Nearly 30 percent of higher-income consumers said social media influenced their decision making when it came to home repair services, a higher percentage than other income groups, according to a new study by Ad-ology.

The study found this group had significantly high reports of recent maintenance services performed.

For all demographics, positive and negative comments were the most influential types of social media.

For other social media, ratings websites were the most influential, followed by contractors’ websites. The top three influential traditional media types were newspaper, Yellow Pages, and direct mail.

"Some companies may be quick to dismiss social media as something that’s only used by young people, and not worth their effort," said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. 

"In reality, social media usage is growing across all demographics and can clearly be a way to reach some very lucrative audiences," Smith said.

Other key findings:

•  Licensing/bonding was the most important factor in the choice of a service provider in the Northeast
•  Nearly 7% of respondents had home maintenance done because of the need for emergency repair
•  Of traditional media types, Yellow Pages had the most influence on 65 to 74 year olds