During a recent Local Media Association webinar, TAPinto founder and CEO Mike Shapiro shared insights from 17 years of running profitable local news sites — and explained how publishers can streamline their operations, automate workflows and make data the center of business decision-making.

“Today’s webinar basically is about what a publisher needs to do to be successful today,” Shapiro said. “It really discusses how to build strong business operations for local media.”

From franchise roots to shared services

Shapiro began by recounting how TAPinto evolved from a single hyperlocal site in New Jersey into a franchise model with nearly 100 sites across four states. This year, that evolution expanded with the launch of Hyperlocal News Network, a new licensing platform for publishers who want access to TAPinto’s technology stack and back-office services while keeping their own brand identity.

“Some existing publishers approached me and said, ‘Hey, we really love your technology… can you figure out a way that we could be on your platform yet keep our own brand?’ That’s how Hyperlocal News Network was born in January 2025,” he explained.

The model allows publishers to choose à la carte services such as billing, analytics or shared tech systems without giving up ownership of their brands.

The cost of disjointed systems

Many local media companies, Shapiro said, struggle with inefficiency because their systems are fragmented.

“A lot of local media companies deal with a dozen or more vendors and a dozen or more systems,” he said. “Many are still doing a lot of tasks manually, which takes up a lot of time.”

The result: missed insights and operational drag. To fix that, he urged publishers to standardize tools and connect their CMS, CRM, and billing systems into one workflow.

Automating for growth

Shared services and automation are central to scaling sustainably. “Shared services save a lot of time and they also reduce workload,” Shapiro said, citing automation examples such as newsletters, invoices, and dashboards that centralize metrics.

TAPinto currently uses HubSpot as a CRM but is developing its own CRM for 2026.

“It’s going to be integrated with both the content management system and the billing system,” he said. “We want to make a CRM that really meets the needs of local news publishers.”

He recommended using cloud-based tools such as Google Workspace and Zoom to improve team communication, and he noted that TAPinto’s CMS includes collaborative tools so publishers can share stories and notes directly in-platform.

Simplifying sales and cash flow

On the sales side, Shapiro said all prospects and deals should live in one CRM. Contracts can be automated using tools such as DocuSign or Google’s new e-sign feature, which is free for Workspace users. He emphasized using dashboards to monitor ad inventory and track renewals.

For billing, automation has been transformative.

“We do all of our invoicing as automated,” he said. “We currently use Intuit and QuickBooks to do that. It speeds up payment time and also alerts you when an invoice hasn’t been paid.”

Shapiro suggested one invoice template for all products, monthly AR reviews, and using tools such as QuickBooks, FreshBooks or Wave to manage accounts receivable.

Data as the core of decision-making

“One of the key things for a local media company is making sure that data is the center for your decisions,” Shapiro said.

He recommended building a shared dashboard that combines traffic, revenue and engagement data, whether in GA4 or Looker Studio, and reviewing analytics regularly to connect editorial and sales goals.

TAPinto’s own CMS integrates with GA4 to show each publisher’s traffic directly within the platform — a model he encouraged others to emulate.

“If you don’t have this built in, it’s pretty easy to do,” he said. “It gives you insight without having to go to GA4 and fumble around.”

Building and owning your audience

With AI and social media shifts changing referral traffic, Shapiro urged publishers to prioritize owned audiences through newsletters and search optimization.

“It’s really important to own your own audience,” he said. “If you don’t have a newsletter, have a newsletter.”

He encouraged creating useful, consistent content that answers everyday local questions and experimenting with new distribution platforms. TAPinto, for example, now integrates Nextdoor sharing buttons to replace some of the reach lost when Facebook deprioritized local news.

“Nextdoor pulls our news articles into Nextdoor, but it’s not pulling any of our other content,” he said. “So we put social buttons on all of our content so readers can share into their Nextdoor neighborhood.”

Final advice for publishers

In his closing remarks, Shapiro summarized TAPinto’s longevity lessons:

“Have consistent workflows, simple automation tools to free up time, track metrics in one place or as few places as humanly possible, and have organized systems because that enables you to grow your site traffic and your revenue.”

He invited publishers to reach out directly — whether or not they use TAPinto’s technology — for advice on creating scalable systems and accessing shared services like HR, legal and branded content support.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is TAPinto?

TAPinto is a network of nearly 100 hyperlocal news sites founded in 2008 by Mike Shapiro. It operates through a franchise model and provides shared technology and operational support for local publishers.

What is the Hyperlocal News Network?

Launched in January 2025, Hyperlocal News Network allows existing media companies to license TAPinto’s technology stack and back-office services while keeping their own brands.

Why do local media companies need system integration?

According to Shapiro, many publishers use “a dozen or more vendors and systems,” creating inefficiencies. Integrating CMS, CRM, and billing tools saves time, reduces manual tasks, and enables growth.

What tools does TAPinto use for automation?

TAPinto uses HubSpot as a CRM (soon to be replaced by an in-house system), QuickBooks for billing, DocuSign for contracts, and Google Workspace for collaboration.

How can publishers improve cash flow?

Shapiro recommends automating invoicing, using a single invoice template, reviewing AR monthly and employing accounting platforms such as QuickBooks or FreshBooks to track payments.

What does it mean to “own your audience”?

Owning your audience means building direct relationships through newsletters and websites rather than relying solely on social media platforms that can change algorithms or deprioritize local news.

How can publishers adapt to AI and changing search behavior?

Shapiro advised focusing on SEO and “GEO for AI,” meaning optimizing content so it surfaces in AI-driven search results without being scraped or misattributed.

What are the keys to sustainable growth for local media?

Shapiro’s formula: consistent workflows, automation, centralized data and content that provides useful, shareable information for readers.

Contact Mike Shapiro with TAPinto at mshapiro@tapinto.net.

The webinar recording is available here: What a publisher needs today to succeed

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Editor’s note: Artificial Intelligence was used to transcribe and create an initial summary of this article, which was then edited by LMA staff.