Why You Should Post Events, Announcements on Patch

As editor of New Tampa Patch, I receive lots of emails each day from local clubs, schools, businesses and government offices looking to make an announcement or promote their event.

There are so many, however, that it is impossible for us to post them ourselves.

I don't want Patch's readers to miss out on attending your church's yard sale, your book club potluck dinner or your favorite pub's craft beer brewing class.

I also don't want Patch's readers to miss out on knowing which of our neighbors received an award, earned a college scholarship or started a not-for-profit that needs volunteers.

That's where you come in.

It's really easy to post Events and Announcements on Patch. It's also free.

How to post an Event on Patch:

1. Log in to New Tampa Patch.
2. Locate the navigation bar at the top of the page. Click "Events."
3. Navigate to the upper right-hand corner. Click "+ Put it on the Calendar" to add the new event to the calendar.
4. Enter your Event Title, Date, Time, applicable publication, Description, Categories, Publish date, and any additional information, if applicable.
5. Once you have confirmed you have entered all Event details, click "Post my Event" located at the bottom of the page.

How to post an Announcement on Patch:

1. From the New Tampa Patch home page, look for the Announcements section under the News tab. From there, click the "Announce it to everyone!" button in the upper right corner.
2. Now, enter a title, select a category, write a description, upload photos and/or videos and enter a location.
3. When you click "Post My Announcement," it becomes live on the site and available for anyone with an Internet connection to find.

There are a lot of things you can publish on Patch as an Event or an Announcement.

• If you're a chef offering a seminar on cooking with organic veggies, post the class on the Events calendar.
• If you're a mom whose daughter just won a softball scholarship for college, post it in our Announcements.
• If you're an antiques dealer hosting a class on restoring wood furniture, put it on the Events calendar.
• If you're a not-for-profit group that needs volunteers, tell everyone on the Announcements page.

About the only thing that you can't post are items that are obviously advertising a business.

If you need assistance in figuring out Patch's Events and Announcements posting system, give me a shout.