If you’d like to uncover the rest of our insights from this study, reach out and schedule time with the Nextdoor team here.Nextdoor, the essential neighborhood app, where neighbors of all kinds achieve things together, no matter how big or small, recently conducted a survey among 730 home improvement business owners across the United States to discover valuable insights into this group of Nextdoor neighbors.
The survey shed light on the characteristics, behaviors, and preferences of these professionals, unlocking actionable insights to drive growth for home services and goods.
Read on for more.
Home improvement professionals
Uncovered in the study, home improvement professionals on Nextdoor are predominantly male, with 70% identifying as male and 30% as female. This demographic makeup represents a 64% higher proportion of males compared to Nextdoor's overall neighbor base. These professionals also tend to be younger than the average Nextdoor neighbor.
One striking discovery is the high level of engagement among home improvement professionals on Nextdoor.
They exhibit a 25% higher proportion of Weekly Active Users (WAUs) compared to the platform's neighbors overall. This heightened engagement underscores the importance of Nextdoor as a platform for these professionals - and for good reason: 50% of these business owners have been hired through a lead found on Nextdoor in the last 3 months.
Remodelers and landscapers are the most common types of home improvement professionals found on Nextdoor. Furthermore, in Q1, there has been a 17% year-over-year increase in construction business pages created on Nextdoor. This increase in construction pages may indicate a growing trend towards larger-scale projects, which could present new opportunities for businesses of all sizes targeting this segment.
Purchasing habits of home improvement professionals
When it comes to obtaining the tools/supplies required for home improvement projects, uniquely, home service professionals primarily do their shopping in-store. In a world where we typically see more shopping done online, why might that be?
Need for Physical Inspection: Many tools and supplies used in home improvement projects require physical inspection to ensure they meet the necessary specifications and preferences. Professionals often prefer to see and touch the products before making a purchase, which is not possible with online shopping.
1. Immediate Availability: In-store shopping provides immediate access to tools and supplies, which is crucial for professionals working on tight timelines. Online orders take time to arrive and could delay their projects.
2. Complexity of Products: Home improvement products can be complex, with variations in sizes, styles, and features. Professionals may find it easier to navigate these options in person, with the help of store staff if needed.
3. Shipping Costs and Time: While online shopping offers convenience, it may also incur additional costs for shipping, especially for bulky items. In-store shopping allows professionals to avoid these extra costs, additional timing, and potential delays.
4. Established Relationships: Many professionals have established relationships with local stores or suppliers, which may offer discounts, personalized service, or other benefits that online retailers may not provide.
Deciding where to shop from is largely influenced by price, followed by the range of products available, and the in-store support offered.
Purchasing habits of home improvement professionals
Interestingly, most professionals don’t do all of their shopping at a single retailer. In fact, 89% of professionals purchased from multiple retailers during their last project. The professionals we surveyed stated they needed a specific item not available elsewhere as the main reason for visiting multiple retailers, followed by wanting to save on costs.
Winning over business owners, rather than their employees, appears to be critical as nearly ¾ of business page owners say they control where tools/supplies are purchased from. Fortunately, finding these decision-makers on Nextdoor is easy to do, as they represent a 43% higher proportion than the overall internet population (Source: GWI USA Q1 - Q4 2023).
These professionals certainly stay active year round, but according to the amount of messages sent by home improvement business pages, the spring and fall are their busiest times. Advertisers should heavy up on their messaging during these periods to stay top of mind as projects become more frequent and demand increases.
If you’d like to uncover the rest of our insights from this study, reach out and schedule time with the Nextdoor team at business.nextdoor.com/enterprise
