The Power of 5-Star Reviews for Pest Control Businesses
Across the United States, there are nearly 32,000 pest control businesses. With this many competitors, it can be difficult to stand out from the rest and prove to new customers why they should hire you. The good news is many pest control businesses fail to leverage the power of digital marketing. Investing your time into building a strong digital presence can help you attract more customers and grow your business. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is by focusing on capturing high-quality reviews and ratings from existing customers on various online platforms. Having a high number of 5-star reviews can showcase your company’s reputation and let people know that your business is trustworthy and capable of solving their pest control problems. Why 5-Star Reviews Are Critical for Pest Control Companies For business owners and homeowners, dealing with a pest problem can be frustrating. The last thing people want is to deal with rodents or other pests for a long period of time. Finding the right partner to help correct the issue quickly and find a long-term solution is critical. Not all pest control companies are created equal. Consumers understand this, so they look to others for their recommendations and experiences. One of the best ways to validate the quality of a pest control company is to look at online reviews and ratings. One survey found that 97% of consumers rely on reviews to make their decisions when hiring companies or buying products. For pest control companies looking to expand their business, this can be a power tool to boost revenue. A study by Northwest University found that just five high-quality reviews can increase the probability of a purchase by nearly 300%! Five-star ratings can also improve your company’s SEO and search engine results. Companies like Google rely on online reviews to help their algorithm rank companies based on their reputation. The higher your reviews, the more likely you are to show up when customers search for pest control services in their area. 3 Ways Pest Control Companies Can Improve Their Online Ratings Now that we’ve covered why 5-star reviews are important for your pest control business, let’s discuss ways that you can improve your online reputation and encourage more customers to leave positive reviews. 1. Update Your Online Profiles One of the most important steps to getting more online visibility and reviews is to make sure your profile is up-to-date and customers have a place to leave reviews for others to see. For pest control businesses, the top sites include Google Business Profile, Facebook, Yelp, and Angi (formerly Angie’s List). Be sure to complete all of the fields that apply to your business and create a regular schedule to review and make updates (quarterly, biannually, etc.). 2. Ask Customers Directly for Feedback While this may seem like common sense, many pest control companies don’t actively pursue reviews and ratings from customers. The problem is that you could be missing out on lots of great positive feedback that could generate more business. Customers who have a bad experience are 2 to 3 times more likely to leave negative reviews. Unfortunately, even a single bad review can pull down your average score significantly. For example, even if you have 25 5-star reviews, a one-star review can single-handedly bring your overall score down to 4.8 stars. To combat this, increasing the volume of 5-star reviews can drown out the negative reviews. To increase the volume of online reviews and ratings, you need to make the process as easy as possible. Simply adding a quick link to an email or invoice with instructions can prompt your customers to provide feedback. The easier you make this, the more likely they will be to take time out of their busy schedule to give your business a positive rating. 3. Take Action on the Feedback You Receive Receiving both positive and negative feedback can help pest control companies refine and improve their business. Positive reviews can increase visibility and sales, while negative reviews give the opportunity to improve their customers’ experience. No matter the case, you need to use customer feedback to your advantage. Responding to reviews is a great way to interact with customers. This also demonstrates to new customers that you care about what your past customers have to say about your business and take the time to read their feedback. You can also use social media to amplify your positive ratings. Feel free to use your five-star reviews on your social media platforms for your followers to see. This may even encourage others to leave a rating. Trust the Experts in Pest Control Marketing At Rhino, our team of marketing experts are here to support your marketing and growth goals for your pest control business. We’ll help you deliver outstanding results by leveraging industry best practices and innovative tools like Birdeye to automate your review request process. Subscribe to our blog today for the best tips to transform your businesses marketing efforts.