Why Traditional Press Release Platforms (EIN, PRWeb, and GlobeNewswire) Underperform
For many brands, the decision to rely on press release services is not driven by overconfidence, but by practical and budgetary constraints. Running media relations in-house is complex, resource-intensive, and difficult to scale internationally. Writing a solid press release is only a small part of the process; effective media relations require time, consistency, and a deep understanding of the market.
This challenge becomes even more visible for brands expanding into Europe or Latin America, where media ecosystems are fragmented, language-specific, and heavily driven by local relevance. What works in one country often fails in another, increasing both cost and operational risk.
At the same time, hiring external support is often far more complicated than expected. Brands expanding internationally face a fragmented PR landscape, unclear pricing models, and significant differences in media ecosystems across different countries. As a result, many companies turn to press release platforms not because they believe they are ideal, but because they seem like the least risky and most controllable option.
Large multinational PR agencies typically operate with high retainers, long-term commitments, and cost structures that are simply out of reach for many brands, especially those expanding internationally for the first time. These agencies are often optimised for global enterprises with established budgets and long planning cycles.
On the other hand, while strong local agencies exist in most countries, brands entering new markets often do not know which agencies to trust, lack local references, or are unable to properly assess their real media access. Managing multiple local agencies across different countries also introduces operational complexity that many teams are not prepared to handle.
Faced with this uncertainty, press release platforms often appear to be the safest and most accessible option. They offer predictable pricing, immediate execution, and the perception of global reach. From an operational or procurement perspective, they reduce friction and simplify decision-making.
However, while platforms solve certain operational problems, they frequently fail to address the actual visibility, credibility, and local media needs of international brands. This gap between expectation and outcome is at the core of why so many companies are disappointed with press release distribution.
Why traditional press release platforms underperform
Understanding the limitations of traditional press release services such as EIN Presswire, PRWeb, and GlobeNewswire requires stepping back and looking at the broader PR ecosystem. The issue is not execution quality, but structural design. Most traditional platforms were built to distribute content efficiently at scale, not to generate editorial interest or build local credibility in specific markets.
When brands expect these platforms to replace media relations, disappointment becomes almost inevitable. Distribution and media engagement serve different purposes, and confusing the two leads to unrealistic expectations around media pickups, local visibility, and overall impact.
Why press release platforms look appealing at first
Against this backdrop, press release platforms offer an apparently simple and low-risk alternative. Upload a release, select regions, pay a fixed fee, and distribution happens automatically. From an operational perspective, this feels efficient and predictable.
For many teams, especially those without in-house PR specialists, this approach seems like a practical way to achieve international press release distribution without having to manage journalists, pitches, or follow-ups directly. Platforms also generate tangible outputs such as published links, distribution reports, and dashboards that are easy to communicate internally, even if real media engagement is limited.
The real challenge of running media relations in-house
Effective media relations require far more than drafting announcements. Teams must build and maintain journalist databases, understand editorial priorities, pitch stories individually, follow up consistently, and adapt narratives to each market. Even well-resourced teams struggle to do this across multiple countries.
Beyond the operational workload, there is also a skills and access gap. Media relations rely on trust, timing, and credibility, all of which take years to develop. Without local knowledge and established relationships, in-house teams often send well-written but ineffective pitches that receive little or no response.
Why international PR agencies are often not an option
When internal execution becomes unmanageable, the logical next step is to look for external agencies. In practice, this option is frequently blocked by structural and financial barriers.
Large multinational PR agencies usually come with high retainers, rigid contracts, and global fee structures designed for enterprise clients. These costs are difficult to justify for brands testing new markets or operating with decentralised or regional budgets.
At the same time, while local agencies may be more affordable and effective within their own markets, brands expanding internationally often lack visibility into the local agency landscape. Without trusted recommendations, selecting and coordinating multiple local agencies quickly becomes risky, slow, and inefficient.
Structural limits of traditional press release services
Most press release platforms operate within closed or semi-closed networks. Content is published only on outlets and portals that have commercial agreements with the platform. These agreements are designed to ensure publication, not editorial review.
Because these networks are fixed, brands often see the same outlets republishing similar content repeatedly. Over time, this creates diminishing returns, limited audience growth, and a visibility ceiling that cannot be crossed without genuine editorial interest.
Why platforms are ineffective for local and multi-country strategies
One of the most damaging misconceptions is that global distribution equals local presence. In reality, platforms are weakest precisely where brands need them most: country-specific and local markets.
Local media rarely monitor global distribution feeds. They prioritise local relevance, familiar sources, and direct contact. As a result, brands may appear visible internationally while remaining invisible in the markets where they are actively selling, hiring, or building partnerships.
This is particularly problematic when companies rely on press release distribution across more than 60 countries as a substitute for market-level visibility, rather than as a supporting layer within a broader PR strategy.
SEO risks from repetition and non-indexation
Press release distribution is often justified as an SEO tactic, but repeated publication across the same networks can be counterproductive, especially when releases are reused across multiple markets without adaptation.
Duplicate content, low-authority domains, and non-indexed pages reduce the long-term value of links. In some cases, repeated releases dilute brand signals rather than strengthening them, leading to stagnation or decline in organic visibility.
Why editorial pickups remain rare
Press release platforms do not pitch stories. They do not adapt angles for specific journalists, respond to feedback, or follow up editorially. As a result, pickups remain rare and largely disconnected from the act of distribution itself.
When pickups do occur, they are usually driven by strong newsworthiness, external momentum, or existing journalist interest. In these cases, the platform acts as a publishing channel, not as the reason coverage happened.
Comparing traditional platforms with more effective alternatives
Recognising the limits of traditional press release services does not mean abandoning distribution entirely. It means using it differently and combining it with models better aligned with how media actually work today.
Market-specific distribution with guaranteed publications
A more effective alternative focuses on country-by-country distribution, prioritising relevance over volume. In this model, brands secure guaranteed publications in local media that accept corporate announcements under transparent conditions.
While this does not guarantee editorial endorsement, it ensures immediate and visible presence in target markets. For brands entering new countries, this local footprint is often far more valuable than broad but unfocused exposure.
The role of túatú as a hybrid alternative
An example of this alternative approach is the model developed by túatú, an international PR agency based in Europe.
Unlike traditional platforms or high-cost multinational agencies, túatú combines a scalable distribution platform with operational PR expertise. Brands can distribute press releases in more than 60 countries, either individually or through regional packages, without committing to global retainers.
In selected markets, túatú offers options that include guaranteed publications in relevant local media. This directly addresses two of the biggest gaps brands face: lack of local access and inability to justify multinational agency costs.
Rethinking what success looks like in press release distribution
The recurring disappointment with press release services is not a technical failure, but a mismatch of expectations. When success is defined as immediate editorial coverage, frustration is inevitable.
When success is redefined around being visible, searchable, and credible in the right markets, distribution becomes a strategic asset rather than a false promise. Traditional platforms still have a role, but they are not universal solutions.
For brands that cannot afford multinational agencies and do not yet have trusted local partners, hybrid models that combine distribution, local relevance, and guaranteed visibility offer a far more realistic path forward.
Looking for a more effective alternative to traditional press release platforms?
If your brand needs international visibility but cannot justify the cost of multinational PR agencies—or has seen limited results from global press release platforms—túatú offers a practical and scalable alternative.
túatú provides international press release distribution, with coverage across more than 60 countries, and flexible country-by-country or regional packages. In selected markets, brands can access guaranteed publications in local media, ensuring visible presence where it actually matters.
Discover how túatú can help your brand move beyond generic distribution and build real international media presence.