9 November 2026 we used DataForSEO to look at the first page for “online marketing specialist inhuren” (hiring an online marketing specialist) in Google Netherlands. At the top was an AI answer, with a map of 3 local businesses below it. Of the 9 regular results, 4 were from a platform that matches freelancers, 3 from an agency, 1 from a freelancer and 1 from a job site. So searchers mainly compare hiring through a platform with an agency, and above all want to know what it costs per hour.
What does it deliver?
For CrossFit Climbers Cabin, the cost per lead with Google advertising fell from €55 to €9. For Rug expertise centrum, organic traffic rose by 40% with SEO and AEO. And Jaicob got 4.3 times more qualified demos with social media advertising. Three clients, three channels, each with its own specialist.
“Most business owners look for one person who can do everything: SEO, Google Ads, social and tracking. That person hardly exists. We put a specialist on each channel and keep one point of contact. That way you get a specialist’s depth without having to manage a team yourself.”
Want to know which channel delivers the most for you? At Game-changers you start with a free call and an analysis, and we then work from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.
Frequently asked questions about hiring an online marketing specialist
What does an online marketing specialist do?
An online marketing specialist makes sure your business is found online and brings in customers. Think of strategy, SEO, Google Ads, social media ads, content and measurement. The goal is more enquiries or sales at a lower cost per customer.
What does an online marketing specialist cost per hour?
A freelance online marketer in the Netherlands costs about €75 per hour excl. VAT on average, according to Freelance.nl. The range is about €50 to €100. An SEA specialist charges €80 on average, an SEO specialist €70.
What does an employed online marketer cost?
According to Intermediair, an online marketer in the Netherlands earns €3,708 gross per month on average in 2026. At least 8% holiday pay comes on top, plus employer costs such as contributions and pension. So count on well over €4,000 a month.
What is the difference between an online marketer and an online marketing specialist?
An online marketer often does a bit of everything. A specialist has really mastered one or a few channels, such as Google Ads or SEO. To grow on several channels you usually need more than one specialist.
What does an online marketing consultant do?
An online marketing consultant mainly advises on strategy, channels and budget. They do not always carry out the work themselves. Ask in advance whether you get advice, execution or both.
When should you hire an online marketing specialist?
When you want to grow but lack the time or knowledge to do online marketing well yourself. Also when you run ads without knowing what they bring in. A specialist first sorts out measurement and then steers on results.
Is a freelancer or an agency better?
A freelancer is flexible with direct contact. An agency has several specialists behind one point of contact and does not drop out during holidays or illness. For one channel a freelancer can be enough; for several channels an agency is often stronger.
How many hours per month do I need?
That depends on the number of channels and your goals. For one channel, such as Google Ads for a small business, 4 hours a month can be enough to start. At Game-changers you start from €500 per month excl. VAT for at least 4 hours.
What does online marketing cost per month?
That depends on the number of hours and channels, plus the ad budget you pay separately. At Game-changers you pay from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.
Do I pay the ad budget separately?
Yes. You almost always pay the ad budget directly to Google, Meta or LinkedIn. The specialist or agency only charges the hours or the fixed fee for the work.
What should I ask at a first meeting?
Ask for cases with revenue or cost per customer, who actually does the work and in whose name the accounts will be. Also ask how results are measured and how often you get a report.
In whose name are the ad accounts?
In yours. Your Google Ads, Meta and Analytics accounts belong to you, so all data stays yours if you ever switch.
How quickly do you see results?
With ads often within a few weeks, because you are visible straight away. SEO takes longer, usually a few months. A good specialist shows what is happening from the first month.
What is a freelance online marketer?
A freelance online marketer is a self-employed professional who does online marketing for several businesses, by the hour or per project. You hire them for a set number of hours or a fixed period.
Can I hire an online marketing specialist on site?
Yes, some freelancers and agencies work a fixed day at your office. Much of the work happens online, so remote often works just as well. Do agree on fixed meetings.
Why choose Game-changers?
You get a specialist per channel and one fixed point of contact. You start with a free call and analysis, and then work from €500 per month excl. VAT, with no set-up fee. Request a free analysis.
Sources
Freelance.nl, hourly rate digital marketer
viewed November 2026
Intermediair, online marketer salary 2026
viewed November 2026
Dutch government (Rijksoverheid), how much holiday pay do I get?
viewed November 2026
Ahrefs Keywords Explorer, search volumes Netherlands
9 November 2026
DataForSEO SERP API, own measurement Google Netherlands
9 November 2026
Over de auteur
About the author
Annefleur van Osta
Online marketing strateeg bij Game-changers. Schreef dit artikel en houdt de prijzen en bronnen actueel.
Online marketing strategist at Game-changers. Wrote this article and keeps the prices and sources up to date.
