Facebook Neighborhoods: A Nextdoor Clone?

The use of social media platforms to connect with those living nearby and access local resources has significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facebook, boasting a global user base of 2.7 billion, is now exploring ways to more directly facilitate these connections. Coincidentally, as reports surface regarding Nextdoor’s preparations for an initial public offering, Facebook has begun testing a similar feature called Neighborhoods. This new tool proposes Facebook-created Neighborhood groups (designated with a capital 'N') tailored to your location, designed to help you connect with residents, local events, and items for sale.

According to a statement provided to TechCrunch, a Facebook spokesperson explained, “People are increasingly utilizing Facebook to engage with their local communities. To further simplify this process, we are initiating a limited test of Neighborhoods, a distinct area within Facebook dedicated to connecting individuals with their neighbors.”

Currently, Facebook has launched Neighborhoods exclusively in Calgary, Canada, as a testing ground before a potential wider release.

The feature is accessible through the main Facebook app’s Menu, appearing alongside options like Marketplace, Groups, Friends, Pages, and Events. It was initially brought to widespread attention through a Twitter post by social media strategist Matt Navarra, who was informed by Calgary-based social media expert Leon Grigg of Grigg Digital. Developer and app analyst Jane Manchun Wong also observed an early version of the feature as early as May.

Based on screenshots shared by Grigg, these Neighborhood groups – local groups within the new Neighborhoods feature – function similarly to those found on Nextdoor, being organized around defined geographical areas on a map.

It appears these Neighborhood groups will become active once a sufficient number of residents in the area have joined, mirroring the functionality of Nextdoor. However, unlike Nextdoor groups, and differing from standard Facebook groups, these are not established, managed, or moderated by administrators, nor do they utilize “Community Ambassadors” as Nextdoor does. Instead, Facebook generates them automatically.

Facebook has indicated that it will also recommend other local groups, but has not yet determined whether these will include existing groups on the platform or solely consist of the new Neighborhood groups. This raises questions about the potential impact on existing neighborhood Groups (with a lowercase 'n') should the feature be implemented more broadly.

At present, joining Neighborhood groups requires additional user permissions and appears to be more of a suggested experience rather than something users would naturally discover like typical Facebook Groups.

Grigg’s screenshots reveal that upon accessing Neighborhoods, users are prompted to share their location with Facebook. This location data sharing also serves as a means for the company to gather further information for advertising and marketing purposes.

The platform then suggests a Neighborhood for you to join and displays a list of nearby groups, along with a set of community guidelines. If a Neighborhood is not yet active due to insufficient membership, users can invite others to participate.

Facebook clarifies that when you contribute to a Neighborhood group, individuals will see your specific Neighborhood profile and posts within that context, but this does not automatically expose your regular Facebook profile. You can manage these visibility settings within your privacy options.

Facebook then guides you through examples of posts suitable for Neighborhoods, or to populate your own once it’s active. (The screenshots illustrate examples such as sharing photos of decorated pumpkins and offering recommendations for local businesses.)

Leveraging an Established Functionality: Groups

With Neighborhoods, Facebook is significantly investing in a feature that already sees widespread adoption – and for a growing number of users, represents the primary way the platform is utilized – namely, Groups. These groups facilitate connections with diverse communities, operating outside of an individual’s existing network of friends and family.

During Facebook’s Communities Summit earlier this month, CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that over 1.8 billion individuals actively engage with Groups on a monthly basis. Furthermore, he noted that more than 70 million individuals dedicate their time as unpaid group administrators and moderators.

Zuckerberg stated in 2019, and reiterated this month, “We’re going to make communities as central to the FB experience as friends and family.”

As Sarah observed in 2014, even when Groups had a user base of 500 million, the experience within Facebook Groups often felt distinct from the core social network. Users were forging connections with individuals beyond their immediate circles of friends, family, and coworkers, and instead connecting with communities centered around shared locations or interests.

This function became even more prominent in 2020, as many individuals turned to local groups during the COVID-19 pandemic to access local resources, participate in mutual aid initiatives, and maintain contact with one another.

Alternatively, these groups served as forums for expressing concerns: the local group I assist in managing fulfilled all of the aforementioned purposes, but also provided a space for residents to voice anxieties regarding overcrowding and unlawful activity in the local park. This ultimately led to the collection of feedback and support, which enabled the community to effectively communicate the issue to local council members and work towards a resolution.

Much of the value derived from Groups arises organically, independent of Facebook’s direct promotion or product development. With Neighborhoods, the company appears to be exploring methods to more deliberately capitalize on this existing dynamic.

This strategic move is understandable. A significant number of users have reduced their sharing activity on Facebook, and the platform has faced scrutiny regarding the spread of misinformation. Simultaneously, Facebook has been expanding its Marketplace and offering increased support for local businesses to encourage advertising. Establishing Neighborhoods as a central hub for these initiatives aligns with the company’s commercial objectives.

Knocking Nextdoor

The launch timing of this feature is significant for an additional reason. Although Facebook possesses a much larger scale and broader reach than Nextdoor, the latter has recently established a stable position. Increased public interest in discovering local online resources has benefited Nextdoor, which has been working to overcome a challenging image as a platform sometimes associated with negativity, prejudiced remarks disguised as civic concern, and reports of missing animals. This has allowed the company to experience renewed growth.

Initiatives such as developing neighborhood support networks and publicly addressing societal concerns have assisted Nextdoor in reshaping its public perception. Currently serving approximately 268,000 neighborhoods, the company is capitalizing on this trend and is reportedly considering an initial public offering through a SPAC, potentially valued between $4 billion and $5 billion.

Admittedly, this feature is a relatively small addition compared to the comprehensive capabilities of Facebook. However, considering Facebook already incorporates many elements similar to Nextdoor’s functionality within its existing platform, integrating these features is a logical step.

Updated with a statement from Facebook regarding Groups