Patch, a national network of hyper-local news websites, started growing in the Twin Cities in November 2010 with seven sites.  In just seven months, it has expanded to 23 different metro communities from Hudson, Wisconsin, to St. Michael.  Patch is also planning to add more metro sites, including Eden Prairie, Plymouth and Shakopee.

Nationally, Patch is part of the “new” AOL that also includes the Huffington Post.  Patch traffic has doubled this year as AOL spends $40 million a quarter to try to drive the company towards profitability. 

One reason for the growth in Patch traffic and the increasing number of sites in Minnesota is its ability able to target reporting on issues that directly impact people in a specific community, from high school sports to business openings to city politics.  News that is closest to where people live is valuable, especially when traditional media operations don’t have the time or resources to cover the most local issues.

A second potential factor for the Patch evolution is the available source of talented reporters and editors who were the victims of layoffs and buyouts at newspapers and television stations.  They are now bringing experience and connections to Patch creating new challenges for their former employers.

From The GP Spin’s perspective, more news is good news for anyone who wants to know more about what is happening in their community or other cities.

Learn more about Patch’s growth in a previous GP Spin blog or this MinnPost article.

Patch was founded by Tim Armstrong, AOL’s chief executive officer, when he was frustrated that he could not find information online about how his family could volunteer in the community.  Armstrong called his local paper to urge them to create a Patch-like site.  They turned him down, so he decided to launch the business.

There are now 18 Patch sites in the Twin Cities metro area.  Nationally there are 800, with another 200 expected to be launched by the end of 2011.  In December 2010, Patch had more than three million unique visitors, 80 times that of the previous December, according to comScore, a digital marketing intelligence platform.

Opinions are mixed about whether Patch will turn AOL around.  News purists tend to look down their noses at anything that doesn’t have a connection to ink and stains, but Patch is not alone in seeing an opportunity to focus on communities.  Google, Yahoo, and other entrepreneurs are trying to find a way to be relevant as close to our homes as possible.  They all hope “relevant” means being able to attract ad dollars away from traditional media outlets.

Find a Patch near you here.

Click here to read more from the New York Times.