What’s The Word #2…DIY/Home Repairs
“audience.ai” uses conversational analysis to understand our emotions, our needs, and our intent. As we use this to build predictive data segments for our Clients, we often research interesting topics. This series shares some of those findings with you.
In this episode, we look at the analysis from people talking about DIY projects and home repairs.
As you can imagine, home repairs and DIY projects create a lot of emotions, which in turn means a lot of conversations. Posts vary from complaining, to feeling inspired — whether we’re looking to vent, for advice, or to share amazing ideas, we head online to talk.
:: Home Repair Hacks
“Don’t call a pro, be your own handy woman with these home repair hacks! By Blossom”
“Home is where the hacks are! Seven easy home repairs, from your cabinets to your stairs! By Blossom”
:: DIY Challenges
Many people turn to DIY techniques in pursuit of budget control. However, some DIY projects create a lot of frustration, perhaps outweighing the benefit of the savings, or feeling like the ‘how to’ content they watch is unrealistic.
“OP used up all his DIY home maintenance luck in one project. RIP OP’s sanity during the next project.”
“I hate diy youtube videos that are like “i made this aquarium light for $20!!” but its like. The lights were free because they were refurbished from an old set that was $200 new. Stand was made from extra metal in the garage. Free. Wiring from home depot $20. Anyone can do it!”
:: DIY Inspiration
Brands, such as Lowe’s and True Value leverage the DIY concept in their social media strategies.
True Value positioned its Twitter handle as a platform for “DIY inspiration and ideas.” The handle provides valuable tips and how-to guides:
“Best way to remember what paint color you used. #paitingtip”
Lowe’s developed a series of videos to make even complex DIY projects, like hardwood floor installation, simple:
“Want to learn how to install hardwood floors? Lowe’s will show you all the steps from preparing sub floors through installation and finishing with trim. #DIY #Renovations #Maintenance #Home #Improvements” [YouTube Video]
:: DIY Knowledge Sharing and Seeking
Posts about knowledge sharing and seeking are prevalent. Many turned to specialized blogs and forums to get expert guidance on their DIY projects or gather knowledge to decide whether their projects should be done by a professional. DIY warnings are common.
“Oh, this is a total DIY project!!! Total cost, about $250–300. Lowes, Home Depot, get the kit.”
“Several people have shared that they are going to DIY some home upgrades this spring. PLEASE for the love of chocolate and sanity- check with the city FIRST and obtain proper permits! Here’s more on how to NOT build an expensive disaster [LINK]”
“Many thrifty homeowners would rather save a few bucks by taking on upgrades themselves (after a few hours binge-watching HGTV and YouTube tutorials, of course) than by calling in the professionals to install new floors or retile the bathroom. Paying the pros is basically throwing money away, right? If done right, going DIY to fix up a property can lead to some hefty savings. But DIY fails can cost folks big time, according to a recent report from Porch, an online network that connects folks with home improvement professionals.”
“While you might be a dab hand with a paintbrush or can apply wallpaper like a pro, there are some home improvement projects you would be smart to avoid. It is common for some home-owners’ DIY dreams to get ahead of their skill-set, which can lead to damage to their property.”
:: DIY Emotions
Stress is a common emotion in posts about DIY home repair, which is often associated with the dilemma of searching for a reliable contractor who will get the job done or trying to use DIY techniques to save money.
“So, I just moved out of a shared rental & wanted to take my Ecobee with me so I uninstalled it yesterday. In the process, I somehow messed up the HVAC system such that it no longer works with either thermostat. Does anyone have any theories about how badly I might have messed up and what could be wrong? I’m probably going to hire a HVAC technician today, but I’m really frustrated that I couldn’t figure it out myself. :(“
audience.ai analyzes conversation just like this to develop data segments and leads for our Clients. Within the DIY/Home Repairs category, we have segments of ‘home repair hackers’, ‘struggling with DIY’, ‘DIY inspired’, ‘DIY pros’, ‘love and hate DIY’ and more.
To learn more about how audience.ai can help you, check out:
- Our main site: http://audience.ai
- Read: Why We All Need a LOVE / HATE Relationship With Targeting Data
- Contact: (+1) 312.985.9700, or email lauren.kelley@audience.ai
