f you run a pest control business, chances are you’ve tried flyers, referrals, or maybe even social media marketing. But nothing beats Google Ads when it comes to targeting high-intent customers—people who are actively searching for “termite treatment near me” or “bed bug exterminator in [city].”
Google Ads is one of the most powerful ways to get instant leads for your pest control business. In this step-by-step tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a highly effective Google Search Ads campaign from scratch.
Why Use Google Ads for Pest Control?
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High buyer intent: People search when they need help now
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Local targeting: Show up only in your service area
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Fast results: Appear on Google’s first page immediately
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Trackable: See how many calls, form fills, or quote requests you receive
Step 1: Set Up Your Google Ads Account
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Go to https://ads.google.com
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Sign in with your Google account
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Choose “Switch to Expert Mode” (bottom link on the setup page)
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Select the campaign goal: Leads
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Choose “Search” campaign type
This setup gives you full control of keywords, bidding, and targeting.
Step 2: Define Your Target Location
Pest control is hyper-local. You don’t want to waste money on clicks from outside your service area.
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Click on Locations and enter your city, zip codes, or use radius targeting (e.g., 15 miles from your office)
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Select: People in or regularly in your targeted locations
✅ Example: If you service Miami, set a 20-mile radius around your zip code.
Step 3: Set Your Budget and Bidding
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Start with a daily budget of $20–$50, depending on your market
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For bidding, select Maximize Conversions or Manual CPC (if you want more control)
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Enable Enhanced CPC to help Google adjust bids for better conversion chances
Later, once you have data, switch to Target CPA bidding.
Step 4: Choose the Right Keywords
Keywords are the foundation of your Google Ads campaign. Think like your customer.
Examples of high-intent keywords:
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“Pest control near me”
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“Termite treatment [city]”
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“Rodent exterminator”
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“Cockroach control services”
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“Bed bug removal [zip code]”
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“Same day pest control”
Use Phrase Match or Exact Match for more control:
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Phrase Match:
"pest control near me" -
Exact Match:
[termites exterminator]
Add Negative Keywords
To avoid irrelevant clicks, add negative keywords like:
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“free”
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“DIY”
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“jobs”
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“school”
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“course”
Step 5: Create Ad Groups by Service Type
Group similar keywords together by intent or pest type.
Example Ad Groups:
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General Pest Control
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Keywords: “pest control near me,” “exterminator services”
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Termites
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Keywords: “termite treatment,” “termite control [city]”
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Rodents
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Keywords: “rat control,” “mice exterminator”
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Bed Bugs
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Keywords: “bed bug removal,” “bed bug exterminator near me”
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This lets you create highly relevant ads and landing pages.
Step 6: Write Effective Ad Copy
You only have seconds to grab attention. Write compelling, trust-building copy.
Headline Examples:
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“Local Pest Control Experts”
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“Same-Day Extermination Service”
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“Affordable Termite Treatment”
Description:
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“Licensed & Insured | Free Estimates | Guaranteed Results”
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“Fast & Effective Pest Removal – Serving [City] Since 2005”
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“Call Now – Emergency Services Available 24/7”
✅ Use Keywords in Headlines to improve Quality Score.
Step 7: Use Ad Extensions
Ad extensions improve click-through rate and help you take up more space in search results.
Must-use Extensions:
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Call Extensions: Let users call your business directly from the ad
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Sitelinks: Add links like “Our Services,” “About Us,” “Book Now”
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Location Extension: Show your address via Google Maps
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Structured Snippets: Highlight services like: “Rodents, Termites, Bed Bugs, Ants”
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Callout Extensions: Add trust signals like “100% Satisfaction Guaranteed”
Step 8: Build a High-Converting Landing Page
Don’t send users to your homepage. Create a page specifically for your Google Ads traffic.
A great pest control landing page should include:
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Clear headline (e.g., “Get Rid of Pests Fast – Call Now!”)
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Short description of services
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Trust factors: licenses, years of experience, reviews
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Phone number + contact form
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Call-to-action buttons (“Get a Free Quote,” “Schedule Now”)
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Before & after photos (if available)
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Mobile responsiveness
Step 9: Set Up Conversion Tracking
To track results, you must set up conversion tracking:
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Form submissions: Add a Google Ads conversion tag to your “Thank You” page
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Phone calls: Use Google’s call forwarding feature
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Clicks on call buttons: Track clicks via Google Tag Manager
Also, link Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for deeper tracking.
Step 10: Launch and Optimize
Once the campaign is live, monitor it daily or weekly.
Things to watch:
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CTR (Click-Through Rate)
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CPC (Cost Per Click)
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Conversion rate
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Search terms (to add negative keywords)
Optimization Tips:
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Pause underperforming keywords
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A/B test different ad copy
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Adjust bids for high-performing areas
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Use ad scheduling (e.g., only show ads from 8 AM–8 PM)
Bonus: Run Remarketing Campaigns
Use Display or YouTube ads to re-target visitors who didn’t call or book.
Example:
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“Still Seeing Pests? Schedule Your Inspection Today!”
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Show them testimonials or limited-time offers
Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Running only broad match keywords (wastes money)
❌ No negative keywords (you’ll show up for DIY or job searches)
❌ Sending traffic to homepage instead of landing page
❌ Not tracking conversions
❌ Not checking search terms regularly
Conclusion
Running Google Ads for pest control services is one of the fastest ways to get leads—as long as it’s done strategically. The key is targeting the right keywords, writing compelling ads, optimizing your landing page, and constantly refining your campaign.
Once set up properly, Google Ads can generate consistent, high-quality leads for your pest control business every month.
Need Help?
Want a professional to set up or audit your pest control campaign? Contact a certified Google Ads expert or agency with experience in the home services niche.