In today’s digital age, having a strong SEO (search engine optimization) strategy is more important than ever. In fact, approximately 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. Considering the top three search results typically receive over 75% of all clicks, your search engine ranking is critical to attracting new customers to your website. For pest control companies, especially where the competition is fierce, landing one of those coveted positions at the top of the SERP (search engine results page) may determine your business’s ability to generate new sales and revenue.
1. Start with a Smart Design
Building an SEO-optimized website starts with having a solid foundation. Too many pest control companies make the mistake of building a website that is not designed with search engines in mind. Instead, they design their website like a brochure that lists basic information about the company such as operating area, services provided, and contact information. While this does technically provide customers with the most pertinent information they need to hire you, it won’t help them find your website in the first place.
Search engine algorithms are designed to match its users with the websites or information that most closely matches their search criteria. If someone searches for “bed bug removal in Scottsdale”, what website will show up highest in the results? A generic website for a pest control company in the Phoenix area or a page that specifically provides information on bed bug removal services in Scottsdale? The more specific webpage will win every time.
For this reason, we recommend following our SMART pest control website methodology to design the architecture of your website by creating pages dedicated to very specific topics (location, type of pest, etc.) while keeping your site easy to navigate. It’s a great idea for your website to host useful tips on dealing with various local pests but listing information on a dozen different pests on a single page will confuse search engines and result in poor ranking. By separating them out to separate dedicated pages, you will have a better chance of showing up higher in the search results.
The biggest challenge is that building a Smart pest control website does require additional resources and time to design and maintain. However, improving your search engine rankings will result in more customers and a good return on investment.
2. Use the Right Keywords
Once your website architecture is optimized, it’s important to focus on selecting the right keywords for your site. Keywords are the specific words or phrases that potential customers enter into search engines to find the information or businesses they are looking for. Start by creating a list of potential keywords that you think most people would enter into a search engine. From there, you can use a number of keyword research tools (such as Google Keyword Planner) to evaluate the search volume, trends, and difficulty.
Since most of your customers will likely be looking for pest control products and services in their local area, it’s important to include any relevant local keywords such as the county, city, or neighborhood you service.
Another keyword strategy is to look into long-tail keywords instead of short-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are often single words or short phrases such as “pest control” or “ants”. Long-tail keywords are longer phrases such as “pet-friendly ant killer” or “termite fumigation in Springfield, Illinois”. Long-tail keywords are more specific and often have lower search volumes. However, because they are less common, it is much easier to reach the top of the search results.
Finally, there is such a thing as using too many keywords. Some websites use a tactic called keyword stuffing to load their website up with lots of keywords. This can actually backfire as many search engines like Google will penalize websites that have an excessive keyword density.
3. Focus on Engaging, High-Quality Content
To attract visitors to your site and boost your search engine ranking, you’ll need to focus on creating engaging, high-quality content that provides value to your audience. This content will also help to establish your business as a local leader in the pest control industry, build trust and credibility with potential customers, and encourage them to engage with your business.
The type of content that you create is entirely up to you. There are numerous options including blog posts, videos, downloadable guides, infographics, and podcasts. Educational content is especially valuable as many potential customers will start their search by looking for tips and advice on how to identify and prevent common pest infestations. You can also monitor industry trends to create content that addresses the most pressing issues and interests of your target audience.
In addition to great content, search engines look for websites that keep their content up-to-date and publish new content on a regular basis. From an SEO perspective, it’s a good practice to publish a few strong pieces of content each week.
4. Business Listings and Online Reviews
Online business directories such as Yelp, Google My Business, and Angi can provide additional credibility to enhance your website’s ability to show up in search results. There are two main benefits to this approach. First, customers who start their search on one of these platforms will have the ability to access your site through the website link you include in your profile. This also helps search engines identify your company as a legitimate and reputable business which can increase your search engine ranking.
It’s important to make sure that your business listing on these sites is updated and complete. Some sites require you to claim the business so that the profile is verified as belonging to your company. You also want to have a strategy to request and collect positive reviews from your satisfied customers. This will improve your business’s reputation and show search engines that you provide good quality services.
5. Build a Network of Backlinks
Backlinks are an important factor in improving your search engine rankings and building your online authority as a pest control company. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. Search engines view backlinks as a measure of your website’s relevance and authority within your industry.
There are a few simple strategies you can leverage to build a solid network of backlinks. First, high-quality content will be more likely to earn backlinks since other websites will naturally want to share this information with their users. You can also offer to write guest posts or contribute content to another website (like a local landscaping contractor or other relevant business) in exchange for backlinks. Finally, getting your business listed in industry associations’ directories can provide a reputable backlink source.
It’s important to note that not all backlinks are created equal. Backlinks from low-quality websites won’t influence your search engine rankings as much as websites with a strong reputation. As tempting as it might be, it’s never a good idea to purchase backlinks or use tactics that violate a search engine’s guidelines. This could harm your search engine rankings in the long run.
6. Monitor Your SEO Performance
Monitoring your website’s performance is an essential part of improving your search engine rankings and optimizing your website for SEO. Regularly monitoring a handful of metrics can help you identify areas for improvement, track your progress over time, and adjust your strategy accordingly. The most prominent tool for this task is Google Analytics, although there are other tools available.
Trust the SEO Experts in the Pest Control Industry
A comprehensive SEO strategy can become quite complex and overwhelming, especially if you are not tech savvy. At Rhino Pest Control Marketing, our team of digital marketing experts are here to help you improve your ability to rank highly in search results. We’ll guide you through the process of redesigning your website, creating a keyword strategy, and monitoring your online performance. Contact us today for a free website evaluation.
