Growing a pest control business isn’t just about delivering great service—it’s about making sure potential customers know, trust, and choose you when they need help. With competition increasing and customer expectations rising, a strong marketing strategy is essential for consistent lead generation.
These ten marketing tips are designed specifically for pest control businesses. They address the real challenges you face—like low online visibility, weak ad performance, and inconsistent leads. Implement these tactics, and you’ll put your company in a position to grow and thrive.
1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile (GBP) for Local Visibility
When someone searches for pest control services, Google often shows local business listings first. If your Google Business Profile isn’t optimized, you’re invisible to potential customers.
Here’s how to improve your GBP:
- Make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are accurate and consistent across all online listings.
- Add high-quality photos of your team, trucks, and completed jobs. Customers are more likely to choose businesses with real, up-to-date images.
- Post updates regularly—share seasonal pest prevention tips, current promotions, and recent job successes.
- Get more reviews. Google favors businesses with high ratings and regular reviews. Make it a routine to ask satisfied customers to leave feedback.
A pest control company in Florida increased their monthly calls by 35% just by adding new photos every month and encouraging every technician to ask for reviews.
2. Run Google Local Service Ads (LSAs) to Get More Qualified Leads
Google LSAs appear at the very top of search results and show a “Google Screened” badge, which builds trust with potential customers. Unlike regular Google Ads, LSAs charge per lead, not per click—so you only pay when someone contacts you directly.
To make the most of LSAs:
- Pass Google’s background and licensing checks to earn the “Google Screened” badge.
- Focus on generating more Google reviews, as LSAs prioritize businesses with higher ratings.
- Use detailed, service-specific descriptions in your ad profile (e.g., “termite inspection,” “bed bug removal,” or “mosquito treatment”).
- Regularly check and dispute any bad leads to avoid wasting your budget.
One pest control business in Texas shifted 50% of their Google Ads budget into LSAs and saw a 60% increase in lead volume within three months.
3. Leverage Seasonal Campaigns to Match Pest Activity
Pest problems change with the seasons, and your marketing should follow these patterns. Run seasonal campaigns that target the pests most active in your area at different times of the year.
Examples of seasonal campaigns include:
- Spring: Termite inspections, ant prevention, and mosquito treatments
- Summer: Mosquito control, wasp nest removal, and spider treatments
- Fall: Rodent prevention as mice and rats seek shelter indoors
- Winter: Bed bug treatments, rodent control, and year-round pest maintenance plans
A pest control company in the Midwest ran a “Rodent Season Special” every fall and consistently booked 30% more jobs than their competitors who didn’t adjust their marketing for seasonal trends.
4. Improve Your Website for Higher Conversion Rates
Your website should act as a lead-generation machine. A good design alone won’t cut it—your site needs to make it easy for visitors to contact you and feel confident in your services.
Focus on these essentials:
- Fast load speeds—if your site takes longer than three seconds to load, potential customers will leave.
- Mobile-friendly design—most pest control searches happen on smartphones, so make sure your site looks great on any device.
- Prominent calls to action (CTAs)—use clear, direct buttons like “Call Now for a Free Quote” or “Schedule a Pest Inspection Today.”
- Trust signals—showcase real customer reviews, certifications, and “before and after” photos of pest treatments.
A pest control business in California redesigned their site with better mobile optimization and clearer CTAs. Their conversion rate increased by 25% within two months.
5. Use Google Ads Smartly to Maximize ROI
Google Ads can be a lead-generating powerhouse if managed correctly. The problem is many pest control companies waste money by targeting the wrong keywords or failing to track performance.
Here’s how to get more from your Google Ads:
- Use high-intent keywords like “termite treatment near me” or “bed bug exterminator [city].”
- Add negative keywords like “free,” “DIY,” or “jobs” to avoid irrelevant clicks.
- Focus on call-only ads for mobile users. People dealing with urgent infestations are more likely to call than fill out a form.
- Adjust bids based on performance. Increase spending on top-performing keywords and reduce spend on underperformers.
A pest control company in Arizona reduced their cost per lead by 40% after cleaning up their keyword list and shifting more budget toward call-only ads.
6. Create Educational Content to Build Trust and Attract Organic Traffic
People often search online for answers before calling a pest control company. If your website provides helpful, trustworthy information, it builds credibility and increases the chances they’ll call you when they need service.
Content ideas that resonate with homeowners:
- Blog posts like “5 Signs You Have a Termite Infestation” or “How to Keep Rodents Out of Your Attic This Winter.”
- FAQ pages addressing common concerns like treatment safety or pricing.
- Short videos showing pest treatments in action or explaining how certain pests invade homes.
A pest control business in Georgia started publishing two blog posts per month with seasonal pest advice. Their website traffic doubled in six months, and many of these visitors turned into paying customers.
7. Ask for Reviews After Every Successful Job
Online reviews are a critical trust factor for pest control companies. When potential customers see dozens of positive reviews mentioning quick response times, friendly technicians, and effective treatments, they’re far more likely to choose your business.
Make review collection a routine process:
- Train technicians to ask for a review before leaving a completed job.
- Use automated tools like Podium or NiceJob to send a review request via text message after each service.
- Respond to all reviews—thank happy customers and professionally address any concerns from less satisfied ones.
A pest control company in Michigan went from 30 to 150 reviews in one year by automating their review requests. This simple change led to a 50% increase in leads from Google searches.
8. Build a Referral Program to Turn Happy Customers into Advocates
Word-of-mouth referrals are often the best leads you can get—they come with built-in trust. But customers rarely refer businesses without a little encouragement.
Implement a straightforward referral program:
- Offer an incentive, like $50 off their next service or a gift card, for every new customer they refer.
- Make the program easy to understand and share.
- Remind customers about the referral program in follow-up emails, on your website, and during service visits.
A pest control business in Texas launched a “Refer a Neighbor” program and increased new customer bookings by 20% in six months.
9. Stay Active in Local Communities to Build Brand Recognition
Pest control is a local business, and community involvement helps build your reputation as the go-to provider.
Ideas for community-based marketing include:
- Sponsoring local events, youth sports teams, or neighborhood clean-up days.
- Partnering with real estate agents to offer termite inspections for homebuyers.
- Joining local Facebook groups and offering helpful advice when people ask about pest problems.
A pest control company in Ohio sponsored a neighborhood festival and ran a “Free Termite Inspection” promotion during the event. The result was a 25% spike in new customer inquiries that month.
10. Track Marketing Metrics and Adjust Regularly
Marketing isn’t a one-and-done task—it requires ongoing tracking, testing, and tweaking. The more you measure, the better you can allocate your budget toward what actually works.
Focus on tracking these metrics:
- Lead sources: Where are your leads coming from—Google Ads, LSAs, referrals, or organic search?
- Cost per lead: How much are you paying to generate each new lead?
- Website conversion rate: How many visitors call, fill out a form, or book a service?
A pest control business we worked with discovered that 70% of their leads came from Google Business Profile while their paid ads underperformed. By reallocating some of their ad spend into local SEO efforts, they saw a 30% increase in leads without increasing their budget.
Take Action: Implement These Tips to Grow Your Pest Control Business
Marketing a pest control company successfully requires more than guesswork. With these ten strategies, you can increase visibility, build trust with customers, and generate leads consistently. Focus on optimizing your Google Business Profile, running well-targeted ads, leveraging reviews, and creating useful content that positions your company as the expert in your market.
If you need help executing these marketing tactics or want a custom plan built for your pest control business, we specialize in driving results for pest control companies. Let’s work together to grow your business and make your phone ring with high-quality leads.
