Scorpion Report Shows Homeowners Outpacing Home Services Marketing
Key Highlights
- Most homeowners (83%) begin their search online, making digital presence crucial for service providers.
- A significant portion (22%) of homeowners use AI tools like ChatGPT for research, highlighting the importance of AI-friendly marketing strategies.
- Online reputation is vital, with 87% of homeowners avoiding businesses rated below four stars, yet 67% of leaders struggle to gather reviews consistently.
SALT LAKE CITY — Scorpion’s 2026 State of Home Services Marketing Report highlights a widening gap between homeowner expectations and how local service businesses market and manage customer engagement.
The research, based on responses from 2,000 homeowners and nearly 1,000 home services business leaders, underscores increasing pressure on companies to deliver speed, trust, and convenience across digital channels.
According to Scorpion, 83% of homeowners now begin their search for service providers online. In addition, 22% use artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT to research companies or seek recommendations. At the same time, 80% of business leaders report uncertainty about how to appear in artificial intelligence-driven search results.
The study also found that 55% of business leaders struggle to differentiate themselves from competitors in crowded local markets.
Online reputation plays a decisive role in hiring decisions. The report states that 87% of homeowners will not hire a business rated below four stars. However, 67% of business leaders say they have difficulty consistently collecting customer reviews.
Convenience expectations also continue to rise. 56% of homeowners want 24/7 scheduling or the ability to communicate after hours, while 66% of businesses identify after-hours customer service as their top operational challenge.
Marketing performance tracking presents another concern. The study shows 67% of business leaders cannot directly connect marketing spend to revenue. In addition, 78% use two or more marketing vendors, which can complicate performance tracking and attribution.
"Homeowners are moving faster and expecting more than ever," said Jamie Adams, chief revenue officer at Scorpion. "Businesses that are easy to find, have great reputations, answer the phone or respond quickly to inquiries, and consistently deliver quality work will be the ones that grow. Those that don't deliver in each of these areas will not.
"It's not enough to show up where homeowners are," Adams added. "The businesses that optimize marketing efforts to revenue outcomes will see the strongest growth in 2026."
The report concludes that companies that adapt to homeowner expectations, streamline communication, and integrate marketing with operations will be better positioned to convert more leads and improve revenue performance.
Note: This piece was created with the help of generative AI tools and edited by our content team for clarity and accuracy.