Have your customers ever asked you to do a home improvement job because it will look great on Instagram?
According to new research carried out by Aspect, 29 per cent of UK residents want their homes to look more ‘Instagrammable’ and this is influencing the work they are getting done.
But the trades will perhaps be relieved to know that they are still a bigger influence on customers, with 32 per cent of those surveyed saying that being approached directly by a tradesperson working on a neighbouring property had prompted them to make their own home improvements. And 41 per cent say that seeing improvements to neighbours’ homes has inspired them to make changes to their own homes.
Aspect’s Nick Bizley said, “People have always been motivated to make the best of their homes and the habit of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ never went away. What we’re seeing now are just different sources of inspiration for doing so. Whether we’re inspired by a picture on social media or a TV show, it’s great for the tradespeople we employ that UK residents still show so much pride in their homes.
“The study identified enterprising tradespeople as one of the biggest motivators behind people catching the home improvement bug and it makes complete sense. A tradesperson can make significant savings on travel, transport, access costs, scaffolding and they can bulk buy materials more easily when working on neighbouring homes. So they’re able to pass some of those savings onto their customers. It’s a win-win in that regard. The resident gets great work at a lower price, the tradesperson cuts their cost and the local neighbourhood benefits too as more and more properties enjoy improvements.”
Portobello Road effect
The study revealed a trend researchers have dubbed the ‘Portobello Road’ effect, in which home improvement ideas ‘spread’ between neighbouring properties giving rows of homes and sometimes even entire streets a uniform, photogenic consistency. The phenomenon is named after the London street which is attracting Instagram photographers.
Researchers identified a number of drivers behind the trend, including social media and TV. And although online content is responsible for a large number of different home improvement motivators, the two biggest drivers for home improvements and maintenance still happen offline.
Top cities for social media effect
Manchester
Brighton and Hove
Aberdeen
Birmingham
Glasgow
Top cities for tradesperson influence
Birmingham
Liverpool
Edinburgh
Leeds
Manchester
Have any of your customers ever said they want their homes to look better for Instagram? Do get in touch with us by emailing probuildonline@gmail.com or by tagging us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
