Three Homeowner Mindsets Shaping Social Media Influence [INFOGRAPHIC]
Social media continues to redefine how homeowners discover, plan, and execute home improvement projects. But according to HIRI’s Homeowner Social Media Influence on Home Improvement Shopping study, not all homeowners engage—or buy—the same way.
Behind every post, tutorial, and hashtag are unique mindsets that influence how people interact with content and brands. Some seek motivation, others crave information, and some still prefer the reliability of traditional advice. Understanding these mindsets helps brands, retailers, and professionals connect with homeowners in ways that feel relevant and trustworthy.
The Power of Personas
To better understand how social media drives home improvement behavior, HIRI identified three distinct homeowner segments: Content Driven Doers, Independent Browsers, and Social Media Skeptics.
Each group reflects a unique relationship with social platforms—from how often they engage to what inspires them to act. For brands and pros, these personas serve as a roadmap for developing messaging, partnerships, and content that truly resonates.
1. The Content Driven Doers (44%)
Highly engaged. Fast to act. Strongest social-to-sale impact.
Content Driven Doers are today’s most connected homeowners. They use social media daily, share their own projects, and often buy directly from what they see online. For them, platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest are both inspiration and instruction—featuring step-by-step videos, before-and-after transformations, and relatable creator tutorials.
They tend to act quickly—often starting projects within days—and frequently expand project scope or upgrade to premium products. These are the homeowners most likely to spend more, share more, and shop more through digital channels.
2. The Independent Browsers (26%)
Curious and cautious. Data seekers who value credibility over hype.
Independent Browsers use social media to explore ideas, not to purchase impulsively. They rely on expert advice, cost comparisons, and product details to make confident decisions. While they may not buy directly through social media, it serves as a valuable research tool that validates choices before purchasing elsewhere.
3. The Social Media Skeptics (30%)
Traditional shoppers. Trust experts over algorithms.
Social Media Skeptics engage with social platforms sparingly and prefer traditional channels for advice and purchases. They trust contractors, retailers, and brand websites more than influencers, and use digital content mainly for reassurance—not persuasion.
Why It Matters
Each of these homeowner mindsets plays a distinct role in the evolving home improvement journey. Content Driven Doers represent the most immediate opportunity for digital influence. Independent Browsers reflect the research-driven middle ground, while Skeptics remind us that credibility remains a key driver of purchase confidence.
By aligning social strategies with these motivations—inspire, educate, and reassure—brands can convert engagement into trust and trust into measurable sales.
Explore the full study to uncover how these personas vary by generation, income, and DIY experience—and how your business can better connect with each one.
For complete access to this Homeowner Social Media Influence on Home Improvement Shopping study specifically, you can simply go to the research report page and create a free account. Once you're logged in, you will gain access to the full reports and raw data sets used to compile the information in this infographic.
This will enable you to slice-and-dice the raw data to suit the needs of their own customer insights teams and answer cross-departmental questions about how to take home improvement products to market.
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