The Pest Control Market And SEO In 2022

Insights about changes and expectations in pest control derived from national data

Most business philosophies derive from the goal to fulfill a need for their customer base. The restaurant industry provides food and a dining experience, retail shops provide items such as clothing or gifts that fulfill both a necessity and, in some cases, a luxury. The list goes on and on. Successful businesses find a way to fulfill this need as conveniently and authentically as possible. Here at FieldRoutes, we specialize in helping pest control companies fulfill their customers’ needs while keeping up with market trends. We provide the resources, and we have the experience that helps you compete in the online marketplace. 

When looking at the changes in the pest control market, there’s one thing we know for sure: pests will always be a problem. There are constantly new and adapted species presenting new challenges for home and business owners, pest professionals, and healthcare workers. Unfortunately, these new pressures pose threats and hazards that require a solution. Fortunately, your company and your expertise help provide that solution. We aim to help you put your best foot forward by conveying your brand, keeping up with SEO trends, and representing your goals and philosophies.

Changes in Pest Pressures

Market trends warrant analysis in developing a strategy; however, we can be certain that there will always be a need for pest control. North America is the world’s largest pest control market, largely dominated by the United States generating $9 billion in annual market value. Even further, the pest control market is expected to grow 4-6% by 2023. 

More specifically, within the $9 billion dollar market value, 38% of the market is commercial, 43% is residential, and 19% involves termite control, showing us that there’s a place and a need for all kinds of pest control. Whether you specialize in commercial pest control, residential pest control, or both, you can be confident that the need will always exist to facilitate the growth of your business. 

The estimated 4-6% increase in need seems drastic and saturated with opportunity for your company to grow as the need for pest control professionals increases. Through our research and experience, there are a few reasons why the pest control market will continue to grow.

Our population is continually on the rise. 

Though the population may not be growing exponentially, it is increasing at an alarming rate. In the United States, we experience an increase of 3.3 million people annually. With more people comes a greater need for industry, including pest control. 

More people live in urban settings. 

According to the U.S. census bureau, 80.7% of the population lives in cities. Though pest issues are a problem in rural settings as well, they are most problematic in urban and suburban environments where there is an abundance of human-supplied food, water, and shelter. Therefore, pests are going to flock to these settings and likely become a problem.

The middle class is growing. 

It’s estimated that approximately 160 million people join the middle class every year. This increase likely corresponds to the growing population, the economy, and the housing market. Even further, the standards for pest intolerance are also on the rise which increases the demand for affordable residential pest control. 

Increasing temperatures creates new pest pressures. 

As the climate rises and our population grows, so do pest pressures. Climate increase affects where pests live, their ability to survive in the winter, an increase of insect-transmitted disease, and even an increased tolerance to pesticides and other treatments. Tropical and sub-tropical diseases are not seen in temperate climates. For example, the National Science Foundation hypothesizes that the rise in mosquito-borne illnesses present in the United States corresponds with a rise in global temperature. Currently, instances of yellow fever were reported in 23 states. West Nile, dengue, and chikungunya are also newly present. As the world continues to change in complex ways, pest control experts need to prepare for and respond to those changes. 

Pest pressures are a public heath concern. 

People are encountering dangerous pests more frequently due to rapid urbanization, changing land use, and increased travel. Contact with pest pressures causes an increase in pest-borne disease. Not only do we see mosquito related illnesses, but other pests are on the rise as well. For example, a shocking 80% of hotels and motels reported some presence of bed bugs in the last 5 years and 29% of Americans reported some kind of rodent problem. As people interact with more pests that are vectors for illness, the concern for public health will continue to rise. Pest control companies will alleviate those concerns.

COVID-19 and the corresponding government shutdown categorized pest control as an essential industry. 

While the pandemic negatively affected the global economy, companies offering sanitation and disinfecting services along with pest control experienced a rise in business. Across the globe, people experienced an increased concern for hygiene, health, and sanitary conditions which all correspond with the essence of the pest control industry. 

As pest pressures increase throughout the country, it creates an economic burden for citizens. Health issues force people to take time off work, endure medical costs, and implement protective measures to keep themselves, their colleagues, and their family members safe. As a result, pest control standards and pest intolerance are on the rise. New regulations and legislation surrounding food safety, health, and the environment correspond with this increase in hygiene standards. In the end, this concern for safety warrants regulations in businesses to protect people from pest interactions. Furthermore, as homeowners become aware of the problem associated with pest pressures, they are also implementing pest control methods to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

What does all this data tell us about pest control in 2022? 

The answer is simple – pest control is an essential business that will continue to grow. It’s a simple case of supply and demand. There is an increasing demand for pest control services, which is exciting for all of us involved in the pest control industry. It’s also up to us to educate ourselves and our customers on the importance of pest control. 

However, this increase in demand also warrants an increase in companies looking to fulfill the pest control need. This means that to grow as a pest control company, you must stay relevant. Fortunately, FieldRoutes offers new tools to help you compete in the online marketplace. Digital technology, 24/7 reporting, data analytics, and more will help keep your pest control company relevant. Staying up to date with digital trends will allow you to generate new leads, access more potential clients, and gain a competitive edge.

Why Is SEO Important in 2022

As FieldRoutes works to develop your online presence and help you communicate efficiently and effectively with customers, we are focused on implementing cutting edge technology when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO). We focus on both your on-site SEO and off-site SEO so that your customers can find you and understand your brand, your products, your services, your history, and your business philosophy. 

Before delving into SEO in 2022, it’s important to understand why a comprehensive and up-to-date SEO strategy is necessary to compete in today’s growing pest control market. For an in-depth look at SEO, check out our Eguide, On-Site vs. Off-Site SEO: What’s the Difference and Why Are They Both Important for Your Business? 

In short, off-site SEO involves techniques that relate to activities outside of your site that help users recognize your legitimacy and build your site’s authority. This includes citation building, public relations, brand awareness, content marketing, Google Business Profile, reviews, credibility, and more. These signs and signals will generate positive interest to lead people to your page and hopefully result in increased business. 

Combined with off-site SEO, you also need to implement a strong on-site SEO strategy to compete in 2022. People need to find you, which means you need to consider how they search for your company. An effective on-site SEO strategy requires high-quality content that warrants a positive response from search engines. This means updating your website to include thoughtful headlines, header tags, high-quality writing, response to user questions, and thoughtful incorporation of keywords and phrases.

Six Essential Things To Consider When It Comes to SEO in 2022

When it comes to staying relevant in any industry, there’s a lot to think about. Training employees, educating yourself and your team, providing high-quality customer service, and establishing a wellcrafted online marketing strategy make running a business overwhelming. Fortunately, the team at FieldRoutes can help. We know the only constant is change, and therefore there are some essential SEO elements in 2022 that you need to consider to compete in the online marketplace. 

1. Customer Intent 

This is a big one. Now more than ever, Google is trying to think about the customer’s needs and how the customer searches for information. As a result, content should anticipate the needs of the user and the tenets of Google’s search engine result page. 

2. Digital Tools 

Now, artificial intelligence (AI) and SEO go hand in hand. AI helps us efficiently understand customer intent, automate keyword development, and locate trends. This creates opportunities to build citations, test your SEO strategy, and make changes as needed to maintain a competitive edge

3. Mobile-Friendly Web Content 

In the past, Google rewarded mobile-friendly content with higher positions on the search engine results page (SERP). Now, mobile-friendly content is a necessity to compete. In fact, this year, Google dropped websites that were not mobile friendly from its index. Therefore, it’s imperative to create content that’s accessible across devices. 

4. Voice Search 

People are increasingly using the voice search tool to access content on their mobile phones. In 2022 and beyond, Google will reward content that is responsive to the voice search option. This means content needs to be conversational and load quickly. Instead of catering to short, typed phrases, voice search responds to fully formed questions or requests.

5. Zero-Click Search Results 

Google continues to find opportunities to anticipate the needs of the user. Part of this goal revolves around featuring snippets of information that respond to the user’s intent so that they do not have to click on actual content. Therefore, it’s important to plan web content to anticipate user questions. You want content that’s well written, clear, and specific that’s easy to navigate and understand. 

6. E.A.T. Concept 

E.A.T. stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. We all know there is a lot of misinformation on the Internet. Therefore, its important to use your web content to establish yourself as a credible resource when it comes to pest control. To develop a website with E.A.T in mind, you’ll want to have the following: 

• An About page that details your qualifications and achievements 

• Data and facts that support your practice 

• Citations that validate your information 

• Case studies that demonstrate your skills 

• Reviews that endorse your services 

You want your online content to support and uplift your reputation so that your customers know that you’re an ally looking out for their best interests through quality, reliable pest control.

Partner With FieldRoutes To Stay Ahead of the SEO Curve in 2022

With an increasing concern for hygienic spaces and effective pest control, it’s important to put your best face forward when it comes to your online marketing campaign. Fortunately, the team at FieldRoutes can help you grow your pest control business and stay relevant as the needs of the public and demands of SEO continue to change. As we develop and fine-tune your web content, we will focus on the following: 

• Ensure that topics are relevant to the user experience 

• Maintain well-crafted content which includes written text, graphics, and videos 

• Implement effective keyword use in old and new materials that taps into current SEO trends 

• Avoid redundancies by establishing quality, unique content and eliminating duplicated text 

• Create accurate meta-descriptions so that search engines can accurately index your site 

• Develop well-written content that exceeds 500 words with accurate citations to build credibility 

• Ensure that URLs are short, accurate, and descriptive 

• Implement automated digital tools to enhance reporting and the user experience

   

In the end, it takes a team of professionals to help you improve the functionality and effectiveness of your website. We will help you create a winning strategy that delivers results. Reach out to us today to learn more and schedule a free demo.

Work Cited 

Bilagi, Chidanand, Prasad Eswara, & Yeware Krunal. (2021, March). “Pest Control market Outlook – 2027”. Allied Market Research. Retrieved from: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/pest-control-market 

Diggity, Matt. (2020, Dec. 16). “How Will SEO Look in the ‘New Normal’? 5 Things to Expect in 2021”. Agility PR Solutions. Retrieved from: https://www.agilitypr.com/pr-news/public relations/how-will-seo-look-in-the-new-normal-5-things-to-expect-in-2021 

Lesic, Lemic, Skendzic, Zovko, & Zivkovic. (2021). “The Impact Climate Change on Agricultural Insect Pests”. MDPI. Insects. Retrieved From: file:///C:/Users/joann/Downloads/ insects-12-00440.pdf 

NSF Public Affairs. (2020 Sept. 17). “Researchers Anticipate Rise Of Some Mosquito-Borne Diseases”. National Science Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=301252&org=NSF&from=news 

(2018, May). “The Rentokil Pest Control Report 2018”. Rentokil: The Experts In Pest Control Retrieved from: https://www.rentokil-initial.com/~/media/Files/R/Rentokil/documents/pest control-report-2018.pdf 

(2021, Oct. 8). “Urban Areas Facts”. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved from: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban -rural/ua-facts.html

Your Partner in Growth

We hope this guide has been helpful. Whether you’re looking to add efficiencies, make things easier for your employees, improve your customer experience, increase sales, or anything in between, FieldRoutes is committed to helping your business reach its full potential. 

The platform automates all aspects of field service operations for enterprise and small business customers that span office management, advanced route optimization, payment processing, digital sales, marketing, and customer acquisition solutions that accelerate growth, streamline operations, increase customer retention, and maximize revenue. Our operations and sales and marketing suites were built with your customers and employees in mind and can help you grow quickly, scale intelligently, and serve customers relentlessly.

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