I studied Jobber’s Q2 economic report…here’s the hidden opportunity

Every quarter, Jobber releases its Home Service Economic Report. For Q2, the latest data offers some key insights into how industries like landscaping, HVAC, plumbing, cleaning, and contracting are performing and, more importantly, how home service business owners should adapt their marketing strategies.

Jobber works with more than 300,000 professionals across these sectors. With access to such a huge data set, they can see trends in new work scheduled, revenue shifts, and customer spending behavior. Instead of running on gut feel, this report gives you a clear picture of what’s really happening in the home service industry.

Here are five takeaways from the report and how you can use them to shape your digital marketing strategy.

A Steady Economy, But Cautious Growth

The first few months of the year were rough across most home service industries. New work was down, invoices dropped, and revenue slowed. But the second quarter showed a bounce-back, with many sectors surpassing where they were at this time last year.

What this means for you:
If your business hasn’t experienced that rebound yet, it’s time to take a hard look at your sales and marketing. Jobber’s data shows recovery across the board, so if you’re not feeling it, chances are your lead generation or sales process needs adjusting.

Homeowners Are Staying Put and Spending Selectively

Consumers are cautious. Big-ticket projects are happening less often, while lower-ticket, recurring services are more common. That doesn’t mean homeowners aren’t spending it means they’re choosing repairs and maintenance over major replacements.

How to apply this:
Shift part of your marketing to focus on lower-ticket services. For example, an HVAC company that only advertises new system installs is missing out on people searching for repairs. By targeting “emergency repairs” or “maintenance” in Google and Facebook ads, one contractor we worked with jumped from break-even ROI to a 7x return.

Smaller jobs often lead to bigger ones. A $200 repair today can become a $2,000 replacement tomorrow.

Seasonal Lifts Are Being Muted

Normally, spring brings a seasonal boost. But because Q1 was so soft, many businesses ended up flat despite an uptick later in the quarter.

What you should do:
Plan now for Q1 of next year. Many businesses accept a slow first quarter, but with the right strategy, you don’t have to.

Think about what services you can promote in the off-season: gutter cleaning, holiday light removal, or maintenance packages. One sprinkler installation company added gutter cleaning campaigns right after holiday light takedowns and turned what used to be dead months into revenue-generating months.

Digital Payments Are Becoming the Norm

Nearly half of all payments are now digital, up from 47% in Q1. Customers expect easy, frictionless transactions, and businesses that still rely on manual invoices risk looking outdated.

Action step:
If you’re not already using a CRM with integrated payments (like Jobber, Housecall Pro, or ServiceTitan), now’s the time. The more seamless the process, the more professional and trustworthy your business looks.

Digital Tools Are Reshaping Customer Expectations

It’s not just payments. Homeowners increasingly want digital tools that make working with you easieronline scheduling, estimate calculators, and quick response systems.

Example:
An electrical contractor added an EV charger estimate calculator to their website. Instead of asking customers to fill out a generic form, the calculator gave a ballpark range ($500–$1,500) based on basic inputs, with the option to send photos for a more accurate quote. That simple tool increased leads because it gave customers enough information to move forward without feeling stuck in a black box.

Final Thoughts

The Q2 Home Service Economic Report confirms what many business owners have been feeling: cautious customers, uneven demand, and a slow but steady rebound.

But it also highlights big opportunities. Businesses that adapt by shifting ad spend toward repairs, planning for seasonal dips, and making it easier for customers to work with them are the ones that will come out ahead.

Now I’d love to hear from you: Are you seeing similar trends in your business?