What has changed with Thumbtack for Pros?

RDCushing

I'm curious if any other pros on Thumbtack are having the same or very similar experience as I am having. Between 2019 (when I started my retirement business) and sometime mid to late 2023, I got all the business I needed or desired with a $45-a-week budget on Thumbtack. I closed about one out of three leads and I did $80K to $90K (gross) in business every year. I was very happy.

However, sometime late last year, something dramatically changed. I started getting notices about a decline in my "competitive" rating, which appeared mostly to be code for "Thumbtack wants more of my money." So, I've nearly doubled my weekly budget and boosted several "maximum lead prices," but I'm still getting barely any leads.

I find this hugely disappointing, mostly because I used to refer everyone I knew that had their own businesses to Thumbtack as "the best bang for your advertising dollar." Now I'm beginning to think I need to start using some other platform--which is a shame because I have a solid 5-star rating with my Thumbtack customers.

Anybody else experiencing this kind of change recently?