5 SEO Mistakes Most Pest Control Companies Make (And How to Fix Them)

Most pest control companies jump into SEO with the best intentions—but unknowingly make critical mistakes that keep them buried in search results. If you're not showing up on page one of Google when someone searches "pest control near me," there's a good chance you’re falling into one (or more) of these traps.

The good news? Each of these mistakes is fixable, often without needing a full website rebuild. Let’s look at the top 5 SEO pitfalls we see among exterminator and pest control brands—and how to fix them fast so your phone starts ringing.

1. No Google Business Profile

This is the #1 missed opportunity in local SEO. If your pest control business isn’t listed on Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business), you’re invisible to customers searching on Google Maps or "near me" terms.

Claim your listing at google.com/business and be sure to complete every section: business hours, services, location, phone number, and—most importantly—reviews.

Consistently add photos, reply to reviews, and post updates. Google rewards active profiles with more visibility in the Local 3-Pack (the top 3 map listings shown in search results).

2. Duplicate or Thin Content

Many pest control companies either copy/paste content from other websites or reuse the same service description across multiple pages. This confuses Google and lowers your ranking potential.

Instead, create original service pages for each pest (termites, ants, rodents, etc.) and each service area or city you cover. If you serve Austin, Houston, and San Antonio—each location needs its own unique page, with local context and testimonials.

A good rule of thumb: each page should have at least 400–600 words of relevant, unique content tailored to that topic or region.

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3. Not Using Local Keywords

Ranking for just “pest control” is a battle you’ll rarely win—especially against national chains. Local SEO is your advantage. Use geographic keywords like “bed bug exterminator in Dallas” or “termite control Pasadena TX” across your site, especially in:

• Page titles
• Headings (H1, H2)
• Meta descriptions
• Image alt tags
• URL slugs (e.g., /houston-termite-treatment)

Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest can help you find local variations with real search volume.

4. Slow Website Speed

Google has made it clear: slow-loading websites won’t rank well. More importantly, visitors are unlikely to wait. A 3-second delay can cause over 50% of users to bounce.

Common speed killers include:

• Uncompressed images (use WebP or JPEG at optimized sizes)
• Too many scripts and plugins
• Cheap hosting

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test your load time and get improvement suggestions. Prioritize mobile speed first.

5. No Local Backlinks or Citations

Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to yours. They act as “votes of confidence” in the eyes of Google. But not all links are equal—local backlinks matter most for small businesses.

Start by getting listed on trustworthy directories:

• Yelp
• Angi
• Nextdoor
• BBB
• Local Chamber of Commerce

Then, look for niche opportunities: sponsor a local event, write for a community blog, or collaborate with realtors or cleaning services. The more local mentions you get, the higher your domain authority becomes.

Final Thoughts

SEO doesn’t have to be complicated—but it must be intentional. The pest control businesses dominating their cities on Google are doing these small things right: strong Google profiles, unique pages, local keywords, fast sites, and authoritative backlinks.

If you can start with just 2–3 of these changes, you’ll already be ahead of 80% of your competitors who are still stuck on page 3.

Let's get started

Book a Discovery Call

Just a 20-minute no-pressure call to see if we are a good fit!

Book an Intro Call

With Caleb