The Money Hole
Google and Facebook now take 63 percent of U.S. digital ad spend (IAB 2024); local publishers split the rest. Classifieds vanished when Craigslist turned free in 2000. Clickbait drove CPMs down; civic coverage followed Ghosting the News, p. 23.
Subscription Sticker-Shock
A paywall props up elite nationals. For local outlets, first-year churn averages 40 percent; revenue rarely covers lost ads Democracy without Journalism, p. 112. Walls also block essential information from residents who cannot pay.
Failed Pivots
- Blockchain / Civil: token sale raised $1.4 million; target was $8 million; platform closed in 2020 Democracy without Journalism, p. 166.
- Co-ops: governance snarled Haverhill Matters and The Devil Strip What Works in Community News, p. 211.
- Philanthropy: one-off grants plug gaps; funding stops when headlines drift What Works in Community News, p. 192.
Three Levers That Pay
| Acronym | What It Does | Why It Pays |
|---|---|---|
| AEO | Formats facts so AI assistants surface them. | Captures zero-click queries. Example: “When is Charlotte bulk trash day?”—Mercury snippet answers; link follows. |
| SEO | Technical and editorial discipline. | Yields evergreen traffic; converts to events, data products. |
| LEO | Local-Engine Optimization: schema, proximity terms, directories Local SEO Playbook. | Matches neighborhood sellers with intent-driven readers; revenue readers welcome. |
Service, Not Impressions
Mercury Local sells outcomes. Business listings, ticketed events and contextual sponsorships ride AEO, SEO and LEO; no third-party trackers. Members pay for usable tools; readers get facts without surveillance; local owners see measurable returns.
Next Moves for Charlotte Mercury & Strolling Ballantyne
- Mark up every story with structured data for voice answers.
- Launch LEO landing pages for each ZIP we cover.
- Publish short explainers that answer civic questions before rivals arrive.
About the Author
Fueled by cold-brew pragmatism, Peter Cellino codes headlines between sips; send your spiciest rebuttals to @pc51.bsky.social. Explore the Mercury Local galaxy: blog, case studies, resources, full Local SEO Playbook, and privacy-first advertising for Charlotte Mercury and Strolling Ballantyne.
Creative Commons License
© 2025 Mercury Local / Mercury Local
This article, “Local News Revenue Fix: AEO, SEO & LEO,” by Peter Cellino is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Local News Revenue Fix: AEO, SEO & LEO”
by Peter Cellino, Mercury Local (CC BY-ND 4.0)
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