When people ask how I’ve gotten millions of views across YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram, I always tell them the same thing—it wasn’t an accident, but it also wasn’t magic. I’ve posted hundreds of videos over the years, and through a lot of testing and iteration, I’ve learned what works. In this article, I’ll break down exactly how to go viral in pest control.
What Makes a Video Go Viral?
There are four main components I try to include in every short-form video:
The Hook – You’ve got three seconds to stop the scroll. If you don’t grab their attention immediately, you’ve lost them.
The Big Reveal – This is where I give a little “aha” moment. Show them something unexpected or interesting.
The Tips – I quickly explain what’s happening or give a fast piece of insight. Keep this tight.
The Call to Action – Ask them to like, comment, follow, or engage. This boosts the algorithm and drives more reach.
These types of videos are usually under 30 seconds. I think through each section before I film so I’m not winging it.
My First Viral Hit
One of my first big videos was just me trying out a new aerator. I didn’t even know what I was doing. I hit record, walked backward into frame, said “I just got this brand new aerator and I’ve never used it,” then jumped on and showed how it worked.
That was it. No fancy editing. No call to action. Just a raw, honest clip. But it hit 100,000 views fast, and that’s when things clicked for me. I looked at the structure and realized—it had a hook, a visual reveal, a bit of education, and it looped. I didn’t even know what a hook was at the time, but I had one.
Why Consistency Beats Perfection
The biggest mistake people make is overthinking. I’ve posted over a hundred videos that flopped before I had one take off. Your first 50–100 videos probably won’t get a ton of views, and that’s fine. You’re learning. You’re building the muscle.
What made the difference for me was going back into YouTube analytics and looking at what worked. What was the view duration? Where did people drop off? How did the hook perform? Once I figured out which videos had strong retention and good click-through, I started copying that structure and adjusting based on data.
Your Hook Matters Most
If you study marketing, you’ll know that headlines make or break a campaign. It’s no different with video. A strong hook is everything. It’s what makes someone stop and watch. That could be a bold statement, a shocking image, or a question. I’ve tested different hooks on the same video and seen one get a million views and the other flop.
Also, don’t forget the thumbnail. On platforms like YouTube, the thumbnail and title matter just as much as the video itself. We now A/B test thumbnails and hook variations regularly.
A Simple Video That Got Over 10 Million Views
One of our biggest videos was of one of my techs holding a mosquito dunk in front of a pond. He explained what it was, dropped it in, and said what it did. That’s it. The shot was on a phone. No tripod. No special effects.
But it had the formula:
Hooked people right away
Delivered quick education
Had a call to action
And looped back to the start
That video exploded. I’ve since re-created that format 10 to 15 times with different variations. Most people won’t remember if you post a similar concept twice—especially if it works.
The Metrics I Watch Closely
Here are the three key numbers I look for with short-form content:
View Duration – Has to be above 100%. That means people are watching more than once.
Swipe Away Rate – Should be below 20%. If too many people swipe away early, the video dies.
Click-Through Rate – Aim for 10% or higher. This measures how effective your title and thumbnail are.
If a video does well on all three, I know I’m onto something.
Going Viral Takes Work, Not Luck
People see me now and assume I’ve always had a big following. The truth is, I started like everyone else—no audience, no experience. It took hundreds of hours, hundreds of videos, and lots of failure to get here.
One of the coolest moments for me was being at PestWorld and having someone come up and say, “Hey, you’re the TikTok guy!” I didn’t even know what to say. But that’s the power of consistent content. You start to build brand awareness that scales way beyond your local market.
Final Advice: Do More, Test More, Post More
If you want to go viral, post more. Learn what works. Repost what performs. Tweak your hooks. Don’t be afraid to fail. The biggest mistake I see is people just not posting enough—or giving up too soon.
Remember, it only takes one video to change everything. You just have to be consistent enough to find it.