Frank's Web Studio
Pest control websites: get the call when the mice move in.
Every fall, the nights get cold and mice start looking for a way inside. The homeowner who finds droppings under the sink tonight is going to call someone tomorrow morning. Here's how to make sure your website gets that call.
I build websites for local service businesses around Chicago, and pest control has one of the clearest buying moments of any trade. Nobody browses exterminator websites for fun. They search because they just saw something run behind the stove, and they want it handled. That person is a little grossed out, a little worried, and holding a phone. Your site has about a minute to convince them you're the one to call.
Here's what I check on a pest control site, in order.
1. Give each pest its own page
People don't search "pest control." They search "mice in walls Oak Park" or "bed bug exterminator Chicago" or "wasp nest removal Naperville." If your site has one services page with a list of twenty bugs, none of those searches has a page that fits.
Start with the pests that bring in most of your calls. For most Chicagoland companies in the fall, that means mice and rats first. Each page should cover:
- The signs people notice (droppings, scratching in the walls at night, chewed food boxes).
- What you actually do on a visit: inspection, sealing entry points, traps or bait, follow-up.
- How many visits it usually takes, in honest terms.
- A call button and a short form.
A page like this answers the question the homeowner is really asking: "What happens if I call you?"
2. Answer the kids and pets question up front
Almost every homeowner with a dog, a cat or a toddler wonders the same thing before they call: is the treatment safe for them? If you don't answer it, some of them won't call at all. Explain in plain words how you handle homes with pets and children, where you place bait, and what the family needs to do before and after a visit. Keep it accurate to the products and methods you actually use. Don't call anything "100% safe" or "non-toxic" unless that's exactly what the product label supports.
3. Explain one-time service vs. a plan
Most pest control companies sell both: a one-time visit to solve today's problem and a recurring plan to keep it from coming back. Visitors get confused when the site only talks about plans, because they think they're being signed up for a contract just to deal with one mouse. Say it simply:
- What a one-time visit includes and whether there's a follow-up.
- What a plan includes, how often you come out, and how to cancel.
- Whether the first inspection is free or has a fee.
You don't have to publish prices if you don't want to. But a company that explains how pricing works gets the call over one that says "contact us for a quote" and nothing else.
4. Show you're licensed, and say it plainly
In Illinois, commercial structural pest control businesses are licensed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and IDPH has a public business search on its website. Put your license status and the fact that you're insured in the footer and on your About page. Homeowners letting a stranger spray inside their house want to know you're legitimate. Most small pest control sites I look at skip it.
5. Mention discreet service if you offer it
Bed bugs and roaches come with embarrassment, especially in apartments and condos. If you offer unmarked vehicles or quiet visits, say so on those pages. If you work with property managers and landlords in multi-unit buildings, which is a big share of the work in Chicago proper, give them their own section. They're a different customer with different questions, like scheduling access to several units and getting reports for their records.
6. Name the towns and neighborhoods you serve
List them in plain text: Logan Square, Jefferson Park, Evanston, Skokie, Park Ridge, whatever is true for you. Don't rely on a map image. Google can't read it, and neither can a homeowner on a slow connection. Make sure the same service area appears on your Google Business Profile.
7. Make calling the easiest thing on the page
On a phone, your number should be a tap-to-call button at the top of every page. Add a short form for people who'd rather not call: name, phone, address or ZIP, and what they're seeing. If you answer calls on weekends or offer same-day visits, put that right next to the button.
If you're not sure how your site does on a phone, run the 60-second phone test.
A quick example
Picture a two-truck pest control company in Berwyn. Their homepage says "Quality Pest Solutions You Can Trust," shows a stock photo of a smiling technician, and has the phone number in the footer. A homeowner in Riverside searches "mice in walls Riverside" on a Tuesday night. That site has no mouse page, never mentions Riverside, and gives no idea what a visit costs or whether it's safe with a dog in the house. She calls the company whose page answered all of that. Same skill, same price, different website.
Pest control website checklist
- Tap-to-call number at the top of every page on mobile.
- A headline that says what you do and where: "Mouse and rat control in Berwyn, Cicero and Oak Park."
- A page for each main pest, starting with mice and rats.
- A clear answer about kids and pets.
- One-time service vs. plans, explained in plain words.
- Licensed and insured, stated in the footer.
- Every town or neighborhood you serve, in text.
- Real photos of your trucks, your techs and your work.
- Your Google reviews on the site, and the site linked from your Google Business Profile.
- A short form: name, phone, ZIP, what they're seeing.
Reviews matter a lot in this trade because the whole decision is about trust. If you need more of them, here's how to ask for Google reviews without breaking the rules.
Where I come in
I build websites for local service businesses in Chicagoland and the Midwest, and I keep my pricing public. For a pest control company with several services and a list of towns, the Local Growth package usually fits: $699 setup and $99 a month for up to five pages, a work gallery, online booking and the local SEO setup. If you want a separate page for every pest and every town you cover, Premium is $1,199 setup and $149 a month. You can see what's included in each on my website cost page.
Mouse season is already here. If your site isn't getting the calls it should, book a free call and I'll go through it with you on the phone.
Common questions
What pages should a pest control website have?
At minimum: a homepage that says what you do and where, a page for each main pest you treat, a service area page, an About page that mentions your license and insurance, and a contact page. Start with the pests that bring in the most calls, which for most Chicagoland companies in fall means mice and rats.
Should a pest control company put prices on its website?
You don't have to list exact prices, but you should explain how pricing works: one-time visits vs. recurring plans, whether the inspection is free, and what's included. Visitors call the company that makes the next step clear.
How long does it take to get a pest control website up?
A small, well-planned site can usually go live in a couple of weeks once you have your service list, towns and photos ready. Gathering real photos and deciding which pests get their own pages takes most of the time.
Want me to check your site?
Book a free call and I'll look at your website on a phone with you and tell you what I'd fix first. No pressure, no long contracts.
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Frank's Web Studio · Serving Chicagoland and the Midwest · (773) 474-4780 · [email protected]
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