In the highly competitive field of pest control, the significance of customer reviews cannot be overstated. Even with top-notch services, potential customers often require an extra nudge to choose your business. Positive customer reviews serve as a potent form of social proof, capable of significantly enhancing conversion rates.
Customer reviews have evolved into a pivotal factor in consumer decision-making, with a staggering 93% of consumers consulting online reviews before making a purchase. This trend is consistent across numerous studies, indicating that nearly 9 out of 10 consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. In fact, according to PowerReviews, consumers who engage with reviews are 115% more likely to convert, and the more reviews you have, the higher your conversion rates.
Read on to discover how pest control businesses can use reviews to increase conversion rates, obtain more reviews, and leverage these testimonials effectively in marketing campaigns.
How Can Pest Control Businesses Use Reviews to Boost Conversions?
Gaining a steady stream of positive reviews requires dedication. However, the effort is worthwhile when you see the impact on your sales. For maximum benefit, reviews must be strategically placed where they will influence potential customers the most. Here are some key places to add reviews to boost conversions:
- Landing Pages: Your pest control ad may successfully attract prospects to your landing page, but the real challenge lies in convincing them to take the next step. To achieve this, your landing page must be persuasive and engaging. One powerful way to accomplish this is by incorporating compelling social proof, such as customer reviews.
- Service Pages: These are where you showcase your pest control offerings and explain how you deliver them to potential customers. By featuring positive customer reviews on these pages, you demonstrate to prospects that you can provide high-quality services as promised. Potential customers who read these reviews will gain confidence in your pest control services and feel more inclined to trust your business.
- Location Pages: These are designed to inform potential customers about your specific pest control branches or the areas you serve. Visitors often land on these pages to find your business hours, address, or contact information, indicating a strong interest in your services. By strategically placing social proof, such as customer reviews, on these pages, you can encourage potential customers to take the next step and reach out to your pest control company.
Practical Example
Imagine the potential of your pest control company if it could drive more bookings and sales through customer reviews. For instance, if your landing page for bed bug extermination isn’t converting as well as expected, enhancing it with reviews from satisfied customers who’ve used your bed bug services could be a game-changer. This approach reassures visitors and can significantly boost your bookings and sales, presenting a clear opportunity for growth and success.
What are the Benefits of Using Reviews in Pest Control Paid Ad Campaigns?
Reviews play a crucial role in helping potential customers determine if your pest control business is the right fit for their needs. Consider it from their perspective: would you prefer a service recommended by others or one that’s unproven? Simply adding a review to a service page that previously had none can boost sales for that service by 65%.
The platform on which reviews are displayed can also affect their impact. TrustPulse says that Google is the central hub for reviews, accounting for nearly 6 out of 10 reviews worldwide. Yelp (despite their past poor marketing decisions and sales practices) has a high conversion rate, with 98% of users making a purchase after finding a business on the site. Facebook affects more than 1 out of 2 people’s purchase decisions.
Customer reviews are not just a tool for boosting conversions, they also play a crucial role in shaping the reputation and credibility of your pest control business. Positive reviews encourage prospects to try out your services, while even the not-so-good ones help build authenticity. This dual impact underscores the urgency and importance of actively seeking and managing customer reviews.
Consider the success stories of businesses that have effectively leveraged customer reviews. A 2018 industry study by Location 3 revealed that businesses with an 8.13% reply rate had an average conversion rate of 13.86%, compared to 10.42% for businesses with a 5.73% reply rate. This data underscores the power of customer reviews in boosting conversions and should inspire confidence in the potential of your own business.
How Do Pest Control Companies Get More Reviews?
Having a wealth of customer reviews is critical, but how do you encourage customers to share their experiences?
Here are a few tips for requesting customer reviews:
- Keep your review request short and sweet.
- Make it personal. Ask how their pest control service went or if they are satisfied with the results.
- Address the customer by name in the introduction.
- Sign off your message with your name.
Timing is crucial when requesting reviews. Optimal times include:
- After completing a pest control service for a customer
- Following a subscription cancellation
- After a customer purchases a recurring pest control service
- If you notice a customer hasn’t used your pest control services in a while
The medium is also important. You can ask for reviews in person, via email, text messages, or through social media DMs (if they interact with you first).
Businesses are expected to respond to negative feedback, with just over one out of every two customers expecting a response within one week. How a business responds to a review can change 56% of consumers' perspectives on that business. (Source: TrustPulse)
How Do Pest Control Companies Get More Reviews?
You can never have too many customer reviews, but having too few can be a problem. So, how do you persuade your customers to take the time to share what you did well or what could be improved?
Here are a few tips for requesting customer reviews:
- Keep your review request short and sweet.
- Make it personal. Ask how their pest control service went or if they are satisfied with the results.
- Address the customer by name in the introduction.
- Sign off your message with your name.
Timing is crucial when it comes to requesting reviews, much like how planting seeds at the right season ensures a bountiful harvest. Here are some of the best times to ask for customer reviews:
- After completing a pest control service for a customer.
- If you notice a customer hasn't used your pest control services in a while.
- Following a subscription cancellation.
- After a customer purchases a recurring pest control service.
The medium through which you ask for reviews is equally important. If they interact with you first, you can ask for reviews through face-to-face requests, emails, texts, and social media DMs.
Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts
The key takeaways are that having reviews, especially a high volume, can significantly boost conversion rates by providing social proof and answering customer questions. Actively replying to reviews also correlates with higher conversions, and different types of user-generated content like Q&A and imagery can further increase conversions when combined with reviews.
Unfortunately, getting quality reviews requires a lot of effort. You must deliver top-notch pest control services while ensuring the customer experience is equally pleasant. Additionally, you need to actively request reviews. Understanding the right timing and method for asking also plays a significant role in obtaining reviews.
As social media and influencer marketing continue to grow, leveraging these platforms for customer reviews will be essential for businesses looking to improve their conversion rates and overall success.
Most importantly, prospects need to see your reviews. You'll increase your pest control company's conversions by showcasing the right customer reviews at the right time in the best online locations.
