Nextdoor and RBC Launch Strategic Partnership to Connect Local Businesses with Customers in Their Neighbourhoods

This exclusive partnership will kick off with the launch of new Nextdoor features including business posts and local deals powered by RBC

Nextdoor, the neighbourhood app, and RBC announced an exclusive strategic partnership to connect communities and support local businesses across Canada. This partnership kicks off with Nextdoor’s ‘Open for Business Powered by RBC,’ an initiative to help revitalize local businesses by connecting them to their most valuable audience – their community members who are most likely to shop, dine and use the services offered by these establishments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on communities and local businesses. Now more than ever is the time to support the businesses that are vital to our neighbourhoods. As the official sponsor of Nextdoor’s business features, ‘Open for Business Powered by RBC’ will offer a new suite of features, including Business Posts and Local Deals, giving local businesses an opportunity to connect with their community unlike ever before. Business Posts and Local Deals are shown in the most popular sections of Nextdoor where neighbours already look for and share recommendations for businesses. Neighbours can save their Local Deals for later and redeem easily online or in-person. These features are currently available to local businesses. They can access one free post and RBC business clients will receive two additional free Business Posts and a free Local Deal for a limited time*.

“Small actions lead to big change. Partnering with RBC will help us ensure small businesses in Canada have the opportunity to connect with their neighbours,” said Christopher Doyle, Country Manager, Nextdoor Canada. “Word of mouth has always been a major part of our platform with neighbours recommending the businesses that make their community so vibrant. At the start of the pandemic, we saw an influx of neighbours turning to Nextdoor to rally behind their loved local businesses, and now we’re providing businesses with powerful tools to more easily connect with their local customers and help fuel their recovery. We’re proud to partner with RBC to bring the power of proximity to small businesses across Canada and help neighbours come together to support local during this unprecedented time.”

Entrepreneurs can now set up their free Business Page on Nextdoor, create a Business Post to let neighbours know they’re open for business, and purchase a Local Deal to promote a sale, discount, or other incentive to reach new and existing customers in the exact neighbourhoods they want to target. Nextdoor is the only platform where businesses can reach real neighbours with verified addresses at the local level, offering instant distribution to customers.

“During the pandemic, nearly 80% of Canadians polled in RBC’s 2020 Small Business Survey saw the value of local small businesses in their community, and we saw a groundswell of support for local businesses as Canadians rallied to show local some love during RBC’s national Canada United campaign this summer,” said Lori Darlington, Vice-President, Small Business & Strategic Partnerships, RBC. “We’re committed to sustaining that momentum of support as we continue to navigate the road to economic recovery together. And RBC’s partnership with Nextdoor is one of the many critical ways in which we’re helping business owners sustain their operations and making it easier to digitally connect with customers in their local communities.”

“As an entrepreneur, I’ve always believed in the power of community when growing and sustaining a successful business,” said Barry Hillier, entrepreneur and co-founder of Neighbourhood Coffee, a coffee company that creates unique blends for local Torontonians. “When we first launched, we began our promotion with a post on Nextdoor and were blown away by the response from people within the surrounding communities. Not only were they interested in our coffee but we could feel that they wanted us to succeed. In fact, many of our initial sales came from local supporters who we had never met but were living right on our street.”

Neighbours and businesses are encouraged to sign-up for Nextdoor to start connecting. To set up your free Nextdoor business page and take advantage of free posts and local deals, please visit https://go.nextdoor.com/openforbusiness-RBC.

*When you sign up with Nextdoor, in addition to the one (1) free business post you will receive, as an RBC Business Client you will also get an additional two (2) free business posts per month (regularly $125/post) for six months and one (1) free Local Deal (valued at $125) (collectively, “Offer”). “RBC Business Clients” are RBC clients who have an RBC business bank account or an RBC business credit card (excluding RBC commercial credit cards). Offer is valid for the first 6 months from the date of sign-up. RBC Business Clients must either sign up with Nextdoor via the RBC Offers for Business platform or if they who have an existing business account with Nextdoor must email businesssupport@nextdoor.com using their email associated with their business account for Nextdoor in order to receive the Offer. Offer must be activated before September 30th, 2021. Offer will be applied to your Nextdoor business account within 48 hours after the initial Nextdoor business account sign-up via RBC Offers for Business or for RBC Business Clients with an existing business account with Nextdoor upon email receipt to businesssupport@nextdoor.com. Nextdoor Canada Ltd, and not Royal Bank of Canada, is responsible for the terms and conditions applicable to this offer.

About Nextdoor, Inc.
Nextdoor is where neighbours come together for trusted connections and the exchange of helpful information, goods and services. We believe by bringing neighbours together, we can cultivate a kinder world where everyone has a neighbourhood they can rely on.

Building connections in the real world is a universal human need. That truth, and the reality that neighbourhoods are among the most important communities in our lives, have been guiding principles for Nextdoor since the beginning. Today, neighbours rely on Nextdoor to tap into more than 270,000 neighbourhoods around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Australia and Canada, with many more to come.

We recognize that thriving communities are more than just residents. They’re also made up of the local businesses, nonprofits and public agencies that keep our neighbourhoods strong and connected. Nextdoor is a privately held company based in San Francisco with backing from prominent investors including Benchmark, Shasta Ventures, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins, Riverwood Capital, Bond, Axel Springer, Comcast Ventures and others. For additional information and images: about.nextdoor.com/ca-en-media.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 86,000+ employees who bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada’s biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 34 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

SOURCE: RBC