Facebook is once again adding more features to its app, this time with the launch of Facebook Neighborhoods. While the main Facebook experience is used to talk with people no matter where they are, Neighborhoods is designed to section off separate discussions for people who live in the same area.

While the core Facebook experience still revolves around sharing posts to the News Feed and connecting with people that way, the app experience has expanded significantly beyond that over the years. Facebook recently started allowing users to listen to Spotify songs directly in its app. Just before that, it announced a new audio chat feature that aims to take on Clubhouse. Combine all of that with things like Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Gaming, and Facebook Dating, and it's safe to say that Facebook wants its social platform to be used for virtually everything.

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Now, Facebook is hoping people will use its app for hyper-local interactions. With Facebook Neighborhoods, Facebook describes the feature as "a single destination to build and strengthen local communities on Facebook." The feature is currently in testing, and like the company's various other services, it lives in the regular Facebook app. People's Neighborhoods profiles are separate from their main Facebook one, meaning posts and interactions in Neighborhoods aren't shared on the  News Feed.

Facebook Neighborhoods Allows Users To Share Recommendations, Polls, And More

Screenshots of Facebook Neighborhoods

 

After someone joins the neighborhood they live in, they have the option to create a short bio with their favorite local places and interests. This information is shared to the Neighborhoods Directory, which is a public record of everyone involved in that specific Neighborhoods area. Users can write and share posts, comment on ones from other users, and contribute to Neighborhoods Questions to address any questions/concerns about where everyone lives. Facebook Neighborhoods can also be used with Facebook Groups, allowing people to create and join local gatherings (such as a local book club, birdwatching group, etc.).

If all of this sounds like the popular Nextdoor app, that's because it's basically the same thing. Nextdoor launched in 2011 as a localized social network, allowing people to connect and talk with others in their neighborhood. It's difficult to say which app is technically better this early on, but Facebook Neighborhoods could have a big advantage given the massive reach of its Facebook affiliation. There are plenty of people using Facebook that have likely never heard of Nextdoor, and for them, Facebook Neighborhoods could be really exciting. On the flip side, Nextdoor already has well well over 20 million monthly users and is much more widely available.

Facebook Neighborhoods is currently being tested in Canada, with it coming to "select U.S. cities" soon. While no specific cities have been named yet, it's likely Facebook will initially trial Neighborhoods in more populated areas before expanding to smaller communities.

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Source: Facebook