Nextdoor: the new social network aimed at friendship between you and your neighbors

Nextdoor it's with us but there are a few caveats and they all start with some hairy questions: how involved are you in your community life? Can you say you know your neighbors well? Do you even know them? If so, is it possible to consider them as your friends? At least they get along well, are they cordial? If the answer is no to some or all of these questions, how about a social network that helps you get that kick-start?

Introducing Nextdoor Australia from Nextdoor on Vimeo.

This new social network has the sole purpose and noble purpose of promoting the collective well-being of its neighborhood. United communities are powerful. They promote a safer and, why not, happier environment.

But the interaction is not always spontaneous. On the contrary. We know that interacting with someone for the first time can be beyond complicated, so with the advent of technology, why not use it to your advantage?

Nextdoor is the new best friend in the neighborhood

Here's how it works: you register quickly and provide your home address. The system automatically identifies your neighborhood and starts to provide you with useful information, such as events, requests and even friendship suggestions. Something very close to what happens with the Facebook, but the macro has moved to micro, and it's very, very efficient.

The target audience of Nextdoor are the elderly. It is proven that, over the years, the elderly have been living more and more in seclusion, so why not help them to know better who is around? Everyone comes out winning.

"Nextdoor it's a place where neighbors can turn online conversations into offline conversations, fostering real relationships with their local community and the people who live in it,” says Nirav Tolia, co-founder and CEO of the platform.

Another important thing about the social network is that there is a distance limit for interaction on this social network. After a few kilometers, the application understands that it has already crossed the borders of its neighborhood and does not capture more information.

The idea is to focus on what's close to you. And they are very serious about this: you need to prove your address on a call or confirmation of a code, which will be provided via a postcard that will be delivered to you at your doorstep.

Happiness can't be bought

The numbers surrounding the Nextdoor impressive: currently available in only eight countries, the company is valued at around US$2,2 billion and has more than 200 registered neighborhoods.

And the beta, which was launched just two weeks ago in Australia, already counts more than 350 neighborhoods registered in the country alone. The secret?

 “Building connections and communities is a human need,” comments Tolia. “While technology continues to allow people to get to know each other anywhere on the globe, connections that lead to deeper interactions and exchange of real experiences is a desire that has become more and more necessary than ever before” .

Nextdoor is not yet available in Brazil, but it is possible to know more about its mission in its official website, as well as on the platforms iOS e Android.