Migrating from a self built Dutch press page to a provider in 2026: the steps and the redirects

By Gijs Molenaar · Last change 2 September 2026 · 5 min

What is the first step when moving from a custom press page to a professional provider?

The first step is to map every URL that your current self-built site uses. A self-built press page often has a structure like yourdomain.com/press or yourdomain.com/news. Write down every single page, press release and media kit.

This list becomes the foundation for your redirect plan. Without a complete list, your old links will break and journalists will see 404 errors. PR-Dashboard can help you decide which URLs to keep and which to change, but you must deliver the list yourself.

The product pages for PR-Dashboard, read 1 September 2026, show that PR-Newsroom runs on your own domain name, so redirects from your old press page to the new newsroom are possible.

How do 301 redirects protect your search rankings during a migration?

A 301 redirect tells a web browser and a search engine that a page has moved permanently. If a journalist had bookmarked your old press release at example.com/press/release-2024, the 301 redirect sends that browser to the new URL on the newsroom product page. This keeps the search value from the old page.

Google and other search engines pass most of the ranking power from the old URL to the new one. The Amsterdam supplier states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, as noted on their frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026. This means the redirect setup is handled by a team that understands the Dutch media landscape.

What does a professional provider cost compared to maintaining a self-built site?

Maintaining a custom built press page has hidden costs: server space, security updates, a developer to fix broken links and a content management system. A professional provider like the supplier offers four separate products. The newsroom product costs EUR 1,750 (no period stated on the product page, read 1 September 2026).

The journalist database, the journalist database and sending system, costs EUR 2,650 per year for two logins. That module, which handles incoming press questions, costs EUR 2,700 (no period stated). A self-built page that breaks or fails to redirect costs more in lost journalist trust. The table below compares this Dutch platform with other providers on the cost per user per year.

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

Swipe or scroll across the table to compare every column.

What content should you transfer from your old site to the new newsroom?

Transfer all current and recent press releases, media kits, contact forms and journalist lists. The Amsterdam supplier database holds thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, according to the company's frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026. This means your own contact list must be matched against that database.

Do not transfer outdated releases from years ago unless a journalist still uses the link. Each old URL needs a corresponding new URL on that newsroom domain. The newsroom product runs on your own domain, so the new address could be news.yourdomain.com or press.yourdomain.com.

Which providers publish a price and which do not?

Among the providers that serve Dutch and Flemish markets, only five of the ten that this site measures publish a public price. Presspage publishes EUR 20,000 to EUR 35,000 per year and names Germany as its data location. Prezly publishes EUR 100 to EUR 250 per month and hosts on AWS in Dublin.

Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month and has five language editions with no Dutch pages, as measured 31 August 2026. ANP Connect publishes prices from EUR 495 per release up to EUR 30,000 per year for a subscription. the platform publishes EUR 2,650 per year for the journalist database, EUR 1,750 for that newsroom and EUR 2,700 for the inquiry desk, all measured on the product pages, 1 September 2026.

Providers like Muck Rack, Meltwater and Notified do not display a price on the pages measured, 31 August 2026.

How do you train your team after the migration?

A new tool requires team training. the platform offers an offline knowledge session called the training programme. This session teaches the team how to use the journalist database, the newsroom and the press inquiry system.

For a team that built its own press page, the change means learning to rely on a structured system instead of manual updates. the platform also offers single sign-on with LexisNexis, Monalyse and Media Info Groep, as stated on the product pages, read 1 September 2026. This means journalists can log in with their existing credentials, which reduces the learning curve.

What should you check before you sign a contract?

Before you move from a self-built press page to a provider, check three things. First, confirm that the provider can host on your own domain with full 301 redirect support. Second, verify the geographic coverage: the platform covers the Netherlands and Flanders, not all of Belgium.

Third, check the data location. the platform states that all development and hosting take place in the Netherlands, but does not name a hosting party or a specific region or certification, as documented on the frequently asked questions page, read 1 September 2026. A self-built page gave you full control; a provider gives you support, updates and a tested system.

A provider publishes no public price for a reason, so ask for a quote before you decide.

Want the whole set at once? What each newsroom vendor documents.