About PlacePins

Why PlacePins exists

Most of the web is still built around feeds and followers. But real life happens in streets, playgrounds, small venues, side alleys, and tiny independent businesses that rarely make it into big social feeds.

PlacePins started from a simple idea: what if you could open a map and instantly see “what’s happening near me” – right now? Not just big events, but little things: a one-off gig, a pop-up, a local offer, a lost bike, a neighbourly favour, a kids’ club, a “we’re open late tonight” note.

What PlacePins does

• Shows you pins on a map – short, time-limited posts attached to exact locations.
• Makes it easy to post – no full account needed; just an email and a few taps.
• Respects time – pins expire; the map stays fresh and relevant.
• Blends online and offline – chat, follow, get directions, then actually go there.
• Builds reputation – likes, followers and “Thanks” from chat show who people trust locally.

For people and places

For locals and visitors

• See what’s on tonight or this weekend, without scrolling through endless feeds.
• Discover tiny places you’d never find otherwise.
• Follow the people and businesses you love and get alerts when they pin.

For businesses, organisers and creators

• Drop a micro-billboard exactly where it matters on the map.
• Run simple, clear offers or announcements that automatically switch off when they end.
• Talk directly to interested people via chat, audio notes and (for paid pins) live video hooks.

How PlacePins makes money

The core idea is simple: short-life local visibility for a tiny daily fee.

• Plain text pins can be free for a short window.
• Richer pins – with images, embeds, audio, live hooks or featured placement – are paid.
• Pin owners pay small, transparent fees per day, with clear receipts and control.

Over time, this can become a global network of tiny, honest, local adverts and stories – a more human alternative to huge opaque ad systems.

Our principles

• Local first. The map is the main character. Everything orbits around real places.
• Time-limited by default. Pins don’t live forever; the map reflects what’s current.
• Lightweight identity. We rely on emails, OTPs and optional OAuth instead of heavy account setups.
• Simple but powerful. Posting a pin should feel as quick as sticking a flyer on a wall.
• People-before-ads. Ads and analytics matter, but they should never make the product feel creepy or hostile.

What’s next

• Reputation features like likes, follows and “Thanks” to surface trusted locals and helpers.
• Push notifications and proximity alerts for the things you genuinely care about.
• PWA and AR experiments – imagine holding up your phone and seeing pins floating over nearby streets.

Talk to us

PlacePins is being built as a long-term project – something that could, eventually, sit alongside maps and messaging as a standard part of how people communicate locally.

If you have ideas, spot something odd, or want to collaborate, we’d genuinely love to hear from you: placepins@placepins.com.

And if you know a local business, a community group or a friend who should be on the map, please send them our way. The more real-world stories on PlacePins, the better it gets for everyone.