If 2025 felt noisy, 2026 is going to feel crowded. Home improvement shoppers still want inspiration online, reassurance before they buy and expertise when a project gets real. The brands that win will stop chasing every new tactic and instead commit to three durable moves: reset social for a saturated feed, double down on permission-based email and build real AI capability without losing the human touch.
Move 1: Reset social for the new reality.
Social is not “dead”, but it’s far less forgiving. Organic engagement has been softening across major platforms, which means it’s harder to earn attention with the same old posting habits. Rival IQ’s 2025 benchmark report highlights engagement rate declines across platforms, including double-digit drops on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Socialinsider reports Instagram engagement declining year over year in 2025.
At the same time, feeds are getting more complex and more competitive, including more AI-generated content. Sprout Social calls out that AI-generated content is inundating feeds as algorithms continue to shift.
Translation for brands: You cannot post your way to performance anymore.
What to do in 2026:
- Treat organic social like a showroom, not a sales floor. Aim for brand preference, product confidence and project clarity, not last-click conversions.
- Build for social search and how-to intent. Short, specific videos and carousels that answer one question at a time tend to travel further than broad brand statements.
- Spend smarter, not louder. Use paid support to amplify the few posts that prove they resonate, then retarget with offers via owned channels.
Move 2: Make email your growth engine.
Email is still one of the few channels where the customer opts in, the brand owns the connection and the message is not at the mercy of an algorithm. A June 2024 survey from EMARKETER found email was consumers’ preferred channel for brand communications, ahead of SMS. PGM Solutions reports that 99% of email users check their inbox every day, with some checking as many as 20 times a day, reinforcing that inbox habits remain sticky.
What to do in 2026:
- Split DIYers and Pros, then go deeper by segmenting around category interest and project stage. For example, with plumbers as a Pro, this can mean creating distinct paths for groups with very different needs such as general contractors, remodelers, service plumbers, handymen and property managers. Each group looks for different product specs, bulk options and jobsite support, so tailored content and email sequences will perform far better than one broad Pro message.
- Automate the moments that matter. Welcome series, browse abandonment, post-purchase “next step” education and replenishment reminders.
- Turn product education into conversion. Specs, compatibility, install steps, and “what you need with this” modules reduce returns and drive add-ons.
- Use email to support stores. Local events, Pro breakfasts, sidewalk sale previews and appointment prompts belong in the inbox because they drive action offline.
Move 3: Build AI muscle, keep it human.
AI is shifting from innovation headlines to shopping infrastructure. Target announced a conversational shopping experience inside ChatGPT, including curated browsing and multi-item purchases. In home improvement, The Home Depot’s Magic Apron is built to deliver project and product help across its site and app, positioning AI as a scalable version of associate expertise.
At the same time, customers still value real people, especially when the stakes are high, or frustration creeps in. EY’s Future Consumer Index notes that a meaningful share of consumers still crave the personal service that only in-store shopping can provide. Five9 reports that many consumers prefer speaking with a real person for customer service, which underscores that AI should support the relationship, not replace it. Even Reuters has highlighted the growing recognition that some companies are bringing human agents back into service because customers still want people in the loop.
What to do in 2026:
- Protect your brand from AI drift. If your product data is inconsistent, AI will amplify confusion. Clean feeds, tighten claims and standardize specs.
- Make human moments a strategy, not nostalgia. More reps in-store, sidewalk sales, Pro breakfasts and brand-led demos build one-on-one trust at the exact point of hesitation.
- Train the frontline to win with AI. The goal is faster help with better confidence, not fewer people.
For more information on AI, read our latest article How We’re Using AI, and What’s Next.
Porchlight’s Perspective
Winning in 2026 will not come from doing more. It will come from doing what works, with sharper focus and better integration. Reset social so it earns attention through usefulness, not volume. Grow email like a true first-party asset that drives both digital and store traffic. Build real AI capability that improves speed, clarity and service, while also investing in the human moments that create trust when customers are making high-stakes decisions. Brands that commit to these three moves now will show up where shoppers are, support them through the decision and convert confidence into loyalty.