Adam: Welcome back to Pest Control Marketing That Actually Works, the podcast for pest control operators who want real growth, not empty promises. I'm Adam Bennett.
Elisabeth: And I'm Elisabeth Pallante. We're from Cube Creative Design, and for 20 years we've helped pest control companies stop wasting money and start growing.
Adam: Today's episode: Instagram Reels and Stories for Pest Control. We brought in Hannah Kilpatrick, our social media manager, to walk through what actually works. Here are your three key takeaways.
Elisabeth: First, why reels are getting five to 10 times more reach than photos right now and what that means for pest control companies trying to grow on Instagram. Second, the specific types of content that perform well for pest control—and some will actually surprise you. Third, how reels and stories serve different purposes and how to use both without burning two hours every day.
Adam: Let's dive in. Hannah, we touched on reels briefly back in episode nine when we covered social media broadly, and you said we'd do a full episode in April. Well, here we are. Let's make the case. Why should a pest control operator with five trucks care about Instagram reels?
Hannah: Because Instagram's algorithm is actively pushing reels to people who don't follow you yet. That's the key difference between reels and every other type of content on the platform. When you post a photo or a carousel, Instagram shows it primarily to your existing followers. When you post a reel, Instagram puts it in front of a much broader audience—people in your area who have never heard of you or your company. The reach difference is significant. Reels consistently get five to 10 times more views than static posts for accounts in the same follower range. If you're a pest control company trying to grow, that's not a small detail.
Adam: So basically you're saying it's free exposure to people who haven't seen you yet. That's really different from other social media content, which is mostly talking to people who are already in your circle.
Hannah: Exactly. And Instagram has pushed reels heavily because they're competing with TikTok for short-form video. That competition is good for business. The platform is rewarding reels creators right now in a way that's not going to last forever. The window where organic reach is this strong never stays open indefinitely.
Elisabeth: We're in that window right now. Businesses that build a reel habit in 2026 are going to have a significant head start over companies that wait two years and wonder why their reach is flat.
Adam: Hannah, what kind of numbers are we talking about for pest control companies starting from scratch or with a small following?
Hannah: A pest control company with 300 followers can post a reel and get 2,000 to 5,000 views if the content is good. That same company posts a photo and gets maybe 50 to 100 views. The ceiling on reels is much higher because the algorithm is distributing it beyond your followers. Views don't automatically equal customers—we'll talk about that—but visibility is the first problem to solve, and reels solve it better than anything else on Instagram right now.
Adam: For pest control specifically, which tends to be a visual business with treatments, before-and-afters, and field work, it seems like there's natural content here that most operators aren't filming.
Hannah: That's definitely one of the things I want to cover because pest control has more natural reel content than most industries. Operators just don't realize it yet.
Adam: Let's talk about what to film then. Walk us through the content types. What's actually working for pest control in reels?
Hannah: There are five content categories I'd focus on, and they all work for different reasons.
First, before-and-after treatments. This is your highest-performing content category and it's almost unique to pest control. Film the infestation, film the treatment, show the clean result. 30 seconds. It's satisfying to watch, it demonstrates your skill, and it makes the problem and solution real for the viewer. You don't need a professional camera. A phone works. The content itself is what's compelling, not the production quality.
Elisabeth: This also works as social proof without being a testimonial. People watching it think, "That's what they can do for my house." It's basically a visual version of a case study.
Hannah: Second is quick educational tips. Answer a question pest control customers actually ask. Why do ants come inside in the spring? How do I know if I have termites? What's the difference between a termite and a flying ant? Keep it under 60 seconds. These position you as the expert and they get shared. When someone thinks they have a termite problem, they send that video to their spouse or their neighbor. The sharing is free reach you can't buy.
Adam: I'd add that these tip videos also do something for your search presence that most operators don't realize. Instagram content increasingly shows up in Google search results. Educational videos that match search terms people are already typing—"do I have termites," "spring pest prevention"—can drive traffic from outside Instagram entirely.
Hannah: Third is behind-the-scenes content. A day in the truck, what your techs carry, what a termite inspection actually looks like. Customers are curious about what they're paying for, so show them. This also humanizes your business. You're not just a logo and a phone number—you're real people doing skilled work. That matters when someone's choosing between two pest control companies with similar reviews.
Adam: We see this with clients. The companies that show their team, show their work, show their faces—they tend to convert better on social media than companies that just post promotions. People hire people they feel like they know.
Hannah: Fourth is seasonal and timely content. Spring is prime pest season, so post about it. Termite swarm season hits in certain regions in April and May. If you're seeing swarms in your area, post about it that day. Timely content gets engagement because people are already thinking about the problem. This is also where local specificity helps. "We're seeing a lot of brown recluse calls this week in Charlotte" performs better than generic pest content because it's specific and local.
Fifth is myth busting. Pest control has a lot of misinformation floating around. DIY treatments that don't work. Home remedies people swear by. Common misconceptions about what attracts pests. Take one myth, debunk it in 45 seconds, and explain what actually works. This content does well because it's slightly surprising. People share it because they thought the myth was true.
Elisabeth: You don't have to pick just one of these and stick with it. Rotate through. Mix a before-and-after one week, a tip video the next. It keeps your content fresh and tells you over time which category your specific audience responds to most.
Adam: How long should a reel actually be? I see everything from 15 seconds to 3 minutes.
Hannah: For pest control, 30 to 60 seconds is your sweet spot. Long enough to be substantive, short enough that people watch to the end. Watch-through rate matters. Instagram's algorithm rewards videos that people finish. Under 30 seconds works if it's purely visual—a dramatic before-and-after with no explanation—but once you're talking to the camera or explaining something, give yourself 45 to 60 seconds to land the point properly.
Adam: Let's talk about how to actually shoot and post without overthinking this. The content types make sense, but I know the reaction from a lot of operators. They're going to say, "I don't know how to make a reel. I'm not a video person. My techs aren't going to film themselves." How do we get past that?
Hannah: You film it in the Instagram app. Open Instagram, tap the camera, select Reels. That's it. You don't need editing software. You don't need a separate tool. Instagram has everything built in—speed controls, text overlay, music, trimming. The learning curve is genuinely low. Most people are comfortable within 20 to 30 minutes of experimenting.
Elisabeth: For the before-and-after format specifically, you don't even need to be on camera. Film the job site before you start, film it after, put them side by side. No talking required.
Adam: What about operators who are camera-shy or really don't see themselves as video people? That's a real barrier for folks in this industry.
Hannah: A few approaches. One, let your techs film while they work. They're already there. The content is right in front of them. It doesn't have to be the owner on camera. It can be a tech showing the treatment process. That content is often more authentic anyway.
Two, start with content that doesn't require anyone on screen. Before-and-afters, process videos, close-up shots of pest activity. Build the habit of filming before you worry about being on camera.
Three, when you're ready to talk to the camera, prepare two or three bullet points and record vertically on your phone. You'll do four or five takes and one of them will be good. Done.
Adam: I'll say this from watching clients go through this: the ones who waited until they felt "ready" or until the production quality felt right, they're still waiting. The ones who just started posting imperfect videos started building an audience. Imperfect and consistent beats polished and occasional every single time.
Hannah: Captions matter more than people realize. A significant portion of people watch reels on mute. If you're talking to the camera and there are no captions, you're losing those viewers. Instagram auto-generates captions when you create a reel. Turn that on. It takes two seconds.
Also, post between 7 and 9 AM or 6 to 8 PM local time. Those are peak engagement windows for most pest control markets. Posting at 2 PM on a Wednesday cuts your initial reach.
Adam: How often are we talking? Because if the answer is every day, most operators are going to check out.
Hannah: Two reels per week is enough to see real results. That's 30 to 45 minutes of total effort each week if you're batching. Film two or three on the same day and post them across the week. One reel per week is better than zero—you'll still see growth. Daily posting is for companies with a dedicated social media person. For operators running the business themselves, two per week is the realistic target.
Adam: Let's talk about stories. They disappear after 24 hours. Do they get the same reach as reels? Why should operators spend time on them at all?
Hannah: Because reels and stories are doing completely different jobs, and you need both. Reels find new people who've never heard of you. Stories maintain the relationship with people who already follow you.
Think about it this way: a potential customer might see your reel, check out your profile, and follow you. From that point on, your stories are what they see on a daily basis. Stories are how you stay top of mind with warm leads who haven't booked yet.
Elisabeth: It's the difference between reach and retention. Reels cast the net, stories keep people warm until they're ready to call.
Adam: What should pest control companies actually post in stories? I see a lot of businesses using stories for things like "check out our latest post," which feels like a waste of that slot.
Hannah: Stories work best for content that's timely, personal, or interactive. A quick poll: "Which pest are you seeing most this spring?" People tap those. A question sticker: "What's your biggest pest control concern?" You answer the responses in your next story. That back-and-forth builds a connection that static posts never do.
Behind-the-scenes moments that aren't polished enough for a reel. A photo of the team at a job. A short video of something unusual you found on a service call. Today's schedule or where the trucks are headed. It's the less produced, more personal layer of your brand.
Stories are also where you put direct calls to action. Links, booking buttons, promotions. Instagram lets you add a link directly in a story, which you can't do in a caption. If you're running a spring special or want people to book an inspection, stories is where you put that link.
Adam: That's a practical distinction I don't think a lot of operators have made. Reels are for reach and growth. Stories are for engagement and conversion. You're running two parallel tracks instead of treating Instagram as one combined feed.
Hannah: In terms of time, stories should take you five minutes. Get your phone camera, point it at something relevant, add a sticker or a question, post. No editing, no second-guessing. The temporary nature is the point. It's supposed to feel casual.
Aim for three to five stories per week. They keep your account active in the feeds of people who already follow you, which signals to the algorithm that your account is worth showing more broadly.
Elisabeth: Save your best stories as highlights on your profile. Service explainers, customer testimonials, seasonal tips—anything you want a new visitor to see should live in your highlights so it doesn't disappear after 24 hours.
Adam: Let's recap those three takeaways.
Elisabeth: Number one: Reels get five to 10 times more reach than static posts because Instagram's algorithm distributes them beyond your existing followers. That's free exposure to new customers, and that window is open right now—take advantage of it.
Number two: The best reel content for pest control is before-and-after treatments, quick educational tips, behind-the-scenes fieldwork, seasonal content, and myth busting. None of it requires a production crew. Two reels a week filmed on your phone is plenty to see real growth.
Number three: Reels grow your audience while stories maintain it. Use reels to get discovered, use stories to stay top of mind with warm leads and drive direct calls to action.
Adam: We put together an Instagram Reels Idea Checklist for pest control companies. 30 reel ideas organized by content type, so you never have to stare at a blank screen and wonder what to post. Download it for free at marketingthatactuallyworks.ai.
Elisabeth: And while you're there, grab our Pest Control Marketing Checklist—the same 20-point checklist we use with every client.
Adam: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so you don't miss next Tuesday's episode: Tracking Marketing ROI, the Numbers Every Pest Control Owner Needs to Know. If this episode was useful, leave us a five-star review. It helps other operators find the show. And you can still send us ideas for specific topics you want us to cover.
Elisabeth: We'd love to hear from you so we can cover what's relevant to your business.
Adam: Thanks for listening to Pest Control Marketing That Actually Works. We'll see you next Tuesday.
