Sponsor the guides people use to choose a downtown
Down.Town readers are planning trips, moves, leases and openings in specific city centres. A sponsorship puts your name beside the guides, tools and newsletter they use to decide: clearly labelled, and never mixed into the editorial.
Who you reach, line by line
Visitors and weekenders planning time in a city centre: what to see, where to stay, when to go and how to get around.
People relocating downtown, comparing buildings, budgets and neighbourhoods before they sign a lease or buy.
Founders, office managers and operators sizing up office, retail, coworking and event space.
Owners opening or growing a storefront, restaurant, showroom or pop-up downtown.
Placements
| Placement | Where it appears | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| City Partner, per guide | The labelled partner slot on one city guide, alongside its tools and events | Tourism boards, downtown associations, hotels, attractions and local brands |
| Find Space sponsor, per city | A labelled sponsor card on that city's Find Space page for office, retail, coworking and venues | Coworking operators, landlords, venues and commercial service providers |
| Dispatch sponsor | The Downtown Dispatch newsletter, in the edition you choose: City weekend, Moving downtown, Space & business or Contests | Brands that want a direct, opted-in readership |
| Contest or category sponsor | A Downtown Lens category or the Best Block Awards: the contests page, rules and winners' announcement | Camera and creative brands, cities, associations and local businesses |
| Strategic partner | Several cities, every city, a tool or a co-branded report | National and international brands with a long-term downtown story |
Labelled, separate and fair to readers
- Always labelled. Every sponsored placement carries a "Sponsored" label, and links in it are marked as sponsored links.
- No paid editorial. We don't sell articles, reviews, rankings or recommendations. Partners never pay for editorial coverage.
- Hands off the guides. Sponsors never see or approve editorial content before publication, and can't change a guide or an Index score.
- Compatible with Google AdSense. Sponsorships are kept separate from Google ads, are never styled to look like them, and are never placed to invite accidental clicks. We never ask anyone to click an ad.
- Right for readers. We decline sponsors we wouldn't be comfortable putting in front of a reader making a big decision, and anything that would break the law or Google's publisher policies.
The full rules are in our editorial policy. Display advertising on Down.Town is served separately, by Google AdSense.
Want leads, not visibility?
Brokers, rental agents, realtors, coworking operators, venues and movers can join the partner network and receive consented, specific requests from readers in their city, with a referral fee only when a reader chooses to work with them.
Just one business?
Featured and Spotlight listings are the simplest way for a single location to stand out in its city. Compare listings.
The domain or the whole website
Interested in acquiring, sponsoring or partnering on Down.Town itself? Contact the owner.
Choose where your name appears
City Partner
- One partner per city guide
- Your logo and a short message in the guide's labelled partner slot
- A Featured listing in that city
- A labelled mention in the Downtown Dispatch
Find Space sponsor
- A labelled sponsor card on one city's Find Space page
- Your message and a link, beside guides to leases, space and venues
- Optional mention in the Space & business edition of the Dispatch
Dispatch sponsor
- Presenting sponsor of a Downtown Dispatch issue
- A short, labelled message with a link
- One sponsor per issue
- Choose your edition: City weekend, Moving downtown, Space & business or Contests
Contest sponsor
- Fund a Downtown Lens category prize or a Best Block Award
- "Presented by" naming on that category or award
- Your logo on the contests page, official rules and winners' announcement
- Option to nominate one judge, who scores on the published criteria
Strategic partner
- Several cities, or every city we cover
- "Presented by" sponsorship of a tool
- Labelled, co-branded reports or guides
- Built around your goals and timeline
Not sure which fits?
- Who you want to reach
- Which cities matter to you
- When you'd like to start
Pricing depends on the package, the city or edition and how long it runs. Nothing is booked until you agree a proposal in writing.
What happens next
- We read your request
Within one business day, and reply with the media kit and any questions.
- We send a proposal
Placements, cities or editions, timing and pricing, in writing.
- You approve the creative
You supply your logo and message; we check it against our standards and label it.
- It goes live
On the dates agreed, labelled "Sponsored", with nothing changed in the editorial around it.
Questions people ask
Do you publish sponsored articles?
We don't sell editorial articles, reviews or rankings. Sponsors supply the content of their own labelled placement, such as the message in a City Partner slot or a Dispatch issue, and it is always marked "Sponsored".
Can a sponsorship change a city's coverage or Index score?
No. Coverage and scores are set by the editors alone, and sponsors never see or approve editorial content before it is published.
How is pricing set?
It depends on the package, the city or edition, and how long the placement runs. Tell us what you have in mind and we'll send a proposal. Nothing is booked until you agree it in writing.
We want leads, not visibility. Where should we go?
Apply to the partner network. Partners receive consented, specific requests from readers in their city, and pay a referral fee when a reader chooses to work with them.