Nextdoor Do's and Don'ts

In this troubled time of CoVid19, it's nice to reach out and touch someone online.

One way to do this is with Nextdoor, a community networking website with groups covering 85% of neighborhoods in the U.S.

Do you have a Nextdoor online community where you live? If you do, I encourage you to join.

As a Lead for my neighborhood, I share information with the residents here in neighboring communities. During Hurricane Harvey, I posted pictures of our lake's level and advised newcomers what our elevation here was and whether we'd ever flooded in the last 15 years. I answered questions from those anxious about the situation and passed on information I heard from friends around the Houston area.

Nextdoor is a fabulous place to connect with neighbors, share news, give recommendations about businesses—especially contractors—that are reputable, and even share warnings about a crime or suspicious persons in the area.

Unlike most social media, Nextdoor is monitored and anyone can mark a post as violating Community Guidelines. Then that post goes up for review by Leads, those who are selected to monitor their neighborhoods' NextDoor feed. Flame wars and trading insults are not tolerated.


Nextdoor Do's and Don'ts

Take a deep breath & try not to panic!

1. Don't use Nextdoor as a soapbox for political, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious rants. There's already enough of that on the internet and television.

2. Do use your real name on Nextdoor because you're talking to neighbors who will know you, not some anonymous user who might be living in the Czech Republic.

3. Don't use Nextdoor to chat about deed restriction issues and and/or violations or notices. Everyone who has a HOA or POA has a Board of Directors so address your complaints there.

4. Do ask for help if you need to know something like how to contact animal control, who is a great electrician, where's the closest pizza joint, or other things you'd ask a neighbor who lived next door to you. There are usually several people willing to answer questions.

5. Don't disrespect anyone in your neighborhood, either your physical or your online Nextdoor neighborhood, and never engage in a flame war.

6. Do use categories for what you post. If you want to sell something, then put your post about it in the For Sale or Free category. If you want to talk about any venture in which you earn money, that's business so post it in Business.

Takeaway Truth

Nextdoor is all about being a good neighbor.