Local SEO Mistakes Done by Pest Control Companies

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Are you a local pest control company wondering why you are not getting enough business leads? 

Have you tried most of the online advice, but to no avail? Most likely, you are making at least one of the local SEO mistakes that are hurting your local rankings. 

It's okay if you find more than one. They're fairly easy to fix. This guide will discuss eliminating the mistakes you make with your pest control business. 

10 Local SEO Mistakes That Pest Control Companies Are Doing

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Mistake #1: Set It And Forget It.

There are thousands of websites dating back five or even ten years on Google. They have not been updated since then. 

Sadly, local pest services continue to make this mistake. They set up their local SEO but then forget about it. For instance, the below screenshot shows a pest control site embedding map on the homepage but forgetting to pin its business location. 

Google appreciates newness. Its algorithm is constantly evolving. As a result, you have to update the information frequently. Otherwise, you will be left behind. 

When you don't update your profiles or website, this sends a signal to Google that your pest control business is no longer active. 

Here's how to fix this.

• Update your website. Replace your images. Fix your email address and telephone number since you may have changed them since the last update. 
• Be sure to update your social media and Google My Business listings if they were not updated last year. 

Have a look at how Google recommends the most updated Google My Business listings at the top for the local search query “pest control service in Los Angeles”

Mistake #2: Not Targeting Proper Local Keywords 

One of the common mistakes that many local pest control services make is targeting completely unrelated keywords. While all the pest control services would like to rank as ''best pest control services'', the keyword is not specific enough to drive local traffic. 

Customers living in Chicago do not want the best pest control services. They want the 'best pest control services in Chicago'. Even Google suggests keywords in “related searches,” as shown in the below screenshot. This small change in a keyword can provide incremental results. 

Here's how you can avoid this mistake 

• Add a location identifier: Eg, Best Pest Service in New York. 
• Put yourself in your customer's shoes. If you were them, what keyword would you use if you were them to find a pest control service? Most probably, pest control services near me, pest control services for aphids, etc. 

To research local keywords, you can use free tools like Google Keyword planner or paid tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, and Brightlocal.

Have a look at this screenshot from Ahrefs showing local keyword ideas for the search term “pest control in Los Angeles”

Read: 15 Best Keyword Research Tools Used By Top SEO Companies

Mistake #3: Unoptimized Website

As with Google My Business listings, websites play an important role in local SEO. However, most pest control companies fail to optimize their website for search engines. 

Almost 58% of people search for local businesses on smartphones daily. That's why optimizing your website for mobile is so important. 

Use mobile-friendly testing tools like Sitechecker that provide vital information, as in the screenshot, to assure whether or not a site is mobile-friendly. 

• Check your website's mobile-friendliness using Google's tool. If it isn't, you should optimize it for better ranking.
• If you have multiple services, each service should have its page. Additionally, create a page for each if you work in multiple locations. You cannot expect to appear in search results for pest services in Phoenix if you don't even have a local page for it. 

As shown below, you can use tools like UberSuggest to perform an in-depth SEO audit for your website.

Mistake #4: Inconsistent NAP and Missing citations 

NAP simply denotes your business name, address, and phone number. Take a look at the below screenshot of a GMB profile that has missed adding a phone number. 

It's important to have NAP consistent everywhere. Here's why. 

Google takes the NAP information mentioned on your website and GMB listings and compares it to the NAP information all over the Internet! This makes consistent NAP necessary. 

Now, the citation is another issue. The citation is just the mention of NAP on other websites. Chances are, you will be missing citations. 

• Use tools like Moz Local to check your NAP consistency. 
• Use tools like Brightlocal to check for missing citations. If there are opportunities, simply add your business information to that website. 

Have a look at the NAP of a Los Angeles-based pest control company on Google My Business and Yelp

Mistake #5: No Google My Business Listing 

When searching for any kind of service, people first go to Google. 

Business listing accounts for 14% of your total ranking factors. And what happens when you don't have a Google My Business listing? You are seriously hindering your business growth! Both offline and online. 

Google My Business lists your business on Google Maps and helps appear on the map, as shown in the below screenshot. 

According to research, 86% of people look up the location on Google Maps. This means whenever your customer searches for 'pest control service near me,' Google will show them the nearest local pest control services to them. 

If you don't have a GMB listing, your business won't appear on Google. This means bidding goodbye to customers who could easily be yours. 

How do you avoid this mistake?

• Make a Google My Business listing. Ensure every information is correctly filled in. 
• Optimize the GMB listing with relevant local keywords. 
• Ensure your NAP information is consistent in every listing. NAP means name, address, and phone number. 

You can optimize your Google My Business listing by adding local keywords relevant to your business offerings.

Mistake #6: Duplicate Listings 

Another mistake that many local pest control companies make is duplicate GMB pages. 

These are serious hazards to your online visibility. 

Google hates having duplicate content since it can sabotage the user experience. 

As a result, Google has mentioned that duplicate listings are against their terms and services policy; thus, they have provided an option to report ‘duplicate’ businesses, as shown in the screenshot below. 

Each business should have only one local business listing per location. 

Here's how you can check for duplicate listings.

• To find duplicate listings, use tools like Moz Local. Contact Google to remove them before they hurt your rankings if you have any. 

Here are a couple of screenshots from Moz Local showing the local search visibility for Ronin Pest Control, a Los Angeles-based pest control company 

Mistake #7: Ignoring Negative Reviews 

When looking for pest control businesses, people first read reviews online. Word of mouth plays an essential role in local SEO. Most people trust other people over marketers. 

So, what happens when most of your Google listings and third-party sites display negative reviews? You lose clients! 

Negative reviews indicate that your business cannot satisfy customers' needs. You can use negative reviews to determine what areas of your business need improvement. Ignoring them will usually make them worse. 

Here's how you can fix these issues:

• Track your reviews. If you see a negative review, try to reply to the review politely. There is no other way around it. 

Take a look at the below screenshot. A pest control business left all negative reviews unanswered. It creates an impression that owners don’t care about customer opinions. 

• Be on the lookout for false reviews: Your competitors may hire reviewers to provide negative reviews to lower your brand's reputation. If this happens, flag the reviews to inform Google. 

Here’s a screenshot of the Google My Business reviews for Green Earth Pest Control from Los Angeles 

Read: How to Respond to Positive & Negative Reviews in Google My Business

Mistake #8: Underestimating Email Marketing 

Email marketing may be old, but it is not dead. 

Even local pest control companies underestimate how effective it is. It gives a chance to connect with individuals on a personal level, just like an example shown in the screenshot. 

According to statistics:

• 90% of emails get opened, compared to 2% of FB posts.
• 99% of people check their email every day.
• The average ROI of email is $44 for every $1 spent.

If you have ever faced a pest attack, you know it's not a one-time thing. If you have an ant attack, the chances are they will return after some time. 

That's where you can use email marketing to stay at the top of your customer's minds. By sending consistent emails, you can be the first service they will contact when they get a pest attack. 

That's the power of email marketing. You can get the right message to the right person at the right time. 

Here’s a screenshot from Mailchimp that you can use to create and launch stellar email marketing campaigns for your pest control business in no time 

Mistake #9: Poor Content. A big enemy

Local content can boost your search engine rankings significantly.

Poor quality content that does not relate to your industry can erode your customers' trust and make them see your brand negatively. Use tools like Grammarly to properly convey your message to the audience. 

People often don't realize the effects of pests until they face an attack. That's when they look for content and hacks about pest control. 

Here is how you can create high-quality localized content to attract people to your site and influence them to hire you. 

• Ensure the content focuses on the customer's needs. For example, if your area has a particular type of pest with no control. Make a guide on that. 
• Use localized keywords in the blogs to make them more targeted and personal. Californians will want to read the article that applies to California, not Utah or Washington. 

You can use SEMrush’s content analyzer to find opportunities to optimize your content for local search terms about your business.

Mistake #10: Ignoring Social Media 

''We don't need social media. We're not in the fashion business,'' if this is you, stop. 

We're in 2022! Social media is no longer just a place to talk. Over time, social media has changed from a conversational medium to a tool for conducting your business. 

With 4.48 billion social media users worldwide, social media should be your priority, especially for local pest businesses. Moreover, almost 58% use social media to find a company and search for products. 

Here’s a screenshot of a sample social media post from a pest control business. 

Discover how you can boost your business's visibility using social media:

• Optimize your social media accounts for local SEO. This means including keywords in the description, website links, phone numbers, and business location. 
• Making attention-grabbing content is the key to grabbing their attention. You can, for example, make a short reel video titled "3 Tips to Control Pests" or " 5 Reasons Why Your Pest Problem Has Not Been Resolved". 

You can use social media management tools like Sprout Social to create, schedule, and manage your social media posts and engagements. 

Key Takeaways:

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• Create and optimize Google My Business listing to generate local leads. 
• Ensure your website is optimized to avoid losing customers. 
• Do not ignore negative reviews. You're doing something wrong if your listing has many negative reviews. You need to fix it.
• Check for poor content. Replace it with highly localized, high-quality content to keep your customers engaged. 
• Use email marketing to capture leads and stay in front of your customer's minds when they face pest attacks. 
• Leverage social media platforms to create local content and capture users' attention.