Why Your Remodeling Business Should Be On Nextdoor

Is one of your main goals to attract more leads and book more remodeling projects?

If you’re like most remodelers I know, the answer is yes.

Well, what if I told you there is a virtually untapped platform that has more than 10 million verified users, most of which are homeowners? What if I told you that you could target ads to homeowners in specific ZIP codes and neighborhoods? Or that you could build more recommendations and referrals simply by creating a free profile?

Yes, folks—that platform exists, and it’s called Nextdoor.

How Nextdoor Can Help Remodelers Increase Leads and Booked Projects

Nextdoor is a social networking app created for homeowners and renters within specific zip codes and neighborhoods—it’s like Facebook, but the only conversations you see are ones from your neighbors. The very nature of Nextdoor is local—their mission is to enable local conversations that empower neighbors to build stronger and safer communities—which is one of the reasons this platform is as valuable to remodelers as Facebook.

Nextdoor can help you increase leads and sales because conversations and posts are limited to things like:

• Home service provider recommendations (this is the one you care about)
• Spreading the word about a lost pet
• Sharing news, images, or doorbell videos of break-ins or package thefts
• Sharing information during bouts of bad weather or natural disasters
• Selling or giving away items like bookshelves, old bikes, etc.

Going back to that first one, home service requests and recommendations make up 30% of chatter on Nextdoor—more than any other social media platform in existence. This includes requests for local (and trustworthy) roofing companies, landscaping companies, handymen, and—you got it—home remodelers. 

Take a look at a recent conversation that happened in my neighborhood:

You know as well as I do that referrals and recommendations are your best source of leads. Considering there were already 17 million recommendations on the platform back in 2017, you can bet there are hundreds of thousands of recommendations that currently happen on a daily basis.

I GUARANTEE that the homeowner picked one of those two remodeling companies her neighbors recommended. If she didn’t end up choosing one of them, I’ll still bet that she at least visited both of those remodelers’ websites.

Nextdoor’s Verification Process—And Why It Matters

Ask any social media marketer what they don’t like about Facebook and Twitter advertising, and one of the top answers will always be: “There are too many spam or fake accounts. I’m wasting money on non-existent people.”

One thing I LOVE about Nextdoor—and you’ll love, too—is that every member’s address is verified using one of the following six methods:

• Matching phone number
• Credit or debit card
• Postcard sent to your address
• Last four digits of your SSN
• LexisNexis
• Invitation from a neighbor

If you’re one of the business owners or marketers who are tired of wasting money on maybe, possibly reaching the right people, this is one feature you won’t be able to resist.

NEXTDOOR REVIEWS and Recommendations—Your Ticket to More Leads

Another reason remodelers love Nextdoor is because of the power of reviews:

• 90% of consumers read online reviews before visiting a business
• 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation
• 72% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more

Remember that image above? I want to point out something particularly interesting about it. If you notice, at the bottom of some of those recommendations is a company name tagged in green:

When someone taps on that green company name, the app then takes them to that company’s profile (another reason you need one):

If you’re the only remodeling company in your area who has claimed their page—or even advertise on Nextdoor—you’re going to have a healthy leg up on the competition.

How to Claim Your Nextdoor Profile

In order to claim your Nextdoor business profile, you need to be an employee, owner, or other authorized representative of the business. You have the option of claiming a page as an individual or as a business, but unless you’re a solo operation, we recommend claiming it as a business. Here’s how to do it:

1. Search for your business’s Local Page here.
2. Click Claim to the right of your business.
3. Choose to claim as a Business or as an Individual.

4. Enter your name, the email address you’d like to use for communication, and a password. Alternatively, if you already have a Nextdoor account for personal use, you can claim your Local Page by clicking Sign in to use your personal account to claim. NOTE: If you do this and need to share your account with an employee to help you manage your Local Page, that will mean sharing your personal email and  Nextdoor password. We do not recommend doing this if you operate your business out of a separate business account. 
5. After claiming your page, Nextdoor will verify your remodeling business by calling you with the number they have on file for your business (you can update the number if it’s incorrect). You’ll then be asked to enter a verification code and presto! You’re verified.

Tips for Making the Most Out of Your Remodeling Company’s Nexdoor Profile

If you want to get results out of your Nextdoor profile, there are a few ways we recommend doing it:

1. Take out paid ads (more on that below—there are caveats)
2. Completely fill out your profile, including adding your services and differentiators in your bio, adding a profile photo, and adding a banner photo, updating your services, and including your contact information
3. Respond to personal requests for recommendations with your business information, but be careful not to be too sales-y
4. Add your events to local neighborhoods’ event calendars
5. Take advantage of Nextdoor Offers by listing current coupons, specials, and deals

How to Advertise Your Remodeling Company on Nextdoor

Currently, you’re only able to advertise your remodeling company on Nextdoor if:

1. You’re a remodeler with an enterprise-level budget
2. OR You’re the client of an agency that gets special advertising rates (like Blue Corona)

Most ads on Nextdoor are from national brands like Home Advisor or Ring because Nextdoor’s minimum monthly investment levels surpass what the average remodeler can afford.

If you have the budget to take out Nextdoor ads on your own, you’ll need a few extra tools in your marketing toolbox in order to get the most out of your investment

• Professional copywriting tailored to social media platforms
• A landing page on your website dedicated to web traffic from Nextdoor
• A tracked phone line—as well as call and lead form tagging—so you can accurately measure phone calls and web leads from Nextdoor ads
• An accurate analytics and measuring system that enables you to track important metrics like impression to click, call to lead, and lead to sale conversion rates.
• Monthly reporting that ties campaign results back to your bottom line

Bonus: If you’re a Blue Corona client, you get all these added perks included with your ad package, as well as a dedicated account manager to monitor success and break down the data.  Learn more here, or contact us to get started.

WHERE Your Remodeling ADS SHOW UP ON NEXTDOOR

There are two places remodeling ads can show up: the neighborhood news feed and in Nextdoor’s digest emails, sent daily or weekly:

Have Any Questions About Nextdoor for Remodelers?

Nextdoor is the ninth most downloaded lifestyle app in the U.S.—90% of American neighborhoods are using it to get recommendations and find local remodelers. Blue Corona has teamed up with Nextdoor to provide more affordable advertising options for small and medium remodeling businesses, so there are no barriers between you and being the first in your service area to take out paid ads.

Need help or have any questions on how Nextdoor can help you grow your remodeling business? Contact us by filling out the form below!