by Brittany McSorley
When it comes to social media marketing on Cape Cod, local expertise is priceless. It’s true everywhere, but especially on the Cape: In order for your small business to thrive, you need to stay engaged with your community. Nextdoor is an oft-overlooked social media tool that can help you do just that.
Nextdoor describes itself as a “social networking service for neighborhoods.” Though it has become a tad infamous as a hangout for nosy neighbors, it also facilitates important engagement among communities. Unlike Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, it’s hyper-localized, which provides ample opportunity for small businesses to make an impact.
Nextdoor is populated by residents, businesses, and public agencies. Its users, who are all verified as actual locals, can read news, interact with their neighbors, and exchange recommendations for the businesses they love. According to Hootsuite, the app’s capabilities include asking questions, posting polls, buying and selling, and organizing events within neighborhoods. As a business on Nextdoor, you can run targeted local ads, spread the word on special promotions and offers, and, most importantly, engage with your customers to maintain a sparkling local reputation.
The key to marketing success on Nextdoor lies in recommendations. Your business won’t even appear in searches until three users have recommended it, so you’ll want to promote your presence on the app through other social media channels. Consider asking satisfied customers to recommend you on Nextdoor, the way many restaurants encourage diners to review their experience on Yelp.
Once your business is visible, you can stay engaged on Nextdoor by replying to comments and questions. Just like on other apps, your search ranking and reach depend on consistent engagement, so make yourself as available as possible to this new online community.
Interested in exploring this social media tool? Start by creating a business account on Nextdoor. Happy marketing!
