12 Ways to Make the Most of Patch

Last year, we introduced you to Shelby-Utica Patch. This year, you'll see and hear even more from us as we work to make this community news site ever more engaging and interactive for users.

The opportunities to comment on stories, share opinions, post photos and announcements and add events to the community calendar are still available and through the use of these and other features, we hope our site will strengthen this community, and you, as a member of that community, will help make it better.

With that being said, here are 12 ways you can use Shelby-Utica Patch:

1. Comment on an Article, or Review a Business

Providing accurate, timely news about the community is our No. 1 priority, but without your input, that news may as well be nonexistent. We believe news is a conversation. Much of our reporting comes from what readers tell us in emails, comments on our sites and in conversations around town. Share your thoughts and reactions to our articles by posting a comment directly below each story. Don't be shy about sharing your thoughts – we want to hear them! Love a restaurant? Hate a local retailer's service? You can review businesses listed in our directory, too.

2. Start a blog

Build a blog section and they will come. Talking fashion, law, cooking, politics and even motherhood, bloggers in our Local Voices section offer experience, opinion and expertise on a variety of topics. But there's always room for more in this conversation. Once you get started as a Patch blogger, you can post as little or as much as you want and you get the benefit of our editing for style and grammar. If you're interested, please email Shelby-Utica Editor Marina Cracchiolo: Marina.Cracchiolo@patch.com.

3. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, under "Contribute," there's a link that says, "Send us news tips." Tell us about stories we should cover. Your tip will be sent straight to Shelby-Utica Patch's editor.

4. Post an Event

Do you know of a playoff game at the local park, a school play at Morgan Elementary School or a Mom2Mom Sale in the neighborhood? Is there an open house or graduation ceremony coming up? If it's not on our Patch calendar, it should be. Feel free to add events to our site at http://Shelby-Utica.patch.com/events/new.

5. Post an Announcement

Post births, engagements and wedding announcements. Tell us who made the honor roll or share school awards, social notes and thank you shout outs. If you're looking for volunteers or searching for your lost dog, we welcome you to call on your community for help. Just remember, our Terms of Use say announcements should be for personal use and not for advertising. Here's the link to post an announcement: http://Shelby-Utica.patch.com/announcements/new. 

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Shelby-Utica Patch newsletter brings you the five latest articles, the most recent announcements and opinions posted in the last 24 hours and a listing of that day's upcoming events. It is delivered to your email every day by 6:30 a.m. You can also sign up for a weekly newsletter and breaking news alerts. To sign up, click on "Patch Newsletter" in the upper right hand corner of the site.

7. Claim Your Directory Listing

Our business and organization listings aren't skimpy. Our team of researchers scoured the streets when our site launched in December 2010, and every week since we've been checking that our information on local businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more are detailed and up-to-date. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email us at directorysupport@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://Shelby-Utica.patch.com/listings. 

8. Shout It Out!

Don't have anything to say about a specific article? That's alright. Our Activity Stream allows you to "shout" out a comment or question without having it tied to an existing article. Whatever you shout will go directly into the stream, right on the homepage.

9. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of a Eisenhower High School touchdown or your Shelby Township Little Leaguer's first home run. Post photos from local festivals, or send in a snapshot of your best holiday recipes. We invite you to share the memories that you've caught on camera with the rest of the community. To do this, upload the photo or video directly to our Neighborhood Gallery. . 

10. Advertise With Us

For all advertising queries, please email Macomb editor Rob Cucheran: robert.cucheran@patch.com.

11. Facebook, Twitter and Apps

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for even more Patch news. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Our allow you to take Patch with you wherever you go.

12. Send a Letter to the Editor

Patch would like to extend an invitation to every member of the Shelby Township or Utica communities to submit a letter to the editor. Express your thoughts or concerns about anything that might be stirring up conversation around town, and we'll post it. Make sure it's not longer than 300 words and email it to Shelby-Utica Patch Editor: Marina.Cracchiolo@patch.com.

The more Shelby-Utica Patch serves as on online space for community dialogue, the more useful our site will be. So, we hope these 12 tips help make our site the place to learn and hold conversations about Shelby Township and Utica in 2012 and beyond!