Owned and Operated Podcast: Nextdoor Marketing for Contractors
Episode Theme:
This episode explores how home service businesses—particularly in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical—can leverage Nextdoor as a local referral-driven marketing channel. Host John Wilson and guest Sam Preston (CEO of Service Galers) dig into why Nextdoor works, how to get started, the real tactics that drive results, and what pitfalls to avoid. The conversation focuses on actionable approaches, emphasizing authenticity, organic reach, and the differences between paid and organic strategies on the platform.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. What is Nextdoor, and Why Does it Matter?
- Definition & Appeal:
- Nextdoor is a neighborhood-specific social platform. Only nearby residents can join, making it hyper-local ([01:45]-[02:01]).
- People frequently request local recommendations for home service trades—painters, electricians, plumbers, etc.
- “Literally every customer I have is on this platform. They're constantly asking for recommendations.” — John ([01:14])
- Community Dynamics:
- Neighborhood drama and banter are common, but recommendation requests present a lucrative opportunity for contractors ([02:12]-[03:00]).
- Statistics: John counted 3-4 plumbing, 4-5 electrician, and 1-2 HVAC recommendation posts in just one week in a small neighborhood ([03:29]).
2. The Three Pillars of Nextdoor Marketing
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A. Organic Posting
- Narrative, personal content outperforms salesy posts ([05:01], [08:52]).
- Regular posting about real work—job photos, before/afters, personal stories—drives engagement.
- “It’s kind of wild. It’s just this, like, ‘here’s what I’m doing’…Everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God, come out to my house.’” — John ([06:26])
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B. Outreach through Comments
- Monitor the platform for recommendation requests. Comment your own or a friend/family member’s endorsement—including your profile link ([06:42]).
- “I saw this guy whose wife would always comment his handyman business, and that's how he would get so much business.” — Sam ([07:07])
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C. Paid Ads
- Nextdoor ads resemble Facebook (visuals, text, less like Google or PPC).
- Ad performance is mixed:
- “I've talked to people...the things that felt less salesy did better. They're looking for recommendations, something that has high social proof.” — Sam ([08:54])
- Ads must be closely tracked—most leads may be unqualified ([07:56]).
- Must link to a business profile and ensure you post organically for best results ([18:48]).
3. What Actually Works (and Why)
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Personalization & Storytelling:
- Nextdoor’s audience cares about authenticity and local reputation, not hard sales ([09:45], [10:46]).
- Strategies that show the people behind the business (owners, field staff, families) get the best traction ([10:46]).
- "People don't buy from businesses. People buy from people.” — John ([10:57])
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Viral Moments: Do Good, Show Good
- Posts about community-oriented deeds can go viral (e.g., helping a neighbor for free) ([12:14]).
- “He did a lawn for free from this older lady...and he posted about it and it blew up.” — Sam ([12:21])
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Reputation Monitoring & Response:
- Nextdoor is a hotspot for both positive and negative mentions.
- Actively monitor and respond quickly to any references or complaints ([05:28], [21:23]).
4. Practical Implementation Tips
- Claim & Build Your Business Profile:
- No downside—everyone should claim/set up a Nextdoor profile ([11:46]).
- Repurpose Content:
- Share job photos or testimonial stories used elsewhere (like Google Business Profile) onto Nextdoor for efficiency ([11:46], [22:04]).
- Incentivize Staff Content:
- Encourage field techs to document and share work; this feels more authentic and is scalable ([15:51]-[17:24]).
- “I bet there's one guy or girl in every department that...would think it's super fun to take videos every day.” — John ([15:51])
5. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Inauthentic Advertising:
- Salesy ads/coupons are ignored; organic, narrative posts work better ([22:04]).
- “No one gives a [expletive] about that coupon. Not even me, and I’m running the ads.” — John ([22:24])
- Neglecting to Respond:
- Failure to respond quickly to leads or comments means wasted opportunities and ad spend ([21:23]).
- Ignoring Community Rules:
- Stay within guidelines to avoid banning ([21:23]).
- Not Tracking Results:
- Tie leads and calls back to revenue; ensure ad spend produces meaningful ROI ([07:56]).
6. Is Nextdoor Worth It? The Hosts’ Ratings
- Effectiveness Rating:
- For small operators: potential is very high—can be a core revenue driver ([25:33]).
- For medium-sized firms: value may not justify effort until a dedicated resource is available ([24:51]-[25:33]).
- “If you could do good organic content, my guess is it's like a 7 or 8 [out of 10]. Like, it's a very high potential for viral, deep, direct interaction with customers.” — John ([24:15])
- Sam scores it "4" due to market and size dependency, but says it “could be the entire enchilada if you want it to be” ([24:50]).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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“Organic storytelling and personal storytelling—Nextdoor and Facebook groups are kinda the same. People don't buy from businesses. People buy from people.”
— John ([10:46]) -
“When I talked to people, they said that the things that felt less salesy did better. They're looking for something that has a high level of social proof.”
— Sam ([08:54]) -
“If you're not responding to comments fast enough or if you're not responding to leads fast enough, it doesn't matter what platform you are on, like, you're not going to win.”
— Sam ([21:23]) -
“For the right person, this could be like the entire enchilada if you want it to be.”
— Sam ([25:33]) -
“I'm like actively documenting this because I feel like this is exactly what I'm going to go work on. This is going to be dope.”
— John ([25:33])
Suggested Action Plan for Contractors
- Claim your Nextdoor business profile now ([11:46])
- Monitor and respond to brand mentions
- Share narrative, organic, photo-rich posts regularly
- Encourage your team to document jobs, incentivize participation
- Experiment with ad creatives—focus on authenticity over polish
- Be quick to reply to leads and stay within community guidelines
- Track leads to confirm ROI before scaling up ad spend
Important Timestamps
- [01:14] — The opportunity and scale of recommendation requests
- [03:29] — John’s informal data on trades mentioned in a week
- [06:42] — The three primary ways to use Nextdoor (organic posts, outreach via comments, ads)
- [08:54] — What works in Nextdoor advertising (high social proof, less salesy)
- [10:46] — The value of narrative, storytelling posts
- [11:46] — Claim and set up a business profile
- [12:21] — Community/charity post goes viral
- [15:51] — Incentivize field staff for content creation
- [21:23] — Common marketing mistakes on Nextdoor
- [24:15], [24:50] — Effectiveness ratings and summary thoughts
Overall Takeaway:
Nextdoor is a powerful, underutilized marketing engine for home service businesses—when used as a platform for authentic storytelling, local engagement, and reputation building. Focus on being real, responsive, and consistent with content, and you’ll likely outpace larger competitors who overlook these personal touches. For small operators, Nextdoor can be transformational; for larger ones, invest in the narrative aspect before running standard ads.