How to Get More Customers as a Childcare in Melbourne

Most childcare centres in Melbourne still rely on word of mouth and council waiting lists. That worked a decade ago. Today, 97% of parents search online before choosing a local childcare provider. They're Googling "childcare near me," reading reviews, comparing websites, and — increasingly — asking ChatGPT for recommendations.

If your centre doesn't show up in those moments, you're invisible to the families who need you most.

The childcare sector in Melbourne is competitive. With over 2,000 approved services operating across the metro area, standing out requires more than a good reputation among existing parents. You need a system that consistently puts your centre in front of new families actively searching for care.

This guide breaks down exactly how to get more customers as a childcare in Melbourne — step by step, in plain language. Whether you run a single family day care or manage multiple long day care centres across the suburbs, these strategies apply. We've used them to help childcare operators fill waitlists, boost enrolment enquiries, and reduce their dependence on paid directory listings.

The average childcare place in Melbourne generates $100–$150 per day per child. One additional enrolment can mean $25,000–$35,000 in annual revenue. The maths on investing in your online presence isn't complicated.

Let's get into it.

---

TL;DR

• This is a step-by-step guide to getting more customers as a childcare centre in Melbourne
• Covers Google Maps, reviews, website optimisation, content marketing, and AI search
• Average childcare day rate: $100–$150 per child
• A single new enrolment can be worth $25,000+ annually
• Most of these strategies cost nothing but time — or can be outsourced affordably

---

Step 1: Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most important free tool for driving enquiries to your childcare centre. When a parent searches "childcare in [suburb]" or "childcare near me," Google serves up the Map Pack — those three local listings with reviews, photos, and a phone number. That's your GBP.

If you haven't claimed yours, do it now at business.google.com. Verification usually takes a few days via postcard or phone.

Once claimed, here's how to optimise it properly:

Business name: Use your registered trading name. Don't stuff keywords in — Google penalises that.

Primary category: Select "Child Care Agency" or "Day Care Center" as your primary category. Add secondary categories like "Preschool" or "After School Program" if relevant.

Description: Write a clear 750-word description that naturally includes your services, suburbs you serve, age groups you cater to, and what makes your centre different. Mention your NQS rating if it's strong.

Photos: Upload at least 20 high-quality photos. Include the exterior (so parents can recognise the building), indoor play areas, outdoor spaces, meal times, and staff interacting with children. Centres with 20+ photos get 35% more website clicks than those without.

Services: List every service — long day care, before and after school care, vacation care, kindergarten programs. Each one is a ranking signal.

Posts: Publish Google Posts weekly. Share enrolment availability, upcoming events, or educational tips. This signals to Google that your profile is active and current.

Hours and contact info: Keep these accurate. Nothing kills trust faster than a parent calling a number that doesn't work or showing up when you're closed.

Q&A section: Pre-populate this with common questions parents ask. "What ages do you accept?" "Do you offer CCS-approved care?" "Is there parking for drop-off?" Answer them yourself before random people do.

A fully optimised GBP can generate 50–200+ actions per month (calls, direction requests, website visits) without spending a cent on ads. For a deeper breakdown, check out our guide on local SEO for childcare in Melbourne.

---

Step 2: Get Your Website Ranking for Local Keywords

Your Google Business Profile gets you into the Map Pack. Your website gets you into the organic results below it. Owning both positions means you dominate the search results page — and that's where the real volume lives.

Start with your core keyword targets:

• "childcare in Melbourne"
• "childcare [suburb name]" (e.g., "childcare Brunswick," "childcare South Yarra")
• "long day care [suburb]"
• "best childcare near [suburb]"
• "kindergarten program [suburb]"

Build dedicated pages for each service and each suburb you serve. This is the single most overlooked opportunity in childcare marketing. Most centres have one homepage and an "About Us" page. That's not enough.

If your centre in Richmond also draws families from Cremorne, Abbotsford, and Collingwood, you need a page for each suburb. Each page should include:

• A unique headline targeting that suburb
• 400–600 words of genuinely useful content about your services for families in that area
• Mention of nearby landmarks, schools, or transport links
• A clear call to action (book a tour, call for availability)
• Schema markup for local business

Technical basics matter too. Your site needs to load in under 3 seconds on mobile. Over 70% of parents searching for childcare are doing it on their phone — during lunch breaks, on the tram, while their toddler naps. If your site is slow or hard to navigate on mobile, they'll hit back and call the next centre.

Make sure every page has a clear phone number, an enquiry form, and a "Book a Tour" button above the fold. You'd be surprised how many childcare websites bury their contact details three clicks deep.

We cover this topic in much more detail in our complete guide to SEO for childcare in Melbourne.

---

Step 3: Build a Review Generation System

Reviews are the trust currency of local search. A childcare centre with 80 five-star reviews will get more clicks, more calls, and more enrolments than an identical centre with 12 reviews — every single time.

Parents are making one of the most emotionally charged purchasing decisions of their lives. They're entrusting you with their child. Reviews from other parents reduce that anxiety dramatically.

Here's how to build a system that generates reviews consistently:

When to ask: The best time is after a positive interaction. A parent compliments a staff member. Their child hits a developmental milestone at your centre. They mention how happy their kid is at pick-up. That's your window.

How to ask: Keep it simple and direct. Train your educators and centre directors to say: "That's so great to hear! Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review? It really helps other families find us."

Make it frictionless: Create a direct link to your Google review page and share it via:

• A follow-up SMS or email after tours
• A QR code on your sign-in tablet or noticeboard
• A quarterly "Review Month" reminder in your parent newsletter

Template SMS: "Hi [Name], thanks for choosing [Centre Name]! If you've had a positive experience, we'd love a quick Google review — it helps other Melbourne families find quality care. Here's the link: [URL]"

Respond to every review — positive and negative. Thank parents who leave good reviews by name. For negative reviews, respond professionally, acknowledge the concern, and offer to resolve it offline. Future parents read your responses as much as the reviews themselves.

Aim for 2–4 new reviews per month. That's enough to build momentum without overwhelming your parents.

---

Step 4: Create Content That Attracts Customers

Content marketing isn't just for tech companies and fashion brands. Childcare centres that publish helpful content on their websites attract organic traffic from parents who are actively researching — and those parents convert into enquiries at a high rate.

What kind of content works for childcare?

Guides: "How to Choose the Right Childcare in Melbourne: A Parent's Checklist" — this type of article ranks for high-intent keywords and positions your centre as a trusted authority.

FAQs: "What Does CCS Cover?" "What's the Difference Between Long Day Care and Family Day Care?" "How Do I Know If My Child Is Ready for Childcare?" Parents Google these questions constantly.

Suburb-specific content: "The Best Parks and Playgrounds Near Our Fitzroy Centre" — this builds local relevance and gives you natural backlinks from community pages.

Behind-the-scenes posts: "A Day in the Life at [Centre Name]" — this builds trust and gives parents a feel for your environment before they visit.

Seasonal content: "School Holiday Program Activities in Melbourne's Inner East" — timely content that captures search demand during peak booking periods.

Publish one piece of content per month at minimum. Each piece should target a specific keyword, include internal links to your service pages, and end with a call to action. Over 12 months, you'll build a library of content that drives consistent organic traffic.

Content also feeds your Google Business Profile posts, your social media, and your email newsletters. One blog post can be repurposed across five channels.

---

Step 5: Optimise for AI Search (GEO)

Generative Engine Optimisation — or GEO — is the newest frontier in local marketing. Parents are starting to ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews questions like "What's the best childcare in Brunswick?" and "Which Melbourne childcare centres have the highest ratings?"

If your centre isn't part of the answer, you're missing a growing channel.

AI search engines pull their recommendations from structured data, reviews, authoritative content, and consistent online mentions. Here's what helps:

• Consistent NAP (name, address, phone) across every directory and listing
• Strong review profiles on Google, Facebook, and care.com.au
• Structured data / schema markup on your website
• Authoritative content that directly answers common parent questions
• Mentions and citations on trusted third-party sites

The centres that show up in AI recommendations are the ones with the strongest overall digital footprint. There's no shortcut — it's the compound effect of doing Steps 1–4 well.

We've written a dedicated guide on GEO for childcare in Melbourne if you want to go deeper on this topic.

---

Step 6: Track Your Results

You can't improve what you don't measure. Here are the metrics that actually matter for childcare centres:

Phone calls: Use a tracking number or call tracking software to measure how many calls come from your website and Google Business Profile each month.

Form submissions and tour bookings: Track these through your website's analytics or CRM. Every form submission is a potential $25,000+ enrolment.

Google Business Profile insights: Check your GBP dashboard monthly. Track search queries, profile views, direction requests, and phone calls. Look for trends — are certain suburbs driving more searches?

Keyword rankings: Monitor where you rank for "childcare [suburb]" and related terms. Tools like SEMrush or even a free tool like Google Search Console will show your progress.

Review velocity: Track how many new reviews you're getting per month and your average rating. A drop in rating or a slowdown in review volume needs immediate attention.

Cost per enquiry: If you're running any paid activity, calculate your cost per enquiry and cost per enrolment. Compare this against your average annual revenue per child to determine ROI.

Set up a simple monthly dashboard — even a spreadsheet works. Review it on the first Monday of each month. Patterns emerge quickly when you track consistently.

---

When to Hire a Professional

Everything in this guide can be done in-house. But let's be honest — you're running a childcare centre. Your days are consumed by compliance, staffing, parent communication, programming, and the hundred other things that keep quality care running.

Marketing often falls to the bottom of the list. And when it does, enquiries dry up.

Consider hiring a professional when:

• You don't have time to optimise your GBP and keep it updated
• Your website hasn't been touched in over a year
• You're getting fewer than 10 enquiries per month from online channels
• Competitors in your area are outranking you consistently
• You know you need content but nobody has time to write it

At Searchmaxxed, we work exclusively with local service businesses across Melbourne — including childcare centres. Our packages range from $500 to $2,000 per month depending on scope, and every engagement starts with a free audit of your current online presence.

Book your free childcare marketing audit here →

We handle GBP optimisation, local SEO, content creation, review strategy, and GEO — so you can focus on what you do best: caring for kids.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

How can childcare centres get more customers online?

Optimise your Google Business Profile, build suburb-specific website pages, generate consistent parent reviews, and publish helpful content that ranks in local search results.

What's the fastest way to get more calls as a childcare centre?

Fully optimise your Google Business Profile with photos, services, and posts. Most centres see an increase in calls within 30 days.

How much should I spend on marketing as a childcare centre?

Allocate 3–5% of gross revenue. For a centre earning $500K annually, that's $15,000–$25,000 per year, or roughly $1,250–$2,000 per month.

Is Google Ads or SEO better for childcare?

SEO delivers better long-term ROI. Google Ads can fill gaps quickly but costs add up. We recommend starting with SEO and adding ads only to target specific gaps.

---

Ready to fill your waitlist? Get in touch with Searchmaxxed for a free audit of your childcare centre's online presence. We'll show you exactly where you're losing enquiries — and how to fix it.