Are you a small business? Do you have big goals? Of course, you do, and there are online tools out there that can help. Nextdoor is a thriving social media app that brings things a lot closer to home. Instead of targeting the worldwide web, Nextdoor targets your neighborhood, which means local customers who are on the hunt for the consumer goods and services you offer. Most local companies aren’t in the business of competing with the big guys out there but, instead, are looking to connect with local consumers – to build a bigger fan base close to home.
Lost Puppy? Look No Further
Nextdoor takes neighborhood posters and fliers to the next level. When someone loses a pet or has a dining room furniture they want to sell, they advertise locally because the message is diluted when it’s spread far and wide. Nextdoor condenses the power of social media to the local arena, and strategically tapping into this marketing stream can do wonders for local businesses.
Making Your Mark in the Community
As a local business, making your mark in the community makes sense, and Nextdoor allows you to highlight your involvement in what’s going on locally. Even if the business you do is far flung – and not dependent on local patronage – you are a member of the community in which your homebase resides. And failing to recognize the rewards and responsibility that go along with this means failing to maximize the attendant marketing potential.
What Nextdoor Has to Offer You
Nextdoor is a massive platform with a hometown focus, and as a result, it can inject small businesses with a serious boost.
A Massive Database
Of all the socials, Nextdoor is one of the fastest growing. The number of active users is speeding toward 100 million, and its massive size and local flavor makes it perfect for small businesses that are interested in harnessing a local marketing advantage by leveraging their advertising dollars.
Local Exposure
With Nextdoor, you can train your focus exactly where you want it – on your neighborhood, area, or region. This app vets users by requiring specific identifying information – and even employing an invitation system involving registered neighbors on the platform. When you put yourself out there on Nextdoor, you know you’re reaching your community, which means you’re connecting more directly with your potential customers.
Limiting the Competition
When you advertise on a broader platform, you compete with all and sundry, but when your advertising focus is more fine-tuned, you increase your chances of establishing yourself as a champion of your community. The number of businesses like yours in the area in which you’re competing is limited, and when you advertise on a robust local marketing platform like Nextdoor, you help to establish not only your connection but also your commitment to your neighborhood, which your neighbors appreciate.
Reviews and Recommendations
Consumers have become savvy to reviews and recommendations, and many are hesitant to pull the trigger when these tools aren’t available. Nextdoor, however, doesn’t miss a trick, and users are encouraged to write reviews and make recommendations, which can help pave the way for increased sales.
Getting Started
Getting started on Nextdoor is a lot like getting started on any other social networking app like Instagram or Facebook. The basics include:
- Find your business name by locating the Local Page on Nextdoor’s site and enter your business info as directed.
- Claim your company as a business – and not as an individual. Once you’ve entered your business name and address, determine if it’s already on the system, and if it isn’t, you’ll need to set up your business page, which is fairly straightforward.
- Choose a username, enter your email address, and create a password.
- From here, Nextdoor will need to verify your business by sending you a verification code, and once entered, you’ll be ready to go.
Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Once you’re all set up, it’s time to enter your business logo and write your greeting. This is your time to shine with copy that lets searchers know who you are as a business and what you’re all about – while welcoming them to explore further. This is where you establish your credibility as a good neighbor and as a business with something unique to offer – rather than launching directly into selling mode, which there is plenty of time for moving forward. You’ll also need to provide accurate contact information – to help make connecting seamless.
Finding Your Niche
One of the last components of setting up Nextdoor is classifying your business in one of the available categories. The more care you put into accurately classifying your enterprise, the easier it will be for the locals to find you and to partake of what you have on tap.
Five Surefire Tips for Maximizing Your Nextdoor Presence
Your business is like no other, and your approach to Nextdoor will be unique as well. This said, however, there are five basic tips that can help every business owner make the most of their Nextdoor presence, including:
- One: Showcase your business logo or headshot – the more personal and polished, the better.
- Two: Include a link to your website and any other online space that represents your biz.
- Three: Use your words, and tell your unique business story, which is sure to resonate with your neighbors.
- Four: Stock your photo gallery with pics that pop. Not for nothing do we say that a picture says a thousand words.
- Five: Share your business hours – because you need to be open when your neighbors visit.
A Seasoned Digital Marketing Pro Can Help You Move Nextdoor
Nextdoor offers a powerful convergence of social media and local advertising that local businesses are wise to tap into. The digital marketing experts at The Web Guys help businesses like yours put tools like Nextdoor to work for them, and we encourage you to reach out for more info by contacting or call us at (317) 805-4933 today.
