PR strategy for home improvement businesses in 2026

November 18, 2020

PR strategy for home improvement businesses still plays a decisive role in growth in 2026, but only when it is grounded in credibility, visibility, and real outcomes. Coverage for the sake of attention no longer delivers value. What matters is how PR supports trust, reinforces authority, and shows up during the buyer research phase.

I work closely with home improvement, construction, and building product businesses across the UK. The companies that perform best are not chasing headlines. They are building a reputation steadily, appearing in places buyers already trust, and backing up their claims with third-party validation.

This article explains how PR actually works in 2026, how it supports SEO and commercial performance, and why results come from strategy rather than volume.

PR now supports trust before it supports awareness

PR used to focus on reach and recognition. In 2026, its primary job is reassurance.

Buyers want confidence that a business is established, credible, and active beyond its own website. PR provides that confidence through independent coverage, authoritative context, and consistent visibility. When prospects see your name referenced elsewhere, the perceived risk drops.

This matters most in home improvement and construction, where decisions involve cost, compliance, and long-term commitment. PR shortens the trust-building process before the first enquiry is made.

How buyers research and verify suppliers

The research process is now routine and thorough. Before making contact, buyers check whether a business appears credible outside its own marketing.

They look for evidence that the company is known, referenced, and recognised by others. That evidence often comes from editorial coverage, awards, interviews, and industry visibility. PR feeds directly into this behaviour by answering unspoken questions about stability and legitimacy.

When those signals are absent, buyers hesitate. When they are present and consistent, confidence increases.

PR and SEO now reinforce the same signals

PR and SEO are no longer separate disciplines. Both aim to establish trust.

Search engines and AI-led results look for authority indicators such as consistent brand mentions, contextual relevance, and recognised leadership. PR creates many of these signals naturally when it is planned properly.

When PR stories align with real search behaviour, coverage lasts longer and supports organic performance. When SEO insights shape PR topics, visibility improves without forced optimisation. The strongest results come when both are aligned around authority rather than tactics.

What effective PR looks like in practice

PR works best when it is structured, timed, and purposeful. It does not rely on a single channel or a one-off announcement.

The table below shows how different PR activity supports commercial outcomes:

This reflects how buyers respond in practice, not theory.

Case study: Shelforce King’s Award PR campaign

A clear example of strategic PR delivering measurable impact is the campaign delivered for Shelforce, a window, door, and fire-door manufacturer supplying local authority building projects in the West Midlands.

Shelforce received the King’s Award for Enterprise, a nationally recognised achievement. The objective was not simply to announce the win, but to use it to raise profile, reinforce credibility, and reach audiences far beyond trade press.

The campaign focused on broadcast, radio, and national editorial coverage, supported by careful timing and media liaison. This included primetime television news, national and regional radio interviews, and wide distribution across national and industry press.

The results were clear. The campaign achieved a total reach of more than 79 million people across the UK, secured over 26 pieces of coverage, and reached an audience of more than 6 million through television alone. Coverage appeared on major broadcasters and on the BBC News website, alongside extensive industry and regional press.

This outcome did not happen by chance. It was driven by long-term PR planning, experience handling high-profile announcements, and a coordinated approach across media channels. The result was national credibility that continues to support the business well beyond the original announcement.

Why awards and recognition still influence decisions

Awards are not about trophies. They are about independent validation.

For home improvement and construction businesses, recognised awards reduce buyer hesitation and support procurement confidence. They signal that a business has been assessed externally and found credible.

When awards are supported by proper PR, they become lasting trust signals rather than short-lived news items. This is particularly important in sectors where reputation and compliance matter.

Executive visibility remains a strong credibility signal

People still trust people more than brands.

Senior leadership visibility continues to play an important role in PR performance when it is handled carefully. Commentary grounded in experience carries weight. Opinion offered for its own sake does not.

In practice, this means contributing insight when it adds value, not chasing exposure. Familiarity builds trust over time, especially when leadership visibility is consistent and relevant to the industry.

Offline PR still feeds online performance

Despite the focus on digital channels, offline activity continues to influence online visibility.

Industry events, exhibitions, awards ceremonies, and local engagement often lead to editorial coverage, brand searches, and citations that support search performance. Businesses with a credible offline presence tend to perform better online because the signals align.

PR works best when online and offline activities reinforce each other.

Measuring PR properly in 2026

PR performance cannot be judged on volume alone. Counting coverage provides limited insight into commercial impact.

In practice, PR shows its value through secondary indicators. Brand search demand tends to increase after sustained coverage. Sales conversations reference articles, interviews, or awards. Prospects arrive with higher confidence and fewer objections.

PR also supports conversion performance. When a brand is already familiar, engagement improves, and decision cycles shorten. These outcomes are difficult to attribute to a single placement, but easy to recognise when PR is working consistently.

What PR delivers for home improvement brands

PR works when it supports trust, authority, and visibility at the same time. It does not replace sales, advertising, or SEO. It strengthens them by reducing doubt.

For home improvement and construction businesses, PR reinforces legitimacy in a sector where buyers are cautious, and reputations matter. Third-party coverage reassures prospects that a business is established, credible, and recognised beyond its own marketing channels.

That reassurance continues to influence decisions long after the original coverage appears.

Why consistency outperforms short-term campaigns

Short PR bursts can create attention, but they rarely change perception. Consistent PR activity builds familiarity.

Businesses that invest steadily in PR benefit from cumulative impact. Their names appear repeatedly in trusted places. Their leadership becomes recognisable. Their achievements are referenced over time.

This is how PR supports sustainable growth rather than short-term visibility.

PR remains a core part of the growth strategy for home improvement businesses in 2026. Not because it creates noise, but because it builds confidence.

When PR is grounded in real achievement, supported by experience, and aligned with how buyers research and decide, it earns its place alongside SEO, content, and sales. Used properly, it continues to influence outcomes long after the coverage itself fades.

About the Author – Martyn East

I work on PR strategy, SEO, and content that helps construction, building products, and home improvement brands stay visible and trusted. At Purplex, I focus on turning coverage and content into measurable outcomes, stronger search visibility, and clearer customer demand. If you want support, start with PR & Communications or our SEO services.

Connect with me on LinkedIn or read more of my articles: Martyn East.

Originally published on 18 November 2020. Updated on 29 January 2026.

This entry was posted in PR