13 Things You Need to Know About Oakland Patch

It's our 10-month anniversary today and a lot has happened on Oakland Patch. We've gotten to know the community and have created a large following. It's been fantastic.

We wanted to take the time to remind you why we're here and what this site is all about. Simply put, it's about you.

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, but we can't do it without you. So get to it!

1. Upload Your Photos and Video

Upload videos of the high football touchdown or your Oakland 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 and you can add them directly to the articles or the Oakland Neighborhood Gallery.

2. Author a Blog 

Feel free to reach out to the Oakland Editor at Rob.Heinemann@patch.com regarding any questions or concerns regarding a blog on Patch. Patch is very open and would love to hear the ideas and thoughts of residents who are involved in different areas of the community. Don't hesitate to ask. 

3. Post an Event

Do you know of a book signing at our local bookstore, a celebrity chef appearing at cooking store 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://oakland.patch.com/events/new.

4. 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 Rob Heinemann, Oakland Patch's (incredibly grateful) editor

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 go to http://oakland.patch.com/announcements/new. Just remember, our Terms of Service say announcements should be for personal use and not for advertising.

6. Sign Up for Newsletters

The daily Oakland Patch newsletter brings you all articles and announcements that have been posted in the last 24 hours. It is delivered to your email every day. You can also sign up for the weekly newsletter, which shows a subset of the content created and featured on our site over the last few days. It is delivered every Thursday. 

7. Claim Your Directory Listing

Our business and organization listings aren't skimpy. Our team of researchers actually hit the streets and visited businesses, schools, parks, libraries and more so we can provide photos as well as detailed information such as products sold and hours of operation. To contact us about the listing for your business or organization, email us at Rob.Heinemann@patch.com. If you own or manage a business or organization in our directory, claim it at http://oakland.patch.com/listings.

8. 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.

9. Grocery Specials

Want a quick way to find out all the local grocery specials in one place? Check out Patch's Grocery Specials page to find local deals and sales on things like milk and eggs to produce and meats. There are also coupons you can print out too.

10. Advertise With Us

For all advertising queries, please email Patch Ad Manager Erana Marks at erana.marks@patch.com.

11. Review Restaurants

Do you want to be the first to tell your friends whether the new restaurant in town gets two thumbs-up? You can post a review of your favorite (or least favorite) restaurants at http://oakland.patch.com/directory/category/food-diningOr, search to find what you're craving—you can filter results by cuisine, price or seating accommodations.

12. Social Media Engagement

Like us on Facebook. Immerse yourself in our content and actively contribute and engage via social media. Let's start a conversation together.

13. Send a Letter to the Editor

Patch would like to extend an invitation to every member of the Oakland 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 email it to Editor Rob Heinemann at Rob.Heinemann@Patch.com.

The more Oakland Patch serves as on online space for community dialogue, the more useful our site will be. So next time you have something to share with your neighbors, consider taking a moment to send a letter to Patch. Chances are, you're not the only who feels that way.