If you want your pest control company to dominate Google search results in your local market, you need a content marketing strategy. Content marketing is essential to growing your business because it positions you as an industry expert, which helps you build trust, improve your SEO rankings and generate leads.
First, let’s take a look at what goes into content marketing. Essentially, your content marketing strategy is your “why.” Why you are creating content, whom you are helping, and how you will help them in a way no one else can.
Let’s take this a step further. It’s late spring, the temperatures are rising and you want to drive sales for mosquito treatment plans. That’s why you’re creating content.
Then you have to think about whom you want to reach with your message. Homeowner Jane is planning backyard bbq’s and has kids playing outside and doesn’t want anyone eaten alive by mosquitoes. She wants a kid friendly pest control solution that will last. That’s whom you’re helping.
Finally, how can your mosquito treatment plan help all of the Homeowner Janes better than the competition? That’s where your expertise comes in with the content you create.
When Homeowner Jane googles, “How do I get rid of mosquitoes in my yard for a party?” your content pops up first. She clicks on an article titled, “Kid Friendly Ways to Rid your Backyard of Mosquitoes Before a Party,” which links back to your website.
When Homeowner Jane calls to inquire further about her options, you let her know about your kid and pet friendly products and how you can have her backyard mosquito free before her weekend soiree.
This example gives you an idea of what content marketing is all about. The whole point of creating great content is to generate leads and then turn them into customers.
If you’re thinking, “Great. I can add a few articles to my website, and the leads will come in, right?” Not exactly….
To get the most out of your content marketing, it’s important to have a well documented strategy in place. There are 4 major components you should consider when planning a content marketing strategy for your pest control company.
1. Your Business Plan
Determine your goals for your content program and how you plan to provide unique value through your content. Consider any obstacles or opportunities you may encounter as you execute your plan.
2. Your Buyer Personas
Create individual personas for each of the specific audiences you want to reach with your content. Outline their needs, interests, likes and dislikes. You may want to also examine what their content engagement cycle might look like.
3. Your Brand Story
Clarify the ideas and messages you want to communicate through your content marketing and how you will differentiate your company from the competition. Outline potential changes in the local market once you’ve shared your content with your audience.
4. Your Channel Plan
Identify the platforms you will use to communicate your content. You should establish criteria, processes and objectives for each platform and how they will align, so you can foster a cohesive brand conversation.
Pest control companies will typically use content marketing to build an audience with the goal of achieving at least one of these results: increased revenue, lower costs or better customers. It is impossible though without quality content.
When you start looking into the types of high-quality content that will help you rank well in search engines and deliver positive business results, there are 5 key principles to keep in mind:
1. Is your content engaging?
2. Does your content have originality?
3. Is your content adding value?
4. Is your content relevant to your audience?
5. Are you posting new content consistently?
Remember, your goal with your content marketing strategy is to be, well, strategic. Your approach should be focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content, so you can attract and retain a clearly defined audience. This requires planning, setting goals and measuring your results, so ultimately, you drive profitable customer action.
