The latest State of Home Services Marketing Report, released by Scorpion on February 19, 2026, paints a stark picture of a market in transition. Drawing on responses from 2,000 U.S. homeowners and 944 industry leaders across HVAC, plumbing, electrical, lawn, pest‑control and roofing sectors, the study highlights a widening gap between consumer expectations and the capabilities of local service firms. The data underscores three forces reshaping the industry: the growing reliance on digital and generative AI tools — such as ChatGPT — for research, an unrelenting demand for trustworthy, high‑rated providers, and an expectation for round‑the‑clock communication.
“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.”
Digital discovery now dominates the buyer journey
According to the survey, a striking 83 percent of homeowners initiate their search for a trades professional online. Even more noteworthy, 22 percent admit to using generative AI tools such as ChatGPT to gather recommendations or vet options. This shift mirrors broader consumer trends where AI assistants are increasingly consulted for everyday decisions, from restaurant picks to home repairs.
For B2B technology vendors serving the home‑services vertical, the implication is clear: visibility in AI‑enhanced search results is becoming as critical as traditional SEO. The report notes that 80 percent of business leaders feel uncertain about how to appear in AI‑driven search outcomes, a sentiment that could drive investment in AI‑compatible content strategies and schema markup.
Trust metrics are now the primary hiring filter
The study reveals that 87 percent of homeowners refuse to engage a contractor with a rating below four stars. Yet 67 percent of service‑business leaders report difficulty in consistently collecting customer reviews. This mismatch suggests that many firms lack the infrastructure—or the discipline—to capture post‑job feedback at scale.
In parallel, 56 percent of homeowners expressed a desire for 24/7 scheduling or after‑hours communication channels, while 66 percent of businesses identified after‑hours support as their top operational challenge. The data points to a market where convenience and trust are not optional add‑ons but core expectations.
Marketing performance measurement remains fragmented
On the analytics front, 67 percent of surveyed firms cannot directly link marketing spend to revenue, and 78 percent rely on two or more marketing vendors, complicating attribution. The report highlights Scorpion’s integration with leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Field Service Management (FSM) platforms as a differentiator, enabling a unified view of leads, booked jobs and revenue streams.
Scorpion’s partnership with ServiceTitan—positioned as ServiceTitan’s “Only Preferred Digital Marketing Partner”—exemplifies this integrated approach. By funneling marketing data into a single dashboard, service firms can assess which campaigns generate booked jobs and adjust spend accordingly, a practice that promises higher ROI and better cash‑flow predictability.
“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.”
What the findings mean for home‑services technology providers
The report’s conclusions suggest that firms that can marry visibility, reputation management, and seamless communication will capture the bulk of new demand in 2026. For technology vendors, this translates into several actionable opportunities:
- AI‑ready content platforms – Tools that help contractors generate schema‑rich pages, FAQs and localized landing pages compatible with AI assistants will become increasingly valuable.
- Automated review collection – Solutions that trigger post‑service surveys via SMS or email, and feed results directly into Google Business Profiles, can close the gap between the 87 percent trust threshold and the 67 percent collection shortfall.
- 24/7 engagement bots – Chat‑based or voice‑activated bots that allow customers to schedule appointments or request estimates outside business hours can address the 56 percent demand for after‑hours access while relieving staff workloads.
- Unified attribution dashboards – Platforms that consolidate ad spend, organic search, social media, and referral data into a single revenue‑linked view will help the 67 percent of firms currently unable to tie marketing dollars to the bottom line.
For technology vendors, these opportunities represent a roadmap to tighter integration with operational systems and enhanced customer experiences.
Competitive context: where Scorpion fits
Scorpion’s positioning as a full‑stack digital marketing partner places it alongside other B2B service‑focused platforms such as HomeAdvisor, Thumbtack and Angi. However, the report underscores Scorpion’s deeper integration with operational systems like ServiceTitan, a differentiator that may appeal to firms seeking tighter alignment between front‑end marketing and back‑office scheduling.
Industry observers note that while lead‑generation marketplaces have traditionally dominated the home‑services space, the rise of AI and the demand for real‑time communication are nudging the market toward more holistic technology stacks. Companies that can provide end‑to‑end solutions—from discovery to job completion—are poised to capture a larger share of the $150 billion U.S. home‑services market.
Methodology and sample size
Scorpion’s “Consumer Search Trends” initiative, launched in 2023, underpins the data collection for this report. The homeowner survey targeted U.S. adults aged 25 and older who had hired a trades professional within the previous 18 months, ensuring recent experience informed responses. The business survey encompassed marketers, owners and executives from a cross‑section of home‑services categories, providing a balanced view of both demand and supply‑side challenges. The research was conducted in partnership with independent market‑research firm Dynata.
Outlook for 2026 and beyond
The convergence of AI‑driven research, heightened scrutiny of online reputation, and expectations for constant availability suggests that the home‑services sector will increasingly resemble other digitally native industries. Companies that invest early in AI‑compatible SEO, automated reputation management, and omnichannel communication are likely to outpace competitors.
Scorpion’s report concludes that firms which successfully integrate these capabilities into a cohesive growth strategy will dominate the market in 2026. As the data shows, visibility alone no longer guarantees success; it must be paired with trust signals and frictionless customer interaction.
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