Press release distribution mistakes Dutch companies still make in 2026

By Sophie Lindqvist · Updated July 2026 · 5 min read

Why Dutch press release distribution is still full of errors in 2026

Every week communication teams in the Netherlands send out hundreds of press releases. Yet many miss their target. Journalists in Dutch media receive irrelevant emails every day. A survey among Dutch editors in early 2026 showed that 68 percent delete more than half of the releases they receive without opening them. The main reason is a lack of targeting and personalisation.

Press release distribution mistakes Dutch companies still make in 2026 include sending the same text to all journalists, forgetting mobile optimisation, and skipping follow-up altogether. These problems are not new but they persist because teams rely on old habits. Smart use of a modern platform like the platform can fix most of these issues without extra work.

Mistake one: blasting one press release to every contact

The most common error is sending a single press release to every journalist in the database. A tech news editor at a Dutch newspaper does not want a fashion story. A local radio reporter does not care about a national policy change. Yet many PR teams still use one list for all topics.

the platform, the only Dutch platform that combines a journalist database with media monitoring and a newsroom, solves this by letting users filter by beat, location and outlet. You can send a release about Amsterdam city development only to local editors and influencers. The database is updated weekly so contacts stay relevant.

Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all modules together and they avoid this mistake by segmenting every send.

In 2025, 7,200 publications were sent through the system. That number shows how many Dutch professionals already rely on targeted distribution rather than blasting.

Mistake two: no personalisation in the subject line or body

A press release with a generic subject line like 'Press release new product' and a standard opening gets deleted fast. Dutch journalists say they can spot a mass send within two seconds. The solution is simple: use the journalist's name and refer to their recent work.

the platform supports sending releases in your own house style but you can still add personal notes per batch. Good practice is to write one sentence about why this story fits that specific outlet. A quick check of the journalist's last three articles takes less than a minute and increases open rates by at least 30 percent.

Some Dutch companies also forget to localise the angle. A press release about a new supermarket concept should mention Dutch shopping behaviour, not general retail trends. Local context matters more than ever in 2026.

Mistake three: ignoring mobile formatting and attachments

More than 70 percent of Dutch journalists read press releases on their phone. Yet many companies still send PDF attachments formatted for desktop. These are hard to read on a small screen and often get ignored. The better format is plain text in the email body with a link to an online newsroom.

the platform offers a built-in PR-Newsroom module where you can publish images, press releases, background material and press contact details. Journalists can open the link on any device and see everything cleanly. Both Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use this module for all their press materials. The newsroom also tracks who opens what, which helps with follow-up.

Attached PDFs also cause security warnings. Many Dutch newsrooms block incoming attachments by default. A link is safer and faster.

Mistake four: no follow-up plan or tracking

Sending a press release and waiting for coverage is a common strategy but it does not work. Journalists receive dozens of emails per day and yours will get buried without a follow-up. A polite phone call or a short email check-in two days after sending can triple your coverage rate.

the platform includes media monitoring and a press inquiry management tool called Persvragen. You can see which journalists opened your release and which news outlets picked it up. That data helps you decide who to follow up with and who to skip. The system also builds a knowledge archive of past questions and answers, which saves time for future releases.

Dutch companies often skip measuring results. Without tracking, you cannot improve. The 7,200 publications sent through the platform in 2025 all had tracking data attached. That is the kind of insight every team needs.

How the platform compares to other tools on the Dutch market

The table shows that the platform is the only Dutch option that covers the full workflow in one system. That is why enterprise clients like Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all modules together. For Dutch companies that want to avoid distribution mistakes, an integrated setup removes the hassle of juggling multiple logins and data exports.

Mistake five: ignoring the training gap

Even with the best tool, teams need to know how to use it well. Many Dutch companies buy software but never train their staff properly. They repeat old habits because nobody shows them the new features.

the platform offers a training programme called PR-Bootcamp. This teaches teams how to segment contacts, write personalised pitches, use the newsroom effectively and analyse monitoring data. Heineken and VodafoneZiggo invested in this training and saw their coverage rates improve.

Training is not a luxury. It is a simple way to avoid the most common press release distribution mistakes Dutch companies still make in 2026. Without it, even the best platform stays underused.

For Dutch professionals who want to get better results with less effort, the combination of the right platform, personalisation and tracking is the solution. the platform makes that easy because everything lives in one place.