Finding the right marketing partner can feel like a challenge. With so many options available you may be left wondering what would be the best fit for your business. Certain solutions that promise contractors business growth and exposure may be better suited for your business than others. When making a decision, it’s important to think about your industry, target audience and business goals to help you find the right partnership. To simplify your research journey, we’ve broken down some key differences between HomeStars and Houzz for Pros.
Houzz Focuses on High-Quality Photos
Houzz is a visual-based, social media-style experience for homeowners, very similar to Pinterest. Homeowners can visit Houzz to look at photos and inspiration for their next home improvement project. When they find a photo that intrigues them, they can visit a pro’s Houzz profile to reach out. With home improvement project visuals being the main item of interest, Houzz is a good fit for interior designers, architects, home staging companies and more, due to its visual motive.
Houzz can be simply defined as:
An online platform dedicated to home remodelling and design, bringing homeowners and home professionals together in a visual community. It offers inspiration, advice, products, and services for home improvement, interior design, and architecture. Users can browse millions of photos of interiors and exteriors of various home styles, along with articles and discussions on home-related topics.
Houzz allows users to find professionals such as architects, and interior designers for their home projects. It serves as a resource for individuals seeking inspiration for their home designs and looking to connect with professionals who can help bring their ideas to life.
HomeStars Focuses on Photos, Reviews, and Online Reputation Management
HomeStars recognizes that it takes more than just images to build trust with a homeowner. While pros on HomeStars can showcase their work in photo galleries, it’s the 8,000 monthly moderated, community reviews that are the big draw. Homeowners across Canada visit HomeStars looking for vetted, moderated reviews from people in their community to help them hire right the first time.
Houzz Does Not Require Their Pros to Complete a Background Check
Before spending tens of thousands of dollars to complete a renovation, homeowners research online to hire a safe and trusted pro. They’re looking for confidence-boosters and indicators that will help them feel more secure and comfortable in hiring your business over the competition. Photos can be evidence of that, but they don’t share with a homeowner that you’re a safe and trustworthy professional. On Houzz, homeowners are left in the dark, guessing if a pro is a safe choice for hire.
HomeStars Verification Badge Helps Gain Homeowner Trust
At HomeStars, all upgraded pros must pass HomeStars’ Verification, including a soft credit check (which will not affect your credit score) and criminal background check. Passing the necessary criteria gives homeowners peace-of-mind, and immediately lets them know you’re safe and up-to-date in your legal and professional requirements, not to mention you’ll stand out from your competitors who are not Verified. The Verified badge is then placed on your HomeStars profile and can be used on your website, marketing materials and more. We will also send you “Verified” decals for you to share your new Verified status with prospects.
Houzz is a US-Based Company
With plenty of third-party sites being situated outside of Canada, you may wonder if a business’s location should be considered when choosing a marketing partner. With Houzz being owned and operated in the US, it’s safe to say that it has built recognition with many American homeowners. For most, this recognition outside of Canada will not necessarily help grow your customer base within your local community.
HomeStars is a Canadian Company That Canadians Trust
HomeStars is 100% Canadian. HomeStars was founded by Nancy Peterson in 2006, a Canadian homeowner who was at one point trying to find a trusted contractor herself while on maternity leave, and thus HomeStars was born. Since then, HomeStars has become Canada’s biggest and number one go-to for Canadians when searching for trusted, community reviewed pros. Homeowners nationwide turn to HomeStars to find and hire a pro they can trust and rely on.
To summarize: Houzz and HomeStars are both online platforms that cater to the home improvement industry, but they serve different purposes and target different audiences.
When choosing between the two platforms, consider your specific needs. If you are looking for design inspiration, professionals, and home products, Houzz might be more suitable. If you need reviews and recommendations for specific home service providers, HomeStars would be a better option.
HomeStars is in the business of growing yours, arming you with tools to connect your next customer, build your brand and help your business look great online!
