N&O launches self-service obits

The News & Observer in Raleigh, N.C., launched self-service advertising for obituaries using Wave2's iPublish AdPortal.
The site allows funeral home directors to build their own obits anytime, using a credit card or account billing.
"The reception to self-service by the funeral directors was immediate,” said Gary Smith, vice president of classified advertising at The N&O. “We're now looking at other ad types like template-based real estate or retail ads, as well as self-service retail applications we can run on the same iPublish AdPortal system."
The N&O expects the system to pay for itself in the first year through production and makegood savings, Wave2 said.
Look for more information about how publishers are leveraging self-service advertising in the July issue of News & Tech.