The Standard Doesn’t Move
When Pros rank what matters in a product, durability and quality come first in every age group we looked at. Price is close behind, only 4 to 6 points back, so don’t read that as a green light to ignore cost.
What changes is the evidence. Younger Pros lean on specs, comparisons, and targeted ads. Seasoned Pros lean on people: a Pro they trust, a sample in their hands, a demo at the counter. Tenure tells the same story. Peer recommendation climbs from 23% to 36%, and specs fall from 29% to 19%.
Keep the Promise. Change the Proof.
Your product claim stays put. How you back it up is the part to tier. Start with the application: What does the product need to do on the job? Which spec explains why it can? What can a working Pro show or say that makes that spec mean something?
Two ways that plays out:
- Lead with a clear technical comparison, then show it holding up on a real job.
- Open with a Pro explaining the job and their experience, then hand over the specs for a closer look.
Either way, give the buyer something they can judge for themselves.
What UGC Can (and Can’t) Do
We’ll be straight with you: a creator post in your feed isn’t the same as a recommendation from a Pro a buyer knows personally. The research doesn’t say it can replace one.
What user-generated content (UGC) can do is show your product on a real job, in a working Pro’s own words. Keep it specific: the task, the conditions, the result. And back up performance claims with real evidence instead of asking a testimonial to carry the whole load.
Then test it. Use this research to ask better questions, not to skip evaluating your own creative.
