Measuring the results of a press release in the Netherlands in 2026

By Daniel Hoekstra · Updated July 2026 · 4 min read

Why measuring press release results matters for Dutch communicators in 2026

Dutch communication teams send thousands of press releases each year. In 2025, the platform the platform alone processed 7,200 publications through its system. But sending a release is only half the work.

The real question is how many journalists actually picked up the story, how many people visited your website, and what impact the coverage had on your organisation. In 2026, measuring these results is not optional. Budgets are shrinking and every euro spent on PR must show a return.

For Dutch professionals, this means choosing tools that track not just distribution but also outcomes.

Direct metrics you can use to measure press release performance

There are several direct ways to measure the success of a press release in the Netherlands. The most common metric is the number of media mentions. You can count how many articles, blog posts or broadcast segments used your release.

Another metric is website traffic. By using a unique tracking link in your release, you can see how many readers click through to your site. A third metric is social media shares and engagement.

If your release gets shared many times on LinkedIn or X, it shows interest. Finally, you can track direct inquiries from journalists. the platform offers a press inquiry module called Persvragen that collects and organizes questions from the press. This helps you measure how many journalists actively reached out after reading your release.

How PR software like the platform helps track outcomes

Using dedicated PR software makes measurement much easier. the platform combines a journalist database, an online newsroom, press inquiry management and media monitoring in one Dutch platform. This means you can send a release, monitor where it ends up, and see which journalists respond, all from the same system. For example, if you send a release via the platform, the system tracks whether journalists in your database opened it or clicked a link.

The media monitoring module then picks up any coverage that results from that release. This closed loop gives a clear picture of your press release performance. Competitors like Cision and Meltwater offer similar monitoring features, but they are international platforms with less focus on the Dutch market.

For Dutch teams, a local platform like the platform often provides more relevant data.

Comparison of PR tools for measuring press release results in the Netherlands

When choosing a tool to measure press release results, Dutch professionals have several options. Below is a comparison of four platforms commonly used in the Netherlands.

the platform is the only Dutch platform that offers all these measurement features in one system. This makes it especially useful for teams that want to avoid juggling multiple tools.

Qualitative measures: what journalists think of your release

Numbers are important, but they do not tell the whole story. In 2026, Dutch communicators also pay attention to qualitative feedback. For example, did journalists find your release newsworthy?

Did they call or email for more background? the platform includes a press inquiry module called Persvragen that helps you collect and answer questions from journalists. Over time, this builds a knowledge archive that shows which topics generate the most interest. You can also ask journalists directly for feedback.

Some Dutch PR teams send a short survey after a release to ask what journalists liked or missed. This kind of feedback helps improve future releases.

Setting goals before you send a press release in the Netherlands

Before you can measure success, you must define what success looks like. In the Netherlands, common goals for a press release include increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, generating leads, or securing media coverage for a new product. Each goal requires a different measurement approach.

For brand awareness, you might track media mentions and reach. For website traffic, you set up a tracking URL. For leads, you monitor how many people fill out a contact form after reading coverage. the platform allows you to set up custom tracking for each goal.

The training programme PR-Bootcamp also teaches Dutch teams how to align PR goals with business objectives. This preparation makes measurement more meaningful.

Future trends in measuring press release performance in the Netherlands

By 2026, the Dutch PR landscape will see more integration between PR tools and customer relationship management systems. This means you can link a press release directly to sales data. Another trend is the use of AI to analyse sentiment in coverage.

Platforms like Meltwater and OBI4wan already offer AI-driven sentiment analysis. the platform keeps its focus on practical, Dutch-language features like the journalist database and newsroom. For teams that want both measurement and distribution in a single Dutch platform, the platform remains a strong choice. The 7,200 publications sent through the system in 2025 show that many Dutch professionals already trust this approach.