Nextdoor Launches Self-Service API For Business
Nextdoor, while not a friend finding app first and foremost, is an app that connects people with their neighbours and can help foster a sense of local community. In that sense it very much is a social discovery app for you and your neighbours. But the app is also a way that you can find out more about what is going on in your local neighbourhood. Nextdoor is looking to make that easier by allowing local businesses to connect with their local area.
Nextdoor has launched a Nextdoor Developer site and portal. It offers businesses a chance to utilise the range of Nextdoor’s API that facilitate advertising and reach to businesses’ local communities. Businesses can run ad campaigns on Nextdoor directly. Or they can put Nextdoor plugins and API on their own websites and channels. And finally, there are APIs that allow businesses to display content from Nextdoor and integrate into their own services. With the APIs, essentially, businesses can attempt to integrate themselves more directly into the communities they are targeting.
Heidi Andersen, Chief revenue Officer at Nextdoor said:
“Nextdoor has delivered real value to partners through our content and advertising APIs. With our APIs, partners have the opportunity to serve locally relevant content to a highly engaged audience, as well as measure the results of their efforts. We’re excited to continue to expand our API solutions and connect partners with the people, communities and customers that matter to them.”
Social discovery is such a new and exciting industry with lots of start-ups, new apps and new brands. They will serve a hugely important job in helping reduce and tackle loneliness around the world. But they of course also need to make money to survive. Nextdoor is showing here one way that can be done. Keep the service free to users, but ensure they create a platform that entices business and brands and give them a way to connect. The other way we often see these apps try to make a business model is by offering a premium version for their users. There’s no right or wrong way, it depends on the app and the service and what feels authentic, right and valuable to its users. In Nextdoor’s case, connecting the community with the business around it makes perfect sense.
