Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

What are the chances that after leaving PubCon’s internet marketing conference in Austin TX that I would get a glimpse of Google’s 10 Foot banner ad in the Austin Airport?

AUS.Airport Presidential Blvd, Austin, TX 78719 (512) 530-2242 ‎

Let me spell that out for you….

GOOGLE PLACES IS BIG

10 Foot Big in the case of this ad. So if you haven’t caught on yet, take note… Local Search is changing the game.

Internet marketers are scrambling like a bunch of Austin TX fire ants after their mound has been kicked. Local results are showing up for searches like watches, shoes, and costumes. The example of costumes shared by BlueGlass is a little far from what I believe Google’s intent is. Google constantly refers to “Plumbers and dentists” as their local examples. These are truly local searches. Most people that search for a local service, like pest control, have an intent to buy locally.  Restaurants would be the largest category here. The divide happens when we consider what is local? People in a rush to eat lunch are willing to pick up the closest burger. People looking to meet clients for lunch are looking for a joint with the right atmosphere.

Chiropractic did a quick study of what influenced real people in their dinner buying habits for local search.

1- Recommendation. What are friends or reviewers saying.

2- Recognizing the Name. This would be more on branding. When you’ve reached the status of the Salt Lick or Rudy’s BBQ and people from Phoenix AZ know of you, you are doing it right.

3- Location. How close or how far. Sadly the Salt Lick lost out for the PubCon conference because it was too far. Better reviews but too far for our crowd of friends.

So when it comes to searching locally for a restaurant those factors weigh in pretty heavy and search engine’s are not yet calculating your friend’s recommendations and are more concerned about “Location” then they are “Recognition.”

BUT WHAT ABOUT LOCAL SERVICES THAT VISIT A CUSTOMER’S HOME?

Yes. I have a little beef to pick with this one. A local service that covers the entire metro is totally different then a restaurant with only so much local pull. As good as the Salt Lick is, the customer must be willing to go the distance. Services that travel to your home, however, don’t require any more effort from a consumer. So as a consumer, if I am looking for an Austin pest control company, the 5 miles away or 50 miles away argument never really hits the table.  As a consumer looking for a local Austin service, I am more concerned about “SERVICE”. So local results that cannot be sorted by 5 star reviews, or number of reviews, are a bit of a nuisance.

Either way, the 1 ton Elephant of Local Search is on the loose…. and don’t call your local pest control guy about crazy roaming elephants …or gorilla’s.

_________________________

…. and FYI – Austin Airport hasn’t claimed their Google Listing yet.

Related article worth the read: Google Places : Local SEO That Influences Global Search Marketing

Post sponsored in part by:

Scorpions are particularly active this time of year.  Why?  Because it is mating season and birthing season.  Luckily scorpions only give birth once a year.  Unlucky that they can give birth to over 100 baby scorpions!  And as interesting as it might be to see all of those baby scorpions hitching a ride on the mama scorpion’s back, you certainly don’t want that mother load entering your home and dropping off her little spawns all over your house!

Mother Scorpion with baby scorpions on back. Scorpions are unique among pests because scorpions give live birth. They do not lay eggs like most. Instead the mother births the live babies and then carries them on her back until they are mature enough to fend for themselves.

Scare tactic? Yes, but it the truth!

Just read the following email:

I’ve had a major issue with scorpions this past couple months. Been in my house for 5 years and this is the first time I’ve seen any scorpions. Am currently using ****Competitor****’s pest defense but haven’t seen any improvement. Maybe looking to change companies. I’ve been fighting them myself with a blacklight at night. I tend to kill about 1-2 a night and have also killed a mother with babies on its back. Needing some peace of mind since I have 2 small children.

Charles – Mesa, AZ

Charles has every right to be concerned.  Scorpions can be very dangerous, especially to small children as their bodies may not be able to metabolize the scorpion venom.

This cry for help was sent to us yesterday:

I am tired of dealing with these creepy crawlers.I live in a apartment and we have reported our several incidents to our front office they have sent their own pest control company but they have done a poor job even after their second visit in a three week span we still continue to kill scorpions around our house. I am in desperate need of some relief!

Arturo – Phoenix, AZ

And Niki from Las Vegas wrote the following:

Hello, We are finding very lively scorpions in our home almost on a daily basis. I believe them to be the bark scorpion. We have had a regular exterminator and I have advised him of the problem but what he is doing does not seem to work. Do you have a solution?? I am finding very small babies now which I don’t think is a good sign. thank you.

Niki – Las Vegas, NV

Is there a pest control solution to scorpion problems?

We believe that there is a pest control solution available for scorpion problems.  After many hours and treating over 20,000 scorpion infested homes across the US, we have developed scorpion control. That’s right, its not a pest control solution its a scorpion control solution.  When you’ve got scorpions search for scorpion control service.

Learn more about SCORPION CONTROL.

Atlanta, GA

770-904-4141

Charlotte, NC

704-391-9838

Las Vegas, NV

702-255-6313

Raleigh-Durham, NC

919-481-0007

San Antonio, TX

210-402-0492

Austin, TX

512-291-1200

Houston, TX

713-983-7378

Mesa, AZ

480-969-7474

St. George, UT

P 435-627-8840
F 435-627-8842

Tulsa, OK

918-252-3548

Phoenix, AZ

http://pestcontrolphoenixaz.com

Gilbert, AZ

480. 545.7378

Scottsdale, AZ

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http://www.scottsdalepestcontrol.net/

http://www.queencreekscorpioncontrol.com

(480) 969-7474

Cave Creek, AZ

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(623) 934-8700

Fountain Hills, AZ

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Google’s most recent update was that of adding their map results to searches. Now if you search for Pest Control Las Vegas NV, you will get a list of 10 local pest control companies… well supposed local companies. Unfortunately these maps are very easy to manipulate. Take for instance the search for North Las Vegas Pest Control. You will find a result for Nature’s First Pest Control Affiliate. Click on their page and there is no listing of any affiliates nor address. In fact, the address used belongs to Bulwark.

It is bothersome that google is allowing this to happen.

So the big question, HOW DO YOU GET YOUR PEST CONTROL SERVICE LISTED IN THE TOP OF GOOGLE MAPS?

Well, this is still unclear, but here are a few things we have noticed.

1- Your address. If your address is Austin, TX then you are more likely to get listed for Austin TX pest control results.  In fact, this is the main reason we believe as to why Bulwark Pest Control shows up in Austin TX.  Indeed, its almost essential for your address to be within the city to be listed at the top.

2- Get listed with other directories, like yellowbook.com, or SEOpestcontrol.com.  Unfortunately these sites cost you some money and the added benefit may not be worth the cost.

3- Verifying your account with google.  This process takes sometime and has no guarantee.  Essentially you must claim your listing with google.  Once you have done this then google will remove the -Unverified listing tag, and we believe this will help your listing.  However, there are plenty of unverified listings showing up still in google’s results.

4- Linking. Find other pest control sites that are willing to help you with links.  There are a lot of ways that the smaller pest control companies can join up and help each other, and one of those is linking pest control sites.  For most small pest control services, finding PCOs that are not in your area should be easy.  Searching SEOpestcontrol.com may help you find other like minded pest control companies.

Hopefully this helps you with your Google Maps Results.  Remember still that marketing and being found on Google will do little for your pest control company if you are lacking in your service.  Advertising can never make up for poor service.

Pest Control Locations

Bulwark Exterminating – Las Vegas – 3932 Octagon, North Las Vegas, NV‎ – (702) 255-6313‎ >directions
Bulwark Exterminating – Mesa AZ – 1228 E Broadway Rd, Mesa, AZ‎ – (480) 497-3734‎ >directions
Bulwark Exterminating – Austin TX 209 E Ben White Blvd # 116, Austin, TX – (512) 351-7142 >directions
Bulwark Exterminating – Houston TX – 10900 Brittmoore Park Dr # D, Houston, TX‎ – (713) 849-8533‎ > directions
Bulwark Pest Control Tulsa – 2013 N Willow Ave # A, Broken Arrow, OK‎ – (918) 252-3548‎ > directions