The pest control industry is extremely competitive. It’s very common for pest control businesses to have a dozen or more direct competitors in their market. When trying to attract new customers, standing out from the crowd can be challenging. The good news is that many pest control companies rely on outdated, traditional advertising methods. In this article, we will explore several advertising secrets that most pest control companies overlook. By implementing these clever tactics, you can elevate your brand, attract new customers, and ultimately drive business growth.
1. Building a SMART Website
Most pest control companies have a website. The challenge is that most of these websites are poorly designed and not optimized to attract a large number of visitors. Having a carefully organized SMART website (get a free website review here) is key to ensuring your website ranks higher than your competition. While basic best practices like fast loading times, mobile friendliness, and intuitive navigation helps, a successful website begins with the right architecture.
Search engines like Google use complex algorithms to pair their users with the most relevant and accurate information. The closer a website matches the search criteria, the higher the website will rank. Unfortunately, most pest control websites are constructed like a traditional brochure that lists basic information about the company and its services. For example, the company might have a services page that lists a dozen different types of pest control services that are offered to customers. The problem is that these pages aren’t specific enough to one topic to rank high against another page that contains very specific information. For example, if a user searches for “ant extermination”, a page dedicated to ants will naturally rank higher than one that talks about several different types of pests.
Pest control businesses can take advantage of this by organizing their website content in a way that makes the topic very clear to search engines. If you service three different towns, you might even go as far as having a separate page for ant extermination for each of those towns. While this does make the website construction process more complex and expensive, you’ll see a much higher number of search engine conversions resulting in more sales.
2. Create a Comprehensive Content Strategy
Content marketing is a powerful tool that helps you establish yourself as a knowledgeable authority in the pest control industry. This content can come in many forms including informative blog posts, articles, or videos that address common pest-related issues, prevention tips, and effective solutions. You can also run seasonal campaigns and reminders for customers who need to prepare for common pest control seasons. Hosting educational workshops and webinars is also a great way to showcase your experience and get live interaction and forge meaningful connections with potential customers.
Most pest control businesses overlook the value that this can bring to both their customers and the business’s advertising efforts. They often believe that providing tips will actually hurt their ability to sell their services because they are giving away solutions for free. The opposite is actually true. Smart pest control companies know that providing value to their customers will increase the opportunity to engage with these potential customers and encourage them to hire your company in the future when they experience pest control issues that they can’t solve themselves.
It may take some time to build up a decent library of content, but many of these pieces can be used over and over again to attract new customers. Try to be as creative as possible when generating and sharing content. The possibilities are endless.
3. Leverage Local Service Ads Instead of Google Ads
A lot of local businesses pay for Google Ads to help them show up higher than their competitors in search engine results. A lesser-known option on the Google platform is Local Service Ads. This option is a little more expensive, but it ranks higher than a traditional Google Ads. In addition, you only have to pay for customers that contact your business through the listing. Compared to Google Ads which charges for every click through to your website, Local Ads are more likely to generate better quality leads.
4. Targeted Local Partnerships
Another secret opportunity that pest control businesses have is creating strategic partnerships with other businesses and organizations that have complimentary services or customer bases. For example, a local landscaping company may have customers who also need pest control for their home gardens. By finding and establishing these high-quality partnerships, you can collaborate on joint marketing efforts, cross-promotions, or referral programs to tap into each other’s networks and reach a wider audience. Not only does this benefit both businesses, but it can bring significant cost savings to your advertising budget.
5. Differentiate Your Business with Unique Offerings
Most pest control businesses offer a similar range of services and products. It can be difficult for customers to choose which company to hire. One way to gain an advantage is by highlighting and advertising your unique offerings and features that set your business apart from the others. These differentiators include hassle-free experiences (such as online booking tools or virtual consultations), pet-friendly solutions, eco-friendly products, or cutting-edge technology. These unique offerings can help create organic promotion and buzz about your business online and in social circles without having to spend money on advertising.
Outsmart Your Competition with a Leading Advertising Strategy
It’s essential for pest control companies to think outside the box when it comes to advertising and promoting their services. At Rhino Pest Control Marketing, our team of experts understand the latest trends and have market-tested strategies based on our work with hundreds of businesses across the pest control industry. Don’t recreate the wheel! Contact our team to find out how you can leverage our knowledge to get a jump start on your competition and start generating more brand recognition today.
