Local news: The lifeblood for your town’s business community

Local news is critical to the success of businesses and the business community.

News readers are an engaged, local audience of consumers. Two of the top reasons why Americans read or use local news is to feel connected to the community and to find places and things to do around town, according to America’s Newspapers 2023 Local Newspaper Study.

Americans prefer local newspapers, more than TV, radio or social media, to get information about local businesses, restaurants and bars, and local events, the study found.

Local news is the lifeblood of any community. Without local news, rumors run rampant, residents are apathetic, and the town suffers as a result.  With a high-quality local news outlet in town, residents are more engaged and involved in the community. And local businesses thrive.

A Case Study: TAPinto and Downtown Westfield

TAPinto Westfield, which has won numerous journalism awards, works with the Downtown Westfield Corporation, as well as many businesses. 

One of the ways that the Downtown Westfield Corporation uses local media is by advertising its events, such as the Sweet Sounds Downtown Music Festival, in display ads, and on the calendar. TAPinto Westfield writes about the events and shares information about them on its social media pages.

Downtown Westfield’s display ad on TAPinto Westfield had more than 83,000 impressions last month and was clicked on 76 times — a very high click rate for a display ad. Two stories sponsored by Downtown Westfield promoting upcoming events were read more than 4,300 times in all. Of those events, the one that could sell out did.

“When we work with the Downtown Westfield Corporation, we write feature stories about their festivals, events and goings-on, not only to provide basic information but really show people why they need to come downtown and experience these things,” TAPinto Westfield owner/publisher Jackie Lieberman said. “Typically, these stories are read by thousands of people who are then more likely to visit the downtown, and shop and eat there while they’re at it.”

Lillian Pien is the president of the Downtown Westfield Corporation board and owner of Akai Lounge, a Japanese restaurant downtown. Akai Lounge also advertises on TAPinto Westfield. “I go to TAPinto for all of the relevant Westfield news and local events,” Pien said. “By showcasing community events, local news helps readers get more involved in their community and in turn build stronger communities and more vibrant downtowns.”

“When we work with local businesses, we don’t just give them space for a display ad. We get to know them and help them tell their stories and show our readers why they’re different from the competition, why they’re special,” Lieberman added.

According to the newspaper study, eight of 10 Americans read print or digital newspaper content every month. Almost six of 10 Americans use newspaper advertising to help them decide what brands, products and local services to buy.

Jim Mooney, owner of Minuteman Press Clark, is also a TAPinto Westfield advertiser.

“It is important to be in touch with your local community. Especially as a printing business it gives us the ability to react quickly. We pretty much read TAPinto every day to learn what is happening in our community. It’s a great source of information!”

“As a result of working with TAPinto Westfield, we secured one of our largest clients,” Mooney said. “TAPinto also helped promote our recent move to Clark NJ by covering our five-year anniversary and grand opening celebration.”

Local news sites provide local residents with original local news and marketing, which, as a result, supports local businesses.

Michael Shapiro is the CEO and founder of TAPinto.net, a network of more than 90 franchised online local news and digital marketing platforms in New Jersey, New York, Florida and Pennsylvania. He can be reached at mshapiro@tapinto.net.  

TAPinto is an award-winning network of more than 90 franchised local news and digital marketing platforms in New Jersey averaging nearly 2,000,000 readers per month and having more than 230,000 daily newsletter subscribers and more than 325,000 Facebook followers.  Each TAPinto site is independently owned and operated and provides original daily local news reporting every day while working to help local businesses in town.  TAPinto local news sites are free to read and it is also free to sign up for the daily newsletter. 

Find more information about TAPinto on their website. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay up to date on local news and events!