In today’s digital age, consumers turn to search engines for nearly every solution. This can be a huge challenge for pest control businesses facing a sea of competitors. Google Ads offer a strategic lifeline to pest control companies eager to connect with their target audience. With its ability to position your business at the forefront of relevant search results, Google Ads provides the opportunity to not only boost website traffic but also attract high-quality leads. As a pest control business owner, it’s critical to understand how to get the most out of Google Ads and design the perfect campaign that is guaranteed to help generate additional sales.
1. Google Ads vs Local Service Ads: Selecting the Right Option
Building an advertising campaign on Google’s platform is a great option to generate additional website visitors and leads. However, many business owners are unaware that Google offers two different options when it comes to advertising – Google Ads and Local Service Ads. There are pros and cons to using each of these options. With both options, the advertisement shows up ahead of the standard search results.
Traditional Google Ads work on a click-based pay structure. When someone clicks on a Google Ad link, they are redirected to the advertiser’s website and the advertiser is charged a small fee. This option is great if you simply want to get as many visitors to your website as possible.
For pest control businesses, a better option might be Local Service Ads. Like traditional Google Ads, Local Service Ads show up at the top of the Google search results. However, the primary difference is the pay structure. Instead of paying per-click, advertisers only have to pay when an end user contacts the business through Google via phone, email, or another communication option. Local Service Ads are more expensive than traditional Google Ads. However, they can produce better quality leads that have a higher probability of purchasing your services.
2. Conducting a Thorough Keyword Search
Whether you select a traditional Google Ad or a Local Service Ad, advertisers must select the keywords that they want to be associated with their advertisement. For example, if you want your ad to show up for people who search for “pest control in Houston”, you’ll need to identify that phrase or keywords when you set up your ad. Knowing which keywords to target can be quite the challenge. If you try to advertise under a keyword or phrase that is extremely common or popular, you could face steep competition for the top spot (and pay a much higher fee). Lower frequency keywords won’t have such a high volume, but the tradeoff is lower fees and less competition.
When researching keywords, there are two things to keep in mind – type of keyword and location. There are primarily two types of keywords. Short-tail keywords are single words or short phrases like “ant” or “pest control”. These will be used more frequently by search engine users making them more desirable and expensive. Long-tail keywords are more complex phrases such as “termite tenting in Orange County, California”. These keywords will be less competitive but won’t see the high traffic like short-tail keywords.
The other attribute to keep in mind when it comes to keywords is location. Pest control businesses usually operate in a tight geographic area. Including the name of your local cities, counties, and neighborhoods in your service territory as keywords can help ensure that you are connecting with people who are local to your market.
3. Creating a Compelling Google Ad
Probably the most important step to using Google Ads effectively is crafting a compelling and interesting ad. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how many people see your ad if they don’t click on it. Here a few things to keep in mind:
- Understand Your Audience – Think carefully about the people that will see your ad. What problem or pain point do they need help solving? If you can effectively answer that question in your advertisement, they will be more likely to click on your ad or contact your business.
- Compelling Headline and Ad Copy – Your headline will be the first thing that they see. You will only have a split second for them to make a decision on whether they want to continue reading. Feel free to jump right to the value that you are providing them by contacting your pest control business. You might also highlight some unique selling points in the ad copy such as the number of years you have been in service or other unique offerings that make you different from other competitors such as 24-hour service or free estimates.
- Optimize Your Landing Page – If you are using Google Ads instead of Local Service Ads, you need to make sure that your landing page aligns perfectly with the ad and is ready to “continue the conversation”. If the ad is focused on termite tenting, but your landing page targets other forms of pest control, the user might click away or become confused, costing you a sale. You also want to make sure that there is a clear call to action and that your website loads quickly and is mobile friendly.
4. Target the Right Audience
Too many business owners make the mistake of trying to get as many views as possible on their advertisements. They focus too much on quantity rather than quality. The problem is that reaching the wrong people will do nothing but cost you valuable marketing dollars. Think about it. Would you rather reach 10,000 people with a response rate of 1% or 1,000 people with a response rate of 35%?
When designing your pest control advertisement, you want to be clear on exactly who is most likely to hire you to provide services at their home or business. By focusing on the right target audience, you’re more likely to generate high-quality leads that will convert to sales.
5. Track, Analyze, and and Optimize Your Campaign
Running a successful Google Ad campaign will require a lot of patience and practice. There are numerous variables including the keywords you select, competitors ads, and the reception by your target audience. It’s unlikely that you will build a viral campaign on the first try. It’s common for campaigns to be modified and enhanced over time through carefully planned trial and error.
First, you’ll want to track how well your campaign is performing. This is easy to do through Google’s platform which provides a wide range of metrics including click through rate. If your campaign isn’t producing high-quality results, you may need to adjust your ad. Make small adjustments to your headline, keywords, and target audience and see if it made a positive impact. Over time, you’ll learn what does and doesn’t work.
Advertise Like a Professional with a Leading Agency
As you embark on your journey in the competitive world of online advertising with Google Ads, you might consider the invaluable expertise of a specialized marketing firm. At Rhino Pest Control Marketing, our team of experts specialize in bringing strategies and tools that are specific to the pest control industry. Our methods are proven to ensure exceptional results, allowing you to maximize ROI, target your audience effectively, and outperform competitors. Contact us today to learn how you can build or update your existing Google Ad campaigns.
