How to Get More Customers as a Childcare in Sydney

Introduction

Running a childcare centre in Sydney means you already know how to manage ratios, regulations, and the daily chaos of keeping tiny humans alive and learning. What most centre owners and directors don't know is how to consistently fill vacancies and build a waitlist that keeps the business healthy.

Most childcare centres in Sydney still rely on word of mouth. Parents tell other parents. A few enrolments trickle in from local Facebook groups. Maybe you stuck a banner out front.

That worked 10 years ago. It doesn't cut it anymore.

In 2026, 97% of customers search online before choosing a local business — and childcare is no exception. Parents are Googling "childcare near me," reading reviews, comparing centres on their phones while sitting in traffic, and making decisions before they ever walk through your door.

The centres that show up first in those searches? They're the ones with full enrolments and growing waitlists. The ones that don't show up? They're left wondering why vacancies keep sitting empty despite offering a quality program.

This guide walks you through exactly how to get more customers as a childcare in Sydney — step by step, from the fundamentals to the cutting edge. No fluff. Just what actually works.

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TL;DR

• This is a step-by-step guide to getting more customers as a childcare in Sydney
• Covers Google Maps, reviews, website optimisation, content marketing, and AI search
• Average childcare day fee in Sydney sits between $100 and $150 per child — so every new enrolment has significant lifetime value
• Most of these strategies cost nothing but time; some are worth investing in professionally
• We'll tell you exactly when to DIY and when to bring in help

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Step 1: Claim and Optimise Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the single most powerful free marketing tool available to your childcare centre. When a parent searches "childcare near me" or "childcare in Parramatta," the first thing they see is the Google Maps pack — those three business listings with the map at the top of the search results.

If you're not in that pack, you're invisible to a massive chunk of potential customers.

Here's how to set yours up properly:

Claim your profile. Go to business.google.com. If your centre already appears on Google Maps, claim ownership. If it doesn't, create a new listing. You'll need to verify your business, usually through a postcard or phone call.

Complete every single field. Google rewards completeness. Fill in your business name (exactly as it appears on your signage — don't stuff keywords in here), address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and business category. Your primary category should be "Child Care Agency" or "Day Care Center."

Write a compelling business description. You have 750 characters. Use them. Mention your location, the age groups you cater for, your philosophy, and what makes your centre different. Naturally include phrases like "childcare in Sydney" or your specific suburb.

Upload quality photos. At least 10 to start: the front of your building, indoor play areas, outdoor spaces, meal times, and craft activities. Parents want to see where their child will spend the day. Centres with more than 10 photos get 35% more clicks than those without.

Post regular updates. GBP lets you publish posts — think of them like mini social media updates. Share open day announcements, new programs, holiday activities, or community events. Post weekly. This signals to Google that your listing is active and relevant.

Manage your Q&A section. Parents will ask questions directly on your listing. Answer them promptly. Better yet, pre-populate common questions yourself: "What age groups do you accept?" "Do you offer before and after school care?" "Is there a waitlist?"

Your Google Business Profile is often the first impression a parent has of your centre. Treat it like a shop window, not an afterthought.

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Step 2: Get Your Website Ranking for Local Keywords

Your website is your digital home base. While your Google Business Profile captures parents who search on Maps, your website captures everyone else — and gives you complete control over the message.

The goal is simple: when someone searches "childcare in Sydney" or "childcare in [your suburb]," your website needs to appear on page one.

Start with the fundamentals:

Target the right keywords. Your homepage should target your broadest term — "childcare in Sydney" if you serve the metro area, or "childcare in [suburb]" if you're focused locally. Use tools like Google's free Keyword Planner or Ubersuggest to find what parents actually search for.

Build service and suburb pages. This is where most childcare websites fall short. If you offer long day care, before and after school care, vacation care, and early learning programs, each should have its own page. Similarly, if you draw families from multiple suburbs, create location-specific pages: "Childcare in Epping," "Childcare in Chatswood," "Childcare in Liverpool."

Each page should include at least 500 words of unique, helpful content — not thin placeholder text. Describe what that service looks like at your centre. Mention local landmarks, schools, and transport links on suburb pages. This helps Google understand your relevance to specific searches.

Nail the technical basics. Your site needs to load fast (under 3 seconds), work perfectly on mobile (most parents are searching from their phones), and have a clear call to action on every page — typically "Book a Tour" or "Enquire Now." If your website takes five seconds to load, nearly half your visitors will leave before it finishes.

Don't forget on-page SEO. Every page should have a unique title tag, meta description, and header structure. Your title tag for your homepage might read: "Quality Childcare in Sydney | [Your Centre Name]." Internal links between your pages help Google crawl and understand your site structure.

For a deeper dive into ranking your childcare website, check out our complete guide to SEO for childcare in Sydney.

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Step 3: Build a Review Generation System

Reviews are the digital version of word of mouth — except they're permanent, public, and enormously influential. A parent choosing between two childcare centres with similar ratings will almost always pick the one with more reviews. And a centre with a 4.8 rating and 120 reviews will beat a centre with a 5.0 rating and 3 reviews every time.

The problem? Happy parents rarely leave reviews unprompted. Unhappy parents almost always do. You need a system.

When to ask: The best time to ask for a review is immediately after a positive interaction. A parent compliments your educators? A child hits a development milestone? You get great feedback at pickup? That's your window. Strike while the emotion is fresh.

How to ask: Keep it simple and personal. Don't send a generic mass email. A direct message works best:

"Hi [Name], we're so glad [child's name] is loving the program! If you have 30 seconds, a quick Google review would mean the world to our team. Here's the link: [direct review link]."

You can generate a direct review link from your Google Business Profile under "Ask for reviews." Share this link via text, email, or even a QR code on a printed card at reception.

Make it part of your process. Train your centre director and room leaders to identify review opportunities. Set a target — two new reviews per week is a solid starting point. Within six months, you'll have a review profile that dominates your local competitors.

Respond to every review. Thank people who leave positive reviews. Address negative reviews calmly and professionally, offering to resolve the issue offline. This shows prospective parents that you care and take feedback seriously.

Reviews also directly impact your Google Maps ranking. More positive reviews signal trustworthiness to Google's algorithm. It's a double win.

For suburb-specific strategies, read our guide on local SEO for childcare in Sydney.

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Step 4: Create Content That Attracts Customers

Content marketing for childcare isn't about going viral. It's about showing up when parents search for answers to questions related to your services — and positioning your centre as the trusted authority.

What kind of content works?

Blog posts that answer real questions. Think about what parents ask you every week: "How do I prepare my child for their first day at childcare?" "What should I pack in a daycare bag?" "How do I choose between long day care and family day care?" Write those answers as blog posts. Each one becomes a page that can rank on Google and bring a new parent to your website.

Suburb guides. "Best Childcare Centres in Marrickville" or "A Parent's Guide to Childcare in the Hills District." These perform extremely well in search because parents frequently use these exact phrases.

FAQs. Create a comprehensive FAQ page on your website. Cover fees, government subsidies (CCS), ratios, meal policies, illness policies, and your enrolment process. This serves two purposes: it ranks for long-tail search queries, and it answers objections before a parent even picks up the phone.

Educator spotlights and day-in-the-life content. Parents want to know who's looking after their children. Short profiles of your educators — their qualifications, philosophy, and why they love what they do — build enormous trust.

Aim to publish at least two pieces of content per month. Consistency matters more than volume. Over 12 months, that's 24 new pages working for your centre around the clock.

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Step 5: Optimise for AI Search (GEO)

This is the frontier most childcare centres haven't even thought about yet — which means it's your biggest opportunity to get ahead.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of positioning your business to be recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google's AI Overviews, and Copilot. More and more parents are asking these tools: "What's the best childcare near Bondi Junction?" or "How do I find quality childcare in Sydney?"

How to get recommended:

AI search engines pull information from authoritative, well-structured, and widely cited sources. That means your website content needs to be comprehensive, factual, and clearly written. Include structured data (schema markup) on your site. Get mentioned on reputable directories, parenting websites, and local business listings.

Build topical authority by covering childcare-related subjects in depth on your blog. The more AI models encounter your brand associated with childcare in Sydney, the more likely they are to recommend you.

We go deep on this in our dedicated guide to GEO for childcare in Sydney.

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Step 6: Track Your Results

Marketing without measurement is just guessing. You need to know what's working so you can do more of it — and what's not so you can stop wasting time.

What to measure:

• Phone calls. Use call tracking or simply ask every enquiry, "How did you hear about us?" Track this in a spreadsheet or CRM.
• Form submissions and tour bookings. If your website has an enquiry form, monitor submissions weekly. Set up Google Analytics goal tracking to see which pages drive conversions.
• Google Business Profile insights. GBP shows you how many people viewed your listing, clicked for directions, called directly, and visited your website. Check this monthly.
• Keyword rankings. Track where your website ranks for your target terms. Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or free options like Google Search Console will tell you.
• Review velocity. How many reviews are you getting per month? Is the number growing?

Set up a simple monthly dashboard. It doesn't need to be complicated — a single spreadsheet with these five metrics will give you a clear picture of whether your efforts are paying off.

If you're seeing more calls and tour bookings month over month, you're on the right track. If you're not, it's time to adjust your approach — or bring in a professional.

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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, and operational fires. Marketing rarely makes it to the top of the to-do list.

That's where we come in.

At Searchmaxxed, we work exclusively with local service businesses across Sydney. We understand childcare marketing because we do it every day — Google Business Profile optimisation, local SEO, content strategy, review systems, and GEO.

Our packages run from $500 to $2,000 per month depending on your centre's size, competition level, and growth goals. Every dollar is focused on one outcome: more enquiries from parents actively searching for childcare in your area.

Book a free strategy call with our team and we'll show you exactly where your centre stands online — and what it would take to fill those vacancies.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can childcare centres get more customers online? Optimise your Google Business Profile, build a website that ranks for local keywords, generate consistent reviews, publish helpful content, and track results monthly.

What's the fastest way to get more calls as a childcare? Fully optimise your Google Business Profile. Most centres see increased calls within 30 days of proper setup and regular posting.

How much should I spend on marketing as a childcare? Budget 3–5% of annual revenue. For most Sydney centres, that's $500–$2,000 per month for professional marketing support.

Is Google Ads or SEO better for childcare? SEO delivers better long-term value. Google Ads can fill vacancies quickly but costs stop the moment you stop paying. Ideally, use both.

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Ready to stop relying on word of mouth and start building a waitlist? Get in touch with Searchmaxxed today — we'll audit your online presence for free and map out a plan to get more parents finding and choosing your centre.