9 Pest Control Marketing Strategies That Don’t Waste Money
Marketing a pest control business isn’t as straightforward as most other industries. You can’t convince any customer to pay for pest management when they don’t need it—but you need them to find you first when infestations happen.
That’s why— rather than pouring money into pushy ads—your marketing should be focused on improving your brand presence. This means your business should show up everywhere that customers are already looking for pest control services.
We’ll point you to the 9 best places to promote your pest control business so that customers can find you when they need you.
The best pest control marketing ideas:
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Build your Google Business Profile
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Run Local Services Ads on Google
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Get listed on other local directories
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Market your business on social media
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Pay for traditional Google ads
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Write articles that attract customers from Google
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Connect with customers on lead generation websites
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Leave branded “gifts” at customer properties
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Decorate your uniforms and vehicles
1. Build your Google Business Profile
A Google Business Profile is the listing everyone sees when they find your business on Google. You need this profile to market your pest control business successfully—it’s how a big chunk of your customers will find you.
This Google Business Profile for Plank Termite and Pest Control shows up when searchers in St. James, MO search for “pest control services”:
Just like Local Services Ads, this profile helps potential customers find you when they’re searching for pest control services in your area—except that you don’t need to pay for a profile.
Once you set up your profile, potential customers can find it:
- On Google Maps, when searching for services that you list on your profile (e.g., “mice removal near me”)
- Halfway down the search results when they search for the pest services you offer
- When searching the name of your business
Your Business Profile will have your services, contact information, client reviews, and more will appear on local search results.
Customers can click different tabs to see more detail on the services you offer, read customer reviews, and even call the company directly from the listing.
To market your business properly on your Business Profile, include your:
- Business hours
- Company description
- Photos of past jobs
- Team photos
- Frequently asked questions
- Customer reviews
Get more Google reviews from customers
Just because a potential customer finds your business online doesn’t mean they’ll go with your services. Customers look for reviews as proof that they can trust your team.
Having a high star rating and more reviews doesn’t just look good to customers—it actually helps your business rank higher in search results.
To ensure you ask every satisfied customer for a review, set up automatic review collection in a tool like Jobber. Jobber automatically sends a text to the customers you want reviews from.
When you make an invoice in Jobber, you can choose if you want to send the customer a review request.
After paying their invoice, those customers will automatically get a direct link to leave a review on your Google Business Profile.
From your reviews dashboard in Jobber, you can keep an eye on your average Google rating. You’ll also see your latest reviews and resources on how to manage your business’s reputation.
2. Run Local Services Ads on Google
When you run a Local Services Ad on Google, you make it easier for customers in your region to find your business.
This type of Google ad only shows local customers who search for the services you offer. Directly from the ad, customers call you or book your pest control service.
Pest control customers who search terms like “bed bug exterminator” or “pest control service” will see these ads before anything else. They appear with a Google Guaranteed badge that proves these businesses are vetted by Google:
When you’re starting off your online marketing, Local Services Ads are a cost-effective place to start because:
- You only pay when someone contacts you from the ad.
- You’re only advertising to the people who are already looking for you.
Of course, you’re still competing with many other companies in your area. Learn how to set up your Local Services Ads, then use Google’s support resources to help your ad perform better.
3. Get listed on other local directories
There are many more places than Google to list your business. The more listings you have, the more customers can find you.
Create a profile on some of these directories that includes your pest control company name, services, website, and contact information:
- Bing Places
- Yelp
- Nextdoor
- Yellow Pages
- Chamber of Commerce
- Foursquare
- Yahoo Small Business Registration
Create a detailed social media page
Whichever platform you choose, fill out as much information about your business as possible so that people know what you can do for them.
Facebook lets you add lots of detail about your company to your Business Page. To look trustworthy and give potential customers the information they need, you should add:
- A profile picture with your company logo.
- A cover image that represents your business well, like a photo of your entire team or of a specialist working on the job.
- Contact information and business hours. Facebook lets you fill this out in one section that appears on the side of your business page.
- An ‘About’ section that describes what services you offer, how long you’ve been in business, and the locations you serve.
- Contact method for customers who want to ask you questions or book your services
Facebook lets you choose what contact method to put at the top of your business page. You can let customers message you directly on Facebook. Or, you can add a link to your website or your online booking form from Jobber.
For example, Cascade Pest Control has a ‘Contact Us’ button on their Facebook page that takes visitors straight to their website:
An Instagram profile is a bit simpler to set up. Include all of the same information in your bio, and add any extra details about your services in your Story Highlights, like Allure Pest Management does:
Be sure to add a link to your website in your bio. Allure Pest Management uses Linktree, a free tool that lets them share multiple links on their Instagram bio (including their website and Yelp page).
Post about your team’s work
When you’re starting out, you don’t need to pour weeks into social media posts, or even spend money on social media ads.
Start by posting any photos and videos you have of your team’s work. These posts will show potential customers you’ve done great work and that you’re an active business.
If you need ideas for social media posts that customers might find interesting, try creating:
- How-to videos showing customers how to set traps
- Preventative home maintenance tips that keep pests away
- Before-and-after images of pest removal results
- Customer reviews and testimonials
5. Pay for traditional Google ads
When you’re ready to spend a bit more and have worked hard at your unpaid digital marketing, try running search ads on Google.
Search ads appear before regular search results (and after Local Services Ads) when customers search for pest control services.
For this type of ad, you have to bid money on specific phrases and compete with other companies for advertising space.
For example, if you bid on “raccoon removal,” your ads have a better chance of appearing when someone searches for that keyword.
6. Write articles that attract customers from Google
Before hiring an exterminator, many homeowners try to solve pest problems on their own. Questions like “how to get rid of termites” and “do mice invade in winter” get thousands of searches on Google every month.
Your website can appear in those searches if you answer them helpfully and thoroughly with informational articles.
This is called content marketing—and it’s a way to use your expertise not just to help customers, but also to convince them you’re the right expert for the job.
Here are some examples of articles you could write:
- How to Safely Remove a Beehive from Your Property
- Safe Pest Control Methods for Families with Children
- 10 Natural Ways to Keep Ants Out of Your Home
For example, Smith’s Pest Management has a detailed guide on how to get rid of ants as a homeowner.
Because the guide is helpful and uses search engine optimization successfully, it shows up on the first page for customers searching for help with ant removal.
Throughout the article, Smith’s Pest Management also advises customers to get help from a professional.
By sharing advice like this, you’re setting yourself up as a trustworthy authority in your field. So when a website visitor runs into a pest problem, you’ll be their first call.
How to choose article topics
To choose article topics, start by brainstorming a list of questions you think your customers would search. Then, run them through a free keyword research tool like WordStream.
When you type in a keyword like “how to get rid of ants,” you’ll see how many customers are searching that exact keyword and how competitive it is:
Be aware that competition can be tight. For popular questions like this one, you’re up against pest control businesses that have been doing content marketing for years.
To write high-quality content that can compete, you can either hire a:
- Freelance content writer
- Search engine optimization (SEO) agency or digital marketing agency. Agencies can charge high monthly rates, but a good one can help you improve your website and overall digital marketing strategy.
READ MORE: Pest control SEO: how to attract customers from search engines
7. Connect with customers on lead generation websites
Lead generation websites are places where customers can get matched with service providers like you. After creating a business listing on sites like these, you can pay to contact those customers.
Get set up on one or more of these top lead generation sites:
- Thumbtack. Thumbtack lets customers search for pest control specialists around their ZIP code and choose the ones they want. Build a stand-out profile with a strong introduction, lots of customer reviews, and photos of your work.
- HomeAdvisor: Just like Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor connects you with customers who need pest management—but it matches customers to you, instead of letting customers choose. Having a detailed and accurate profile helps HomeAdvisor match you with the best leads possible.
- Angi: When you list your business on Angi, you’ll be ranked based on the number of positive client reviews you have. You can also boost visibility by buying ads at an added cost.
READ MORE: Angi vs HomeAdvisor: Which lead generation service should you use?
Paying for leads can get pricey, so be sure you have room in your budget before signing up for lead generation services.
Be aware that these services don’t always guarantee you the best leads. We recommend using these services when you have room to experiment, or if you’re struggling to get leads from search engine marketing and other unpaid efforts.
8. Leave branded “gifts” at customer properties
Marketing your pest control business to existing customers is just as important as attracting new ones.
After every visit, leave a physical reminder of your company at the customer’s property so they’ll remember to contact you if another problem pops up.
A customer is less likely to throw out a special “gift” than a business card—and it can make your business more memorable.
Here are some ideas for gifts that you can decorate with your company branding and contact info:
- Branded insect repellent wristbands or clips for outdoor activities
- Reusable tote bags with a fun pest control-themed design
- Bug-shaped refrigerator magnets with your company branding
- Personalized reusable water bottles
- Customized notebook with helpful pest control tips inside
- Branded pens and stationery
9. Decorate your uniforms and vehicles
Use vehicle wraps and your team uniforms to promote your business while you’re working. These are one-time investments that help you attract potential customers for years.
Your vehicle wraps, decals, and uniforms should include:
- Business name and logo
- Tagline or sentence with your best selling point (e.g., speedy 24/7 emergency services)
- Phone number
- Your website’s URL
- A simple and eye-catching design with your company colors
You can design the decals yourself, use a service like 99designs, or hire a freelancer to design them for you. Then, contact a local print shop that does vehicle decor to get them printed and installed.
How to choose the best marketing strategies
Before you dive into marketing your pest control business, it’s important to think about your overall business marketing strategy.
Answer these five questions to start:
- Who is your target audience? Where do they spend their time? This will determine which methods to use (digital marketing vs. print ads) to reach them.
- What value do you bring to customers? Think about the value you bring beyond just ‘pest removal.’ For example, if you specialize in residential pests, you’re doing much more than getting rid of rats; you’re giving clients their home back so they can sleep easy at night.
- What are your marketing goals? Do you want more new customers? Or do you want your marketing to help you win larger contracts from existing clients? The answer will help determine which marketing methods will work best.
- How will you know your marketing is working? Do you have a client relationship management tool (CRM) that tracks where new customers are coming from? Seeing the source of all your new leads can tell you which marketing efforts are working best.
Once you can answer these questions confidently, choose the pest control marketing strategies that make the most sense for your target customers and goals.
Start with just 1–3 marketing ideas from our list, see what works, then adjust your plan so you can spend more time on the marketing efforts that work.
4. Market your business on social media
Many of your potential customers spend more time on social media than anywhere else online. They’ll even search for businesses on Facebook and Instagram before (or instead of) using traditional search engines.
Before you get overwhelmed, you don’t need to be a social media expert to use Facebook and Instagram for your online marketing. You just need to set up profiles that help potential customers find you, trust you, and contact you.