In its essence, Nextdoor is very similar to Facebook, but it is designed for your neighborhood and other local communities. For example, if you live in Anaheim, you may be able to see posts from nearby towns such as Fullerton and Garden Grove. The concept of Nextdoor is a great one because it can serve as more private than a Facebook group devoted to your town. You can find out how to become a black belt in local Orange County social media and SEO below!
Register Your Business
If you are a local business, it is absolutely a good idea that you get on Nextdoor and create a business page. Think of it this way: there are millions of businesses that are active on Facebook and Instagram, but if you are a mom-and-pop flower shop in a small U.S. town, you may only be able to hit limited numbers on there. On Nextdoor, you have the ability to increase your visibility among your neighbors and nearby neighborhoods, as well.
Like Facebook, you are required to use your real name on NextDoor. You will also be sent a code via snail mail to your address to confirm that you actually reside in your neighborhood. You can also get an invitation to join if you have a neighbor who is already on the website. This will allow you to activate your regular user account.
Once you’re in, you’re going to want to go to businesses > claim your business > professional business. From there, you will fill out which email address you want to use for your business account (it can be different than the one you signed up with) and its general information, such as the business name and address.
Understanding SEO VS Local SEO
Because only people who live within your area will be able to see your content, it’s crucial not to make the mistake of using general SEO instead of local SEO. General SEO is geared towards a global audience, so keywords you will want to use to engage only people who are nearby are likely to be different. Think of it this way: if you want to go to a Mexican restaurant in the area, you’re not going to want to see results for restaurants in Indianapolis if you live in Orange County. A lot of these people are looking for immediate, nearby solutions, especially if they are using Nextdoor to find what they need; you’re not going to have much success if you use global SEO. Nextdoor themselves even encourage you to use local SEO.
Post at the right times
There’s a best time and day of the week to share content on just about every website, and Nextdoor is no exception. The Nextdoor Editorial Team has revealed that Thursdays and Fridays between 5 and 7 pm are the best time to post and that you should be posting about every other week for the best results.
Connect with other local businesses
It’s easy to feel in competition with other businesses in the area that offer the same or similar services as you. Besides, you need the profit in order for your business to survive, but hold your horses for just a moment. As you already know, in order to build a loyal and reliable client base, you must know how to network both in-person and online. Why not start building professional relationships with businesses in your area? This will help you get recommendations on Nextdoor, and according to the staff themselves, business pages with five or more recommendations have significantly higher engagement levels.
Even if you are a car repair technician and the place next to you is a hair salon, there’s no harm in attempting to build some kind of connection with your neighbors. Acknowledge each other on the website, or even give reviews of other local businesses that you love to make others more aware of your presence. Did you get a handy new pair of shoes from the mom-and-pop clothing store across the street? Go on Nextdoor and tell everyone how much Howard’s Computer Center loves their top-quality service and the people who work there!
The Final Verdict
If you are a smaller business, we think that NextDoor is an excellent platform to use. Heck, even if you already have a sizable audience, it wouldn’t hurt to add this tool to the list of your platforms. At Drive Traffic Media, we offer solutions to any problems and confusion you may have about the wild world of search engine optimization. Go ahead and give us a call today at (949) 800-6990 or email us at info@drivetrafficmedia.com for a free quote for social media and Orange County SEO digital marketing that is ethical and truly works.
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