Small business guide to getting Nextdoor recommendations

This article was updated on May 9, 2022

It’s no secret that a recommendation from a customer goes a long way. When you’re a local business, recommendations are all the more important. Recommendations are free and facilitate word-of-mouth marketing that can help boost your business’s visibility and credibility.

On Nextdoor, neighbours are eager to show their support for small businesses and have already shared 55 million business recommendations. This is a crowd you want to get your business in front of.

Keep reading to learn more about recommendations on Nextdoor and how you can use them to build buzz around your business.

NOTE: Use the table of contents below to easily navigate to specific sections, including downloadable assets.

Why you should make Nextdoor recommendations a priority

Unlike other platforms, Nextdoor recommendations are from real neighbours in your community. Every member on Nextdoor has gone through a registration process to ensure they live where they say they do. That means you don’t have to worry about fake recommendations that could potentially dilute and even harm your business’s reputation. If neighbours recommend your business, rest assured that it’s a real recommendation from a real customer.

Beyond that, recommendations play a major role in purchasing decisions. New Nextdoor data shows that:

96% of neighbours have seen a business recommendation on Nextdoor
72% have been influenced by a recommendation
71% have shared a business recommendation

Learn more about how Nextdoor neighbours value recommendations in our latest Insights report here.

The more recommendations you receive, the more visible your business will be on Nextdoor. In fact, Business Pages with recommendations get up to 19X more views than pages without.

Getting started with Nextdoor recommendations

To start making the most of Nextdoor recommendations you’ll want to first claim your free Business Page if you haven’t already.

NOTE: Recommendations will be displayed on your Business Page and when your business is mentioned in neighbours' posts.

Finding and responding to your recommendations

Once you’ve set up your Business Page, navigate to the “Your Reputation” tab. If you're on mobile, you'll find the "Your Reputation" tab after clicking on the "More" icon.

This tab is where you’ll be able to see your recommendations and respond to what neighbours are saying about your business.

Keep in mind, Nextdoor neighbours may choose to make their recommendation visible to anyone or nearby neighbours only. If they choose “anyone” the recommendation will be visible to customers who don’t necessarily live in your business’s neighbourhood.

Sharing your business page and requesting recommendations

Under the “Your Reputation”, tab you’ll also find the unique link to recommend your business. This is the quickest and easiest way to share your Business Page and make it easy for customers to recommend you. You can share this link anywhere, including in your own digital marketing (more on this later).

Once someone clicks on this unique link, they’ll be prompted to either sign in or create a free Nextdoor account. From there, they'll be prompted to leave you a recommendation.

TIP: Prioritize responding to your recommendations. When someone leaves you a recommendation, take a moment to thank them for their kind words and support. When you respond to your customers (for the good and bad) you foster the relationship they have with you and your business, which ultimately can build trust and encourage repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals.

Where your recommendations appear within Nextdoor

Your recommendations are highly visible and appear in multiple places within Nextdoor. Here’s where members will be able to find your business’s recommendations:

Your Business Page
Alongside your Business Posts
Alongside the preview when neighbours mention your business
Alongside any Nextdoor Ads

How to make it easy for customers to leave recommendations

So how do you go about getting recommendations? Sure, you can let them come naturally. Or you can take a more proactive approach to gather them. Remember, more is better so your business can be easily discoverable doneand attract new customers.

We’ve put together a list of different ways you can ask for recommendations and provided free downloadable resources that will make it easier to gather recommendations for your business.

Nextdoor Business Posts

Whether you’re a new or established business, it’s nice to every once in a while give nearby customers a refresher on who you are. An easy way to do this is with Nextdoor Business Posts - a free tool you receive when you claim and verify your Business Page. Share a few things about your business and how much you appreciate the support of the community, then make the ask. Include your unique recommendation link to make it easy for neighbours.

Example of what to write in your Business Post:

Hello neighbors!

We’re < Business Name > and we’ve been in the neighbourhood for
< # > years. We specialize in < list what you offer, your services you provide, etc. >.

We’re so grateful for the support of our community and are always looking for ways to better serve you. If you’ve
< shopped/dined/used our services/supported us… choose what best fits your business > in the past, we’d love to know your thoughts. Please consider leaving us a recommendation by clicking on this link < Insert the unique link to recommend your Business Page >.

Your thoughts go a long way. Thank you!

NOTE: Another way to get more recommendations is when your business gets tagged in conversations. Ask customers to tag your Business Page in their replies to neighbours who are looking for recommendations on Nextdoor. If they tag your Business Page, not only will your Business Page be linked within the conversation, their comment will count as a recommendation.

Social Media

Social media marketing tools that you may already be using are also good places to reach people who may already support your business. If they chose to follow your account, chances are they already think positively about your business and could be inclined to make a purchase or use your services if they live nearby.

Use social media to share existing recommendations and encourage customers to leave new ones.

Tips for sharing and collecting recommendations through social media

“Warm-up” your follower base by first sharing a few of your business’s existing reviews. This will help ease your followers into the idea of giving you a recommendation when you ask.
By mixing recommendations into your social media content strategy, you’re providing useful information that goes beyond making a sale. This helps with building a positive relationship with your followers.
Include your unique Nextdoor Business Page link in your social media posts to make it easy for your followers to leave recommendations.

Example of how to ask for a recommendation on social media:

Thank you for supporting @ <Business social media handle>! Please continue your support by leaving us a recommendation on our @nextdoor page. We’d love to hear from you.
<insert unique Business Page link>

We’ve also created free images you can use to accompany this post on social media. *Click the download button, then right click to save the image.

Email marketing

If your business uses email marketing, this is another channel for you to make the ask for recommendations. Similar to your social media followers, if a person is subscribed to your emails, chances are they already support your business and don’t mind hearing from you. But keep in mind, when a customer opts-in to receive your emails, they’re inviting you into the sacred space that is their inbox. You’ll want to be mindful of your messaging when it comes to asking for recommendations.

Tips for collecting recommendations through email marketing

If you have an online shop, set an automated email to go out to customers after their order has been delivered and they’ve had enough time to use your products. This could be anywhere from 7-30 days after the purchase.
If you aren’t online, ask customers after they’ve made a purchase in-store if they’d like to be included in your business’s email list. From there, you can follow up with an email asking for a recommendation.
If your business regularly sends out newsletters, you can include the unique link to your Nextdoor Business Page within the body of the email with a quick line asking them to leave a recommendation.
Alternatively, you can create a dedicated email asking customers for recommendations while highlighting some of your existing ones. If you do choose to send a dedicated email, avoid doing it too often so you don’t come across as “spammy.” Throughout the year, there are good opportunities to send a dedicated email. Consider scheduling one around Small Business Saturday, the festive season, or your business’s “birthday.”

Example of how to ask for a recommendation through email:

Dear < Customer Name >,

Thank you for visiting us at < Business Name >. We appreciate your support!

If you had a positive experience with us, we'd love it if you'd consider leaving us a recommendation on Nextdoor. You can do so using our unique link here: < Add your unique Nextdoor Business Page recommendation link >.

Recommendations mean the world to a local business like ours. Thank you!
< Business Name >

We’ve created this free banner you can use to accompany your email.

Your business website

Your website is another opportunity to remind customers about leaving your business a Nextdoor recommendation. While it doesn’t have to be an explicit ask, a subtle reminder can lead them to do so.

We've created a free website banner for you to download and place wherever you see fit on your site. Make sure to hyperlink it with your unique Nextdoor Business Page to make the recommendation process quick and easy.

Shopfront signage

Hanging signage at the entrance and check-out station is a great way to remind customers of your presence on Nextdoor and to encourage them to leave a recommendation later.

We've created a free poster for you to download and hang up around your business.

Grow your business with Nextdoor recommendations

At the end of the day, getting recommendations from loyal customers helps get the word out about your local business to prospective customers and is a cost-efficient means to market yourself. With Nextdoor, you can rest assured that your recommendations are coming from real people in your neighbourhood, and are not fake or anonymous. Take advantage of the opportunity to establish your reputation among nearby customers and get started by claiming your free Business Page on Nextdoor.