TapOnIt

TapOnIt LLC is a US-based technology firm specializing in mobile messaging, established in 2015 by sisters Katie Castillo-Wilson and Sara Castillo. Headquartered in Davenport, Iowa, the Latina-founded company has carved a niche in the text message marketing sector. The founders' journey began with a mission to help local businesses grow by leveraging the high engagement rates of text messaging. CEO Katie Castillo-Wilson's background as a digital advertising director at Lee Enterprises provided foundational experience for this venture. She has since received numerous accolades, including being named a 2024 Henry Crown Fellow by the Aspen Institute and a finalist for the Technology Association of Iowa's CEO of the Year in 2023.

The company operates on a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) business model, providing a cloud-based platform for businesses to engage with their customers via SMS and MMS. This platform is designed for a variety of clients, from small local businesses and e-commerce brands on platforms like Shopify to large organizations like Gannett, USA Today, and even teams in the NBA. Revenue is generated through subscriptions to this text marketing platform. Initially, the company gained traction with its "TapOnIt Deals" product, which sent localized offers to a growing database of consumers, driving foot traffic to businesses and allowing them to keep 100% of the revenue from redemptions. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a strategic pivot, accelerating the company's original goal of focusing on the broader SaaS platform.

TapOnIt's core service is a visual-first communication platform that enables brands to send rich content, including multiple images, GIFs, and videos, within a single text message. This differentiates it from standard, text-only SMS services by offering a more dynamic and visually appealing experience, which helps drive conversions and gather first-party data. The platform boasts features such as audience segmentation, automated message flows, and detailed analytics to track revenue, clicks, and conversions. With text messages having an open rate of nearly 99%, the service provides clients with a direct and effective channel for marketing, sales, customer service, and internal communications.

Keywords: text message marketing, MMS marketing, SMS platform, mobile marketing, customer engagement, SaaS, lead generation, Shopify SMS marketing, e-commerce marketing, visual messaging, direct-to-consumer, customer retention, marketing automation, local business advertising, mobile deals, Katie Castillo-Wilson, Sara Castillo, Davenport Iowa, Quad Cities, mobile communications, first-party data collection