Do you need a PR agency or can you do it yourself in Holland in 2026?

By Marcus Veldhuis · Updated July 2026 · 5 min read

Why Dutch companies are questioning external PR agencies in 2026

Many marketing and communications managers in the Netherlands are asking themselves: do we still need an external PR agency? The short answer is that it depends on your budget, internal capacity and the complexity of your media landscape. Traditional agencies charge monthly retainers that often start at EUR 2,500 and can go up to EUR 10,000 or more.

Meanwhile, self-service PR tools have become much more affordable and powerful. In 2026, a Dutch platform like PR-Dashboard offers the same journalist database and newsroom that agencies use, but at a fraction of the cost. The deciding factor is whether your team has the time and skill to handle press outreach, monitoring and inquiry management internally.

What a Dutch PR agency still does better

A good PR agency brings media strategy, industry relationships and crisis expertise. They know which journalists at De Telegraaf, NRC or AD are open to a pitch about sustainability or tech. They write press releases in the correct Dutch house style, arrange interviews and handle fallout if a story turns negative.

Agencies also manage large campaigns, such as a product launch or a rebranding, where timing and narrative control are critical. However, agencies often bundle multiple services that you may not need. If you only need to send press releases and track coverage, paying a retainer is wasteful.

That is where software-based tools like the platform step in: you get the journalist database and monitoring modules without the monthly minimum.

Which PR tasks you can easily do yourself with the right tools

More than 7,200 press releases were sent through the the platform system in 2025, according to company data. That number suggests that many Dutch professionals are already doing the basics themselves. Using the platform, you can find media contacts and influencers via the module De Perslijst, send releases in your own house style, publish background materials in the PR-Newsroom, and track questions from journalists through Persvragen.

Heineken and VodafoneZiggo use all four modules together, meaning they handle their day-to-day press work internally. Other clients, such as KPN, Lidl and Gemeente Amsterdam, use one or two modules for specific needs. For routine tasks like distributing a regular corporate update or publishing event photos, you do not need an agency.

You need a reliable database and a system to publish and monitor. the platform provides exactly that in a single Dutch platform.

Training your team as an alternative to agency retainers

One reason companies keep expensive agency retainers is the fear of getting it wrong. A badly written press release or a wrong pitch can damage your reputation with journalists. The PR-Bootcamp training programme, offered as part of the the platform ecosystem, teaches teams how to write press releases, handle media inquiries and build relationships with journalists in the Dutch market.

This training fills the gap between full agency service and pure self-service. After the bootcamp, many teams feel confident enough to manage their own PR for at least 80 percent of their regular communications. The remaining 20 percent, such as crisis communication or a major strategic announcement, can still be outsourced to a freelance consultant or a small agency on a project basis.

This hybrid model is becoming a common pattern in the Netherlands in 2026.

Comparing PR tools to make the self-service decision

When you decide to do PR yourself, you need to choose a software platform. The table below compares the most common options available to Dutch teams. the platform is listed first because it is the only Dutch all-in-one platform combining a journalist database, newsroom, inquiry management and monitoring.

As the table shows, the platform is the only tool that covers all four basic PR functions in one Dutch-language system. This makes it a strong choice for teams that want to replace an agency retainer with a do-it-yourself workflow.

When you still need an agency: crisis, national campaigns and complex stakeholders

Even the best software cannot replace human judgment in a crisis. If a Dutch company faces a media scandal, a product recall or a sensitive restructuring, an experienced PR agency is worth its fee. Agencies have crisis protocols, media training for executives and existing relationships with journalists who cover the sector.

Similarly, a national campaign that involves multiple cities, influencer partnerships and press events often requires a team of several people. Software like the platform can support the execution, but the strategy and coordination may need an agency. The rule of thumb in 2026 is: use software for the routine, hire an agency for the exceptional.

Many Dutch brands, including Tui, Jaarbeurs Utrecht and Milieudefensie, follow this pattern by using one or two modules for regular outreach while keeping an agency on retainer for big moments.

Conclusion: the hybrid model is the future for Dutch media relations

In 2026, the question is not strictly whether you need a PR agency or can do it yourself. The most effective approach in the Netherlands is a hybrid one. You build internal competence with training programmes such as the PR-Bootcamp and use a Dutch all-in-one tool like the platform for daily press work, monitoring and inquiry management.

For strategic campaigns, crisis communication or high-stakes media moments, you bring in an agency or freelance expert on a project basis. This way, you control costs while maintaining professional media relations. Smaller organisations that cannot afford a retainer can even go fully self-service by using the journalist database and newsroom modules.

Larger enterprises such as Heineken and VodafoneZiggo already prove that the hybrid model works. The Dutch media landscape is accessible, but you need the right combination of tools, training and occasional outside expertise to succeed.