11 Ways to Use Clinton Township Patch

Clinton Township Patch is only two weeks old, and while some of you may be famliliar with Patch sites in other towns, we wanted to make sure any first-timers out there would be able to fully engage and interact with Patch.

We've built Patch so that you have plenty of opportunities to comment on stories, share your opinions, post photos and announcements and add events to the community calendar. We hope that our site will strengthen the community, and you, as a member of the community, will help make it better.

Here are some tips to using the site:

1. Comment on an Article

We subscribe to the idea that "news is a conversation." Much of our reporting will emanate 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. 

2. Be a Local Voice

We offer every reader the opportunity to blog on our site in the section called Local Voices. Once you get started, you can post as little or as much as you want and you get the benefit of engaging the audience we're buidling every day. If you're interested, you can start right away!

3. Send a News Tip

At the bottom of the homepage, there's a link that says, "Send Us News Tips." Tell us about stories we should cover. Your tip will be sent straight to Jenny Whalen, Clinton Township Patch's editor.

4. Post an Event

Do you know of a playoff game at the local park, a Mom2Mom sale at Cherokee Elementary School or an art exhibit at a local coffee shop? Is there a garage sale 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://clintontwp.patch.com/events

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://clintontwp.patch.com/search/announcements

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Clinton Township 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. You can also sign up for a weekly newsletter and breaking news alerts. Sign up with your email address. 

7. Claim Your Directory Listing

Our business and organization listings are still a work in progress, but pretty soon we'll have a complete directory of Clinton Township's businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more, each with detailed information such as products sold and hours of operation. 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, locate your listing and click the "Claim It" button to control how your listing appears on the site. You'll be able to add photos, change your hours and share information about new products or services.

8. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of a Chippewa Valley High School touchdown or your 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, we recommend you create an announcement or start a blog as a place to upload your media. But if you'd like help, email Clinton Township editor Jenny Whalen: jenny.whalen@patch.com.

9. Advertise With Us

For all advertising queries, please email our advertising manager, Julie Klotz at julie.klotz@patch.com or 248-330-2536

10. Social Media Engagement

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Let's start a conversation together. You can also follow Patch on your mobile device. Patch has apps for both iPhone and Android.

11. Send a Letter to the Editor

Patch would like to extend an invitation to every member of the Clinton Township community 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 e-mail it to Clinton Township editor Jenny Whalen: jenny.whalen@patch.com.

The more Clinton Township Patch serves as on online space for community dialogue, the more useful our site will be. So, we hope these 11 tips help make our site the place to learn and hold conversations about Clinton Township.