Those of us who run preschools and child care centers face challenges when it comes to finding new prospective parents, especially during the current times. Referrals and word-of-mouth recommendations are extremely important. But more often than not, parents tend to search Google and contact the first two centers that come up. In order to help grow your customer base and attract more parents to your daycare center, you need to make sure that your website makes it to the top of Google search results.
 
SEO for daycare centers is a great way to help promote your website by optimizing your site so that search engines can find you more easily. Paying attention to SEO and crafting strategies to improve your center’s rankings can help propel your daycare center to the top of the search results engine page.
 

What is SEO?

“SEO” (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of creating and adjusting web page designs so that they rank higher on the search engine results page. Do you ever wonder how certain pages make it to the first page of Google or other search engines, while others seem to fade into oblivion? If you think that Google is playing favorites, you are completely wrong. Google is simply utilizing elaborate algorithms to highlight and showcase content it believes users are searching for.
 
So, why is this important for you as a daycare provider? Well, in today’s technology-focused era, most parents do their research online to learn more about child care costs, nearby locations, user reviews, amenities, services, and so on.
 
If your center’s web page appears in these search engine results, you are much more likely to have a steady stream of traffic and connect with your customers, which will ultimately make your daycare business more profitable.
 

Three Ways to Make Your Website SEO-Friendly

As a daycare provider, you need to use various SEO techniques: keyword research, up-to-date content, responsive design, and site speed to help your daycare website rank highly. Your website is the only part of your digital marketing over which you have control. Sending the right signals to search engines and your prospects is highly important. Avoid making common basic SEO mistakes and follow these simple tips and tricks: 
 

1. Use Google My Business

GMB (“Google My Business”) allows you to create a listing for your daycare business on Google that includes contact and location information, hours of operation, daycare costs, and pictures of your center. Keep in mind that no blog post on SEO for daycare is complete without mentioning GMB. When parents search online for local businesses, GMB listings appear at the top of Google search results. Fortunately, this platform is so simple to use:

  • Claim your Google My Business listing
  • Enter all pertinent information about your daycare business
  • Post as many high-quality photos about your center as possible

It is highly important to note that Google listings with more than 100 images are likely to get 1065% more clicks. So, make sure you don’t forget that last step.
 

2. Choose the Right Keywords

Keyword optimization is another important SEO tip, as each family will be looking for something different when searching for a daycare provider. It is important that you flaunt your skills and preferences so you center can be a perfect match for various types of prospective families.
 
In order to get the most out of your SEO initiatives, you need to integrate keywords into your website. So, how do you know which keywords to use?

  • Use your instincts — running a daycare center means you already have a good sense of particular keywords related to your industry. Do a little keyword research of your own and brainstorm a few terms, then record in a Google Doc or Word document to save for later.
  • Invest in a Keyword Tool — nowadays, there’s software available for just about everything you need, including keyword research. There are tools that may cost some money, but there are others that are free. Check for online tools available to you and see which one works best for your center.
  • Track and Analyze the Results — once you’ve developed a list of strong keywords and started using them, make sure you track and analyze the metrics. You will be able to trace how often people search for these keywords and how competitive they are among the other websites that also try to rank them.

3. Start Blogging

Having an active blog and posting content regularly on your website is one of the best ways to improve SEO for your daycare center. Think of it this way — if a parent finds your website online but your page gives minimal details about your center or has no content at all, what makes you think they would choose your business? More parents will find you if you blog often. Search engines ideally look at the number of indexes when determining what pages to rank. Blogging adds pages to your webpage, and the more pages you have, the higher your chances will be of showing up on the first pages of search engines. You can blog about the daily activities that take place at your daycare center. Or you may  write about topics like parenting tips, or fun activities that parents and children can enjoy together. Include photos on your blogs — search engines love to see these things as much as readers do.
 
There are so many things you can do with SEO. SEO is especially useful when combined with other marketing strategies. If you’re looking for a partner that not only specializes in SEO, but also has expertise when it comes to helping daycare centers increase enrollment, get in touch with us at Local Child Care Marketing. We have the skills and tools to help you achieve your goals.