Instagram Reels and Stories for Pest Control

Instagram Reels are getting 5-10x more reach than photos right now—and pest control companies are perfectly positioned to take advantage. In this episode, social media manager Hannah Kilpatrick breaks down exactly what's working on Instagram for pest control operators in 2026.Here's why this matters: when you post a photo, Instagram shows it mainly to your existing followers. When you post a reel, the algorithm pushes it to people who've never heard of you. A pest control company with 300 followers can post a reel and get 2,000-5,000 views. That same company posts a photo and gets 50-100. The math is clear.We cover the five content types that perform best for pest control:Before-and-after treatments. Film the infestation, film the treatment, show the result. 30 seconds. This is your highest-performing category and it's almost unique to pest control.Quick educational tips. Answer questions customers actually ask—why ants invade in spring, how to identify termites, what attracts pests. Under 60 seconds. These get shared, which means free reach.Behind-the-scenes content. A day in the truck, what your techs carry, what an inspection looks like. Customers are curious about what they're paying for.Seasonal and timely content. Termite swarms in your area? Post about it that day. Local specificity beats generic pest content every time.Myth busting. Take common misconceptions about pest control—DIY treatments that don't work, home remedies people swear by—and debunk them in 45 seconds.We also tackle the practical stuff: how long reels should be (30-60 seconds), how to film them (just use the Instagram app), and how often to post (two per week is plenty). For operators who are camera-shy, we cover three approaches to creating content without being on screen.Then we get into Instagram Stories—which serve a completely different purpose. Reels find new people. Stories maintain relationships with people who already follow you. Think of it as reach versus retention. We cover what to post in stories (polls, questions, behind-the-scenes moments, direct CTAs with links) and how much time it should take (five minutes, tops).Key stats from this episode:Reels get 5-10x more views than static posts30-60 seconds is the sweet spot for pest control reelsTwo reels per week is enough for real growthPost between 7-9 AM or 6-8 PM local time for best reachThree to five stories per week keeps your account activeDownload our free Instagram Reels Idea Checklist at marketingthatactuallyworks.ai—30 reel ideas organized by content type so you never stare at a blank screen wondering what to post.