Why localized ad campaigns help big brands win big

Are your national ad campaigns shouting into the void? While broad strategies can hit wide targets, they often miss the local pulse that drives real purchasing decisions. Today's consumers crave recommendations from people they trust—like their neighbors, not strangers from across the country. To truly connect, brands must focus on local markets, delivering content that speaks directly to specific communities. Think global, target local Thanks to advances in advertising technology, brands can now precisely target local audiences through geotargeting and geofencing while maintaining national reach. The most successful campaigns tell stories that reflect local culture and address regional preferences. And brands telling locally relevant stories that resonate with regional audiences are seeing real ROI improvements. Whether through video content or social media, a hyperlocal-at-scale advertising approach allows brands to demonstrate genuine understanding and empathy of their customers' needs and connect with them in meaningful ways. Furthermore, brands want their advertising dollars to make an impact on the right people, not waste impressions on bots. For example, Jack in the Box partnered with Nextdoor to promote pickup and delivery services at local restaurants. By working with Foursquare to track store visits and measure digital engagement, Jack in the Box documented nearly a million in-store visits during a two-day window. This high-performing campaign exemplifies how brands can effectively reach consumers where they live and drive measurable results with locally relevant advertising. Right message, right platform People turn to different platforms for specific needs: entertainment, recommendations, information or networking. LinkedIn users aren't looking for viral dance challenges, just as Pinterest users aren't seeking professional networking opportunities. Understanding these distinctions can help advertisers allocate their budgets more effectively. On Nextdoor, neighbors come with specific intent—seeking recommendations, local news or household advice. This focused behavior, combined with verified neighbors, creates high trust in both neighbor recommendations and branded content. In fact, 79% of Nextdoor neighbors report visiting businesses based on platform recommendations. "Gone are the days of wasted impressions and hoping that you might find someone who's stumbling across your store," said Stephanie Lawrence, head of agency development at Nextdoor. "We can actually zero down to the zip code." Engage decision-makers at crucial moments Localized ad campaigns bridge the gap between traditional word of mouth and modern digital advertising by connecting brands with decision-makers. For Nextdoor, those decision-makers are “household CEOs” who are responsible for purchases in over one in three U.S. households. By targeting these key consumers in their daily environments, brands can influence decision-makers at crucial moments. Lead with local personalization In the fall of 2022, Verizon partnered with Nextdoor to promote research that the telecommunications company had conducted around combating loneliness through neighborhood connections. The campaign resonated because it felt personally relevant to each local community, demonstrating how national brands can achieve both broad reach and local authenticity. Reach and relevance mean that huge national brand campaigns can actually feel local. And localized campaigns can be safe for brands. Beyond audience targeting, Nextdoor also invests in features that prioritize brand safety and harness AI for more effective ad copy generation. The platform’s “Kindness Reminder” helps foster a positive community environment. With proprietary AI tools and hyperlocal data, brands can refine their messaging to align closely with community needs, ensuring safety, relevance and precision in their campaigns. The era of one-size-fits-all national advertising is ending. Brands seeking genuine connections should embrace local-at-scale strategies. When companies combine broad reach with community relevance, their campaigns don't just look good on paper—they translate into measurable results: increased foot traffic, stronger online-to-offline conversions and lasting customer loyalty where it matters most. About Nextdoor Nextdoor (NYSE: KIND) is the essential neighborhood network. Neighbors, public agencies and businesses use Nextdoor to connect around local information that matters in more than 340,000 neighborhoods across 11 countries. Nextdoor builds innovative technology to foster local community, and brands and businesses of all sizes use Nextdoor’s proprietary advertising platform to engage with neighborhoods at scale. Download the app and join the neighborhood at nextdoor.com. For more information and media assets, visit nextdoor.com/newsroom.

Why localized ad campaigns help big brands win big

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