Can Pest Control Companies Succeed on Social Media?

Social media plays a huge role in most companies these days. No longer is paid advertising, money mailers and billboards the main way to get the word out about your pest control business. Now, it is as simple as typing in the phrase “pest controller” or “local pest control company” and your business is out there in the open. Search engines play a vital role in finding the company online, but social media allows companies to add a little bit of personality to the business–if done correctly. While social media makes sense for cupcake businesses with decadent photos or for a pet walking business that showcases adorable animals, can pest control companies work online? Absolutely. It may take a bit of creativity, but you will be able to utilize Facebook (and other social platforms) to your benefit–even with creepy crawlers as your business. Here are ways to succeed:

Be authentic and genuine

There is no need to be something you are not as a pest control business. Make it a point to make sure people understand you are a pest control business and you are going to be posting pictures of bugs, chemicals and some things that may make people uncomfortable, but this at least makes you an honest company which those who need the service will appreciate.

Be informative and a wealth of information

Create posts on all platforms that may be of help to customers. Maybe there was a new case of Zika found–share it. You may also want to share posts regarding the busy seasons for certain pests so people know when to prepare for them. You want to help them out, but also be able to potentially get business from this help as well because you can be deemed an expert in your field.

Connect with your audience

Sharing information is not the only step you can take to help your customers, but also engage with them as well. Make sure all questions and comments are answered accordingly. Social media allows for a more relaxed and casual conversation whereas a direct phone call needs to be professional. It gives customers the impression that there is a real human behind the keyboard with knowledge–and some personality, to make the discussion enjoyable. Utilize your keyword research to see the questions people are most wanting to be answered in pest control and curate content around that information.

Offer something different

You would think because pest control can be a dry subject in social media standards that there would be no way to stand out, but social media allows you to formulate tactics you just cannot do with old advertising. A weekly Q&A about pest control, a blog or vlog series, or any type of way to add a little bit of creativity to a rather straight-forward industry can make you stand out among the competition. It just takes a bit of thinking from the marketing standpoint, but even a pest control business can succeed in this part on social media platforms.

What platform is best?

This is very subjective depending on your goals, but the best practice would be to make Facebook, Instagram and Twitter your main platforms–focus more on Facebook Business, Twitter Business and a basic Instagram (because some people actually do enjoy looking at bugs). Facebook and Instagram offer Live Video now as well to showcase on-the-job moments. How does your pest control company go about social media? Share with us.