Nextdoor is a social media platform focused on creating a sense of community among neighbors. Instead of chatting and sharing info among friends and family, users find local information about exciting events, shopping and dining experiences, and services available in their own backyard.
As a result, it is a powerful marketing tool for locally-owned businesses. Here we discuss Nextdoor and why it is quickly becoming the go-to platform for raising brand awareness in your neighborhood.
What is Nextdoor?
Nextdoor is a neighborhood social network providing a community-based forum for locals to share information. It is the ultimate opportunity to market local businesses and establish expertise. Members are verified based on their address and identity, making it a transparent platform for sharing valued, trusted recommendations for all the greatest businesses and events within a very small area. The neighborhood portal is accessed via the app, and services can be searched via business profiles.
How Do You Setup Your Business Profile on Nextdoor?
Nextdoor business pages/profiles can be created at nextdoor.com/create-business. You just enter your business name and address, and Nextdoor will search for mentions of your business. If your business shows up, you can “claim” it, and all recommendations for your service in the system will automatically be included on your page. You don’t have to work at building social proof because your community has already provided it. If your business hasn’t been mentioned, there’s no need to panic. Just create your page using these tips to optimize your profile:
- Go with a business page separate from your personal profile to make it easy for team members to manage the account BUT be sure to list your affiliation to your business on your personal profile
- Use a high-resolution attention-grabbing cover photo and an engaging greeting message showcasing your company and qualifications
- Make sure your business NAP (name, address, phone) is consistent with other online directories
- Include the basics such as hours of operation, contact email, and website link
How Can Nextdoor Make Your Business Grow?
Nextdoor allows businesses to “collect” member recommendations and display them for all to see. The recommendations are like online review gold, as there is no risk of fake reviews. This is also the reason Nextdoor doesn’t allow you to import reviews from other platforms. Boost your recommendations by using the platform’s email tool to notify everyone on your contact list you’re a member. The more recommendations you collect, the higher your business ranks when someone conducts a search using the platform. You can then use both organic methods and paid ads to raise further awareness.
What are the Options for Paid and Free Advertising on Nextdoor?
Nextdoor offers both paid and free advertising opportunities to suit any marketing budget:
Paid Nextdoor Advertising
Paid Nextdoor advertising includes two billing options:
- Continuous ads with monthly billing: These ads are ideal for set-it-and-forget-it marketing with an ongoing message. You create a daily budget and are then billed on a 31-day billing cycle. Once you cancel an ad, it will run until the end of the current cycle.
- Ads with a specific end date: You can also run ads with an end date, ideal for special offers, new products, or events. In this case, Nextdoor charges you upfront based on your daily budget times 31. If there are funds remaining in your ad, it is applied to your next ad. Ads that run for less than 31 days can’t be canceled.
Ad Types
Ads are simple to set up with automatic formatting that includes a headline, photo, and call-to-action. Your ads are displayed based on your goals in one or more of the following areas:
- Newsfeed in the scrolling area for posts and conversations
- Right-hand rail at the side of the newsfeed to help drive website traffic
- For Sale & Free ads shown in the marketplace to help increase website traffic for offers
- Real Estate section Ads in the Real Estate and home services categories specific to real estate-related services
Unpaid Nextdoor Advertising
To help leverage organic exposure on Nextdoor, you can also use these unpaid advertising ideas:
- Review responses: Thank members who recommend your business and use the opportunity to learn more about their experience by asking questions.
- Engage with people: Take time to engage with your neighbors, contributing to discussion boards and looking for opportunities to answer questions. This is a great way to share and establish your expertise while helping people find you.
- Be authentic: Create a brand personality focused on helping people as opposed to becoming a blatant advertiser blowing your own horn. Authenticity always reigns supreme on Nextdoor, and being helpful and educational is the best approach.
- Create posts for the community feed: You can click “post” on the community feed to share messages or even create a poll. If you have something exciting or especially helpful to share, you can create an “urgent alert” that appears at the top of the feed. Just be sure to use this option sparingly so people don’t start ignoring your sense of drama.
- Announce events: Since the platform is all about community, use the Events section to “Add” events you are either sponsoring, throwing or attending. For example, you might know of a nearby music festival you plan to attend, or you might be participating in a local charity drive. These little announcements help establish your commitment to the community.
- Create a targeted group: In the community feed, you can click on “Browse all groups” to create your own group to share your expertise. For example, a florist might create a group for engaged couples, while a roofing company might start a home maintenance group. Privacy settings and invites keep the group exclusive.
- Employee posts: Encourage your employees to become Nextdoor members as a way to share insider promotional information through their networks. If your service area is smaller, this becomes more complicated because your staff likely lives across varied neighborhoods.
- Attend events: Be sure to attend events in your neighborhood and post images and comments about how much fun you had and what made the event so great. This supports your community and shows you are a giver, not a taker.
- Recommend your business: Find a friendly way to recommend your own business through your personal account. Offering help comes across much more neighborly than blatant self-promotion.
Nextdoor is a must for local businesses trying to expand their reach within the community or small businesses hoping to expand into neighboring communities.
With all the options in social media, it can be a challenge to understand the nuances of each. With the right marketing partner, you can confidently utilize all the resources available to you and start getting more leads like never before! If you need a little help with this, we’re happy to chat.
