Nextdoor, the hyperlocal social networking service for neighborhoods, has launched a Neighborhood Sponsorships feature. The service offers businesses a new marketing tool to promote their business and engage with the local community. With Neighborhood Sponsorships, businesses advertise to customers on a zip code level.
Research shows a huge 85% of small business owners depend on work-of-mouth referrals. Local marketing helps businesses reach local audiences and establish themselves in their local community.
Nextdoor Sponsorships
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, 75% of consumers say they plan to support local businesses as widely as possible. Given the renewed support of local businesses, it is more important than ever that small businesses reach out to local markets.
Reaching Out to Movers
The number of people moving to new areas has also been on the rise in recent months. According to Nextdoor, mentions of movers has witnessed an 84% increase since March 2020. Nextdoor found the top topics new movers were searching for included law services, house cleaning services, handyman and landscape contractors. Reaching out people moving into an area who many require local services is therefore important for businesses.
Building Brand Awareness Locally
Neighborhoods Sponsorships could prove invaluable in helping small businesses build brand awareness and rapport with local customers, both new and existing. As NextDoor writes in a blog about the Neighborhood Sponsorships tool:
“By building a rapport with members of the local community, you will establish your brand and reputation, making you the first business that comes to mind when neighbors need your product or services.”
To become a Neighborhood Sponsor, businesses need to claim their free business page on Nextdoor. They can then head to the ‘Sponsorships/Manage Plan’ tab to select the ZIP codes they want to reach out to. Businesses will hear back from Nextdoor regarding the availably and pricing of the ZIP codes they are interested in.
Neighborhood Sponsorships Ads
Small businesses can run ads in Neighborhood Sponsorships that makes it easy to directly connect with customers. The ads are placed in the Nextdoor newsfeed, the most visible section in Nextdoor.
Sponsors receive two Business Posts per month, per sponsored ZIP code. These posts enable businesses to engage with the community. Sponsors can also unlock access to features such as polls and events, providing more creative ways to drive discussion and engagement with neighbors.
Respond to Private Messages
Businesses can respond to private message and comments on their posts to maximise engagement with potential customers.
During these uncertain times where there is a growing emphasis on local merchants, it is imperative small businesses connect with local communities. Tools like Nextdoor’s Neighborhood Sponsorships gives small businesses the marketing exposure to build brand awareness at a local level.
Image: Depositphotos.com
This article, “Nextdoor Neighborhood Sponsorships are Hyper Local Ads for Small Business” was first published on Small Business Trends