With Google, Facebook And Nextdoor, What’s Next For Lead Generation?

A number of lead-generation platforms have emerged over the past few years to help local service professionals (“pros”) win more clients. The pro market is an $800 billion industry, so tech companies (big and small) are starting to take notice. As it stands today, the lead-gen options for pros — who have been a notoriously underserved part of the labor market — are now plentiful. Startup platforms range from review-based to premium-paid, cost-per-impression, pay-per-lead, pay-per-transaction and more. And because of their successes, mega players are now entering this space to take their share — most recently Google Home Services, Facebook’s new Services search and Nextdoor’s “Nextdoor Now.” As a result, lines in the sand are being drawn. Platform models are maturing, innovation is dwindling and certain players are worrying about their own eventual platform demise. Such players are beginning to invest in deeper platform tools to help better retain pros as competition heats up.