When it comes to advertisers, Home Improvement is comprised of a mix of service providers and retail establishments. BIA’s local advertising forecast looks at several key local home improvement categories: maintenance services, home building services, plumbers and HVAC, and home improvement, landscape, floor, hardware stores.

BIA’s forecast numbers were issued before anyone heard of coronavirus or Covid-19. Many of the services provided by local home improvement businesses are of a special and often emergency nature, which could mean a majority of businesses will continue operating with possibly high demand for their services.

Right now, mobile is forecasted to be the top way home improvement businesses will advertise in 2020, adding nearly $176 million in spend. Over-the-top (OTT) TV will be the biggest percentage increaser at 21.1% with home improvement businesses spending $6.3 million.

During the pandemic, local sellers should focus on helping Home Improvement retailers and service providers communicate their ability to provide goods and services while following CDC and government safety measures. Help these businesses communicate to customers their operation hours, safety practices, services and supplies.

For more on how Covid-19 may impact local advertising, check out Thomas Buono’s blog post on BIA’s Assessment of the Current Outlook for Local Advertising in the U.S. and tune in on April 7 for a free webinar, Navigating the Local Ad Marketplace During the Pandemic, with BIA’s Thomas Buono, SalesFuel’s C. Lee Smith, and Jeffrey Hayzlett, CEO, C-Suite Network Primetime.

Accessing the Report

BIA ADVantage subscribers can login to access the Home Improvement custom vertical report and run custom reports for local markets.