Mobile vs. Desktop: How Homeowners Actually Search for Contractors

Homeowners have more ways than ever to find a contractor. They might search Google from their phone while standing in the backyard, browse project photos from a tablet on the couch, or sit down at a computer to compare contractors before requesting an estimate.

For home service businesses, understanding which devices customers use can help shape decisions about websites, Google Ads, contact options, and the overall experience a potential customer has before reaching out.

At 99 Calls, we can see some of these patterns firsthand through the campaigns we manage for contractors. One useful example comes from a New Jersey deck contractor whose Google Ads performance gives us a closer look at how mobile and desktop searches contribute to actual contractor leads.

What We Found in a New Jersey Deck Contractor’s Google Ads Data

We reviewed Google Ads performance from May 1 through August 20, 2026, separating the results by device.

Here is what we found:

During this period, mobile devices accounted for about 75% of all Google Ads clicks for this deck builder in New Jersey. Mobile also generated roughly three quarters of the conversions recorded by Google Ads.

Desktop still contributed 617 clicks and approximately 41 conversions, making it a meaningful part of the campaign.

Why Mobile Makes Sense for Contractor Searches

Think about when homeowners start researching a home improvement project.

Someone might be standing on an aging deck and decide to look up how much composite decking costs. They might notice damaged boards and search for deck repair companies. A neighbor's new deck could prompt them to start looking at contractors in their area.

Their phone is usually within reach.

A homeowner can search phrases such as:

• “deck builder near me”

• “composite deck contractor”

• “deck replacement near me”

• “Trex deck installer”

Within seconds, they can see advertisements, local businesses, reviews, websites, photos, and other information.

The deck builder in New Jersey’s campaign reflects this type of mobile activity. Between May 1 and August 20, mobile ads received more than three times as many clicks as desktop ads.

For a contractor, that makes the experience after the click particularly important.

What Does a Homeowner See After Tapping Your Ad?

A mobile visitor has limited screen space and plenty of other contractors available in the search results.

The first part of a contractor's landing page or website should quickly give them enough information to continue.

For a deck contractor, a homeowner may want to know what types of decks the company builds, which areas it serves, whether there are examples of completed projects, and how to request an estimate.

Contact options should also be easy to use from a phone. A phone number that can be tapped to call, a straightforward estimate form, and navigation that works properly on a smaller screen can remove unnecessary friction.

This matters beyond paid advertising. Homeowners arriving through organic Google results, a Google Business Profile, or another online source can have the same expectations.

Mobile Generates Volume, but Desktop Customers Are Still Valuable

The data provided also gives us a reason to keep desktop users in the picture.

During the same period, desktop searches produced:

13,099 impressions, 617 clicks, and approximately 41 Google Ads conversions.

Interestingly, the click through rates for the two major devices were fairly close. Mobile had a click through rate of about 4.58%, while desktop was approximately 4.71%.

Conversion rates after the click were also relatively similar, at approximately 6.3% for mobile and 6.6% for desktop.

The biggest difference was volume. Far more people interacted with the deck builder’s ads from mobile devices.

That distinction is useful for contractors. Desktop traffic may represent a smaller share of activity without being lower quality traffic.

Larger Home Improvement Projects Can Involve More Research

Deck construction is also an interesting industry to examine because building a new deck usually involves more consideration than calling someone for a small emergency repair.

A homeowner may be comparing pressure treated wood and composite decking. They could be researching different deck designs, railing options, stairs, lighting, pricing, maintenance requirements, or how a new deck will fit with their home.

They may also want to see a contractor's previous work.

Some of that research can happen on a phone. A larger desktop screen can be convenient when someone wants to open several contractor websites, compare project galleries, review proposals, or discuss options with another person in the household.

A contractor's website should support both types of visits.

One Homeowner May Search From More Than One Device

Device data has an important limitation.

A mobile click and a desktop click do not always represent two completely separate customer journeys.

For example, a homeowner could discover a deck builder in New Jersey through an ad on their phone one afternoon. They might visit the website, look at several projects, and remember the company name.

That evening, they could sit down at a computer and search for the company again before submitting an estimate request.

Another homeowner could do the reverse. They may research deck companies from a desktop during the week and return from their phone over the weekend when they are ready to call.

Google's reporting can help us understand which devices generate advertising activity and conversions, but contractors should remember that homeowners can move between devices as they research a larger project.

Mobile Search Makes Calls Especially Convenient

One of the clearest advantages of mobile traffic for a contractor is how quickly a search can turn into a phone call.

The customer already has a phone in their hand.

When the website or ad makes the phone number easy to access, the homeowner can go from searching to speaking with the contractor within minutes.

That convenience also means the homeowner can contact another company just as quickly.

A missed call or slow response may lead the customer back to Google to continue searching. Having a reliable process for answering calls, returning missed calls, responding to forms, and following up with potential customers can help contractors make better use of the traffic their marketing generates.

Project Photos Are Important on Both Devices

Visual content deserves extra attention for contractors selling projects such as decks, kitchens, bathrooms, landscaping, flooring, and other improvements where appearance is a major part of the buying decision.

Homeowners want to picture what the finished project could look like at their own home.

A deck contractor can help by showing completed wood and composite decks, different railing styles, stairs, multi level designs, before and after photos, and other examples of previous work.

Those photos should display properly on a phone without forcing visitors to zoom or navigate through a complicated gallery.

Desktop visitors should also have enough detail to explore the work more closely.

Local Search Adds Another Layer

Contractor searches are usually tied to a location.

A homeowner generally wants someone who works in their city or surrounding area, which is why Google Business Profiles, service area information, local website pages, and location focused searches can be important.

A mobile user may also be searching while physically located at the property where the work is needed.

Contractors should make it easy for Google and potential customers to understand where they work. Accurate business information, clearly defined service areas, relevant website content, and a properly maintained Google Business Profile can all contribute to that local presence.

What Contractors Can Learn

The results give us a practical example of customer behavior rather than relying on assumptions about how people search.

Across more than three months of Google Ads activity, about three out of every four ad clicks came from a mobile device. Mobile also accounted for a similar share of the campaign's recorded conversions.

Desktop produced considerably less traffic, but the visitors who did click converted at a rate comparable to mobile visitors.

For contractors, there are several practical takeaways:

• Check your website from your own phone. Make sure services, project photos, phone numbers, and estimate forms are easy to access.

• Do not overlook desktop visitors. They may make up a smaller portion of traffic while still generating valuable leads.

• Make contacting the company simple. Calls and estimate requests should require as few unnecessary steps as possible.

• Use real performance data when making marketing decisions. Device behavior can vary by service, location, campaign, and customer.

• Remember that one homeowner may use several devices. Marketing reports show important pieces of the journey, but they do not always capture every interaction that happened before a customer contacted the business.

Mobile and Desktop Are Both Part of the Contractor Search Journey

The data found for the deck building contractor provides a useful real-world example of how homeowners interact with contractor advertising.

For this particular deck contractor, mobile was responsible for the majority of Google Ads traffic and conversions from May through August 2026. Desktop contributed a smaller but still significant number of potential customers, with conversion performance that was fairly similar once someone clicked the ad.

Contractors do not need to guess which device matters more for their particular business. Google Ads and other marketing platforms can provide data that shows how customers are actually interacting with their campaigns.

At 99 Calls, we use information like this to understand how contractor campaigns are performing and where opportunities exist to improve the path from a Google search to a real lead.

The device may change throughout the customer's research process. The contractor's job is to make the next step easy whether the homeowner is holding a phone or sitting in front of a computer.

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