TAPinto thrives on advertising alone with unique DIY marketing platform

By Mike Shapiro, CEO and Founder of TAPinto

After launching nearly 100 hyperlocal sites, I believe an advertising-based model is the future of the local news industry. This keeps news free and information free-flowing.

Regardless of their socioeconomic background, people should be able to know what’s going on in their town — without having to choose between putting food on the table or buying medicine and knowing what their town council is doing. 

That was the idea that sparked TAPinto into reality 15 years ago. At a time when media companies of all sizes are shrinking, TAPinto has managed to achieve scalability, profitability, and long-term sustainability without resorting to paywalls or membership fees. 

TAPinto has been profitable for 7 straight years. Last year, 97% of TAPinto franchisees were profitable. 

Our unique approach to self-service advertising drives a substantial portion of revenue, especially in local news deserts thirsty for information about local businesses, events and news. 

What is the TAPinto DIY Marketing platform? 

TAPinto’s DIY Marketing Platform is one of our most successful revenue solutions for media sites. It enables businesses, non-profits, and other entities to create and submit sponsored content, events, press releases, and more, directly to the TAPinto sites of their choice. This platform, in combination with our other revenue programs, caters to a broad range of advertising needs, offering both flexibility and effectiveness for businesses and individuals aiming to reach local audiences.

7 Self-Service Solutions TAPinto Offers

Sponsored Content and Press Releases

Businesses, nonprofits, and advocacy groups can directly submit press releases and sponsored content through TAPinto’s DIY platform. This allows for immediate publication of promotional or informative content, with the option for enhanced visibility through the site’s newsletter and high SEO ranking. Advertisers and non-advertisers alike can utilize this feature at different rates.

Event Listings

The platform enables users to submit detailed event listings that can include photos, videos, and direct links, with the added bonus of appearing in TAPinto’s daily newsletter. The tool encourages community members and businesses to share events, driving local engagement and site traffic.

Real Estate Listings

Realtors have the opportunity to showcase property listings, leveraging TAPinto’s platform to reach a targeted local audience. We have an upcoming open house feature that also enriches the appeal to both readers and potential home buyers.

Business Listings and Directories

Our DIY Marketing Platform also accommodates detailed business listings, allowing local businesses to feature comprehensive profiles with multimedia elements. It serves as a digital directory, connecting businesses with the local community and offering a permanent, searchable presence on the TAPinto site.

Candidate Statements and Political Advertising

Political candidates and advocacy groups can use TAPinto’s platform to publish statements and promote their campaigns directly to local constituents. That content is marked for transparency as sponsored.

Classifieds

TAPinto’s classifieds section lets individual users and businesses post and browse local classified ads in a range of relevant categories, from job listings to personal sales. 

The Future of Local News

The DIY Marketing Platform is just one part of our suite of advertising solutions, but it stands as an innovative solution for local news companies that want to avoid paywalls or membership fees. When we prioritize accessibility and innovative advertising solutions, we’re able to truly collaborate with our communities to exchange information and value in a meaningful, sustainable way. 

TAPinto provides tools, technology, and support that empowers the creation of quality local journalism and financial success. News publishers can license TAPinto’s technology, branded for them, and get our easy-to-use and flexible CMS, a localized custom app, back-end support, training, and much more. 

By joining the TAPinto network, you gain access to a platform uniquely positioned to help you meet the challenges of today’s media landscape, ensuring your ability to provide essential local journalism to your community. 

Learn more about how the TAPinto model can transform your approach to local news. 

Watch the LMA webinar: No Paywall, No Membership: No Problem!