How to Get More Google Reviews for Your Preschool or Daycare (Without Feeling Awkward Asking)

The short answer: The best way to get more Google reviews is to ask parents directly, within 24 hours of when they share a positive comment, and text or email them a direct link so they can post in seconds. Timing, a personal message, and a link that saves them time matter far more than mass requests.

This approach is the most effective way to market your center without spending a dime. While it may feel daunting to ask, this strategy removes the "awkward" factor by turning a moment of genuine gratitude into an easy favor. In this article, we’ll walk through how to build this habit, why it’s a game-changer for your local SEO, and exactly what to do once those reviews start coming in.

Why listen to my advice? I've worked in preschools and early childhood marketing for the last 15+ years, and I have firsthand experience running a preschool and trying to enroll more families.

What I Learned Managing Marketing for Childcare Centers

For several years, I managed marketing and day-to-day operations for a preschool in San Francisco before starting my own consulting practice. The most important thing that experience taught me is that there's a big gap between knowing your reputation matters, especially your reputation online, and actually having a strategy in place to do something about it.

As a preschool director or daycare owner, the last thing you want to think about after a long day of managing teachers, handling parent concerns, and keeping classrooms running safely is also asking parents for reviews. You don't want to feel like you're pestering busy families, or you feel awkward asking, or you're not sure the parent will actually leave a good review. So you just avoid it.

From working in preschool marketing, I've seen that roughly 60 to 70 percent of the answers to "how did you hear about us?" come from a personal recommendation from another parent. For programs that don't have parents talking up their school at the playground, they need help getting recommendations online. An online recommendation is the next best thing to an in-person one for getting a new parent to want to tour your school.

Parents are always talking about their children's schools, at the playground, on playdates, and you want to be the topic of those conversations both online and in person. The good news is, you have some control over getting that conversation started online. All you have to do is start asking for reviews.

Why Google Reviews Matter for Preschool Local SEO

When a parent searches for a local program, Google displays a small map with the top three schools in the area, called the Map Pack. To decide which schools earn those spots, Google looks at three things:

How many reviews you have. A solid number of total reviews tells Google that your program is an active, established part of the local community.

Your overall score. A high star rating (5 stars on Google is ideal) makes parents confident that you run a quality childcare program and more likely to want to tour.

How recent they are. Google prioritizes new and recent information when deciding what to show. A school with 30 reviews posted over the last year will almost always outrank a school with 15 reviews from three years ago. Recent reviews tell Google that your school is active, doing well, and worth showing to new families searching nearby.

What parents write in their reviews is free marketing and SEO (search engine optimization) too, helping you show up more in search results. When a parent writes "the Spanish immersion program helped my daughter pick up vocabulary so much faster," Google indexes that phrase. The next time a parent searches for "Spanish immersion program" in your city, you're more likely to show up, because another parent already mentioned it in their review of your school.

That's why it helps to get quality reviews where parents use local keywords like "infant care" or "kindergarten readiness" in their actual reviews, matching the terms parents are searching for. You can't recreate that with paid ads or your website wording alone.

Why Preschool Directors Rarely Ask for Reviews

As a childcare director or owner, my guess is you don't avoid asking for Google reviews out of laziness. You let it slide because no one has ever given you a way to ask that's easy to actually do given your schedule.

Between managing staff, dealing with licensing rules, answering enrollment calls, and handling a steady flow of small crises, when do you have time to ask for reviews? So it drops to the bottom of your list.

Then there's the awkwardness factor. Asking a parent who trusts you with their child for a public favor can feel uncomfortable. You value the personal connections you've built with your families, and the last thing you want is to make those relationships feel transactional.

Why Some Parents Never Leave Reviews (Even When They Love Your School)

When a family doesn't leave a review, it's easy to assume they're too busy or don't care. But most of the parents who are happiest with your program do want to support your school. They just run into a few roadblocks along the way.

Here are a few things that stop families from writing a daycare review:

The "what do I say?" freeze. If a parent can't find the right words to describe their experience, they may give up, or put it off and say they'll do it later, and never do.

The technical maze. If it takes too many steps to find your page and write a review, you've lost them, and they're back to running after a toddler or making dinner.

The assumption that you're already full. Parents may not realize your classrooms aren't fully enrolled and that you need more students.

This is exactly why a direct, personal, timely request works. When you frame it the right way, you're not just asking for a favor, you're giving parents a way to show their appreciation for your school.

A Simple 3-Step System to Get More Childcare Reviews

Step 1: Ask at the Right Moment, Not in a Group Email

Asking a parent directly is the most effective way to get a review. Ask within 24 to 48 hours after they say something nice about your school, rather than blasting a generic email to all your families.

When you ask face-to-face or send a quick, direct text, it feels like a personal request, and that makes the parent more likely to follow through.

The trick is to tie your request to a moment of gratitude. A few good times to ask:

• At morning drop-off or afternoon pickup, when a parent stops to tell you how much their child loved yesterday's activity, or how a teacher went above and beyond during a tough morning.

  
  

• When a teacher shares a milestone and the parent responds with relief and genuine thanks.

  
  

• During transition moments like graduation, a great parent-teacher conference, or right after a wonderful classroom event.

  
  

When parents are in a good mood, they're more likely to act on it. And asking right after they praise you gives them something specific to write about.

Step 2: Use One Direct Review Link Every Time

If a parent is willing to write a review, make it as easy as possible. They're already doing you a favor.

Send a link that opens your Google review form with the box ready and waiting. Here's how to get it (Google now manages Business Profiles directly through Search and Maps, so the steps have changed):

1. Sign in to the Google account that manages your Business Profile, then search your school's name in Google or open it in Google Maps.

2. On your profile, find the "Get more reviews" option (on some accounts it shows as "Ask for reviews").

3. Click "Share review form," copy the link, and save it.

Save the link somewhere you can pull up fast on your phone or in your email. The goal is for a parent to land on the review box in fewer than three steps.

Step 3: Send a Message That Sounds Personal, Not Automated

When you send the link, keep the message personal. Make it short, reference your conversation so they know it's really from you, and give them an easy out so they don't feel cornered:

"Hi [Parent Name], thank you again for what you shared about [Child's Name] today. It really meant a lot to our team. If you have a couple of minutes this week, we'd love it if you shared that in a quick Google review to help other parents learn about our school. Here's the direct link: [Your Review Link]. If you're able to, we'd really appreciate it."

Add a casual line that gives them a starting point so they don't freeze staring at a blank box. Something like: "Even just mentioning how smoothly the move to the toddler room went for your family would be amazing."

Ideally, you ask in person first, then text or email the link.

Best Times of Year to Ask Parents for Reviews

Most schools only think about Google reviews once a year, usually in the middle of enrollment season when they suddenly realize they need a boost. By then it's too late to build real momentum. The schools that consistently rank at the top of local search treat review-gathering as a year-round habit with a few natural peaks.

Focus your outreach on these four windows, when parent appreciation tends to be highest:

The first week of school. Parents are usually anxious when their child first starts. When a family gets through that rough first week and sees their child loving the new school and teacher, the relief is huge. Ask then.

The classroom transition milestone. When a toddler moves up to the preschool room, or a preschooler moves into Pre-K, parents are often emotional and grateful for the teachers they're leaving.

After the parent-teacher conference. If a parent leaves a conference clearly loving your teachers and staff, that's a great moment to ask if they'd be open to writing a review.

The kindergarten acceptance window. When a family finds out their child got into their top kindergarten choice, and you helped by writing a glowing recommendation, that's a perfect time to ask.

What to Do Once Reviews Start Coming In

Once a review comes in, your work isn't over. The step many directors miss is responding to the review publicly.

Responding to every review tells prospective parents that you pay attention, appreciate your community, and take feedback seriously, especially on a negative review.

When a new review comes in, skip the generic "thanks" and follow three simple rules:

Respond within a few days. A fast reply shows the parent you noticed and appreciate them. Parents also get a Gmail notification when you respond, so they'll see it quickly.

Keep it natural. Short sentences, warm tone, personalized. It should sound like you or the school wrote it.

Mention your city and school name naturally. Working your city and school name into your responses supports your local SEO and helps you show up better in search.

Here's a template you can edit:

"Thank you so much for taking the time to share this, [Parent Name]. We're so glad [Child's Name] is enjoying our toddler preschool program and loves coming to school each day. We're lucky to have families like yours at [School Name] here in [City]."

That reply is warm, includes the right local search signals, and sounds like a real person wrote it.

Real Preschool Review Examples Parents Actually Read

When prospective parents read through your reviews, they skip past "Great school, friendly staff." They're looking for specific stories about the parts of your program they care about.

Here are three sample reviews that make parents want to tour your school, with a sample response to each:

Example 1: The Potty Training Breakthrough

Parent review: "We were so nervous about starting preschool because our daughter wasn't fully potty trained yet, but the teachers made the transition completely seamless. They partnered with us on a consistent routine, and within two weeks she was accident-free and running into her classroom with a huge smile every morning. The daily app updates gave us total peace of mind."

Your response: "Thank you so much for the kind words! Our teachers do a wonderful job partnering with families on a child's development, and they're so nurturing and supportive. We're proud of your daughter for reaching this milestone and happy we could help her along the way. It's great to see her coming to school smiling and confident. We appreciate having your family in our [School Name] preschool community here in [City]!"

Example 2: The Kindergarten Readiness Story

Parent review: "Our son just graduated from the Pre-K program, and his elementary school teacher recently told us how well-prepared he is for kindergarten. He didn't just learn his letters and numbers. He learned how to raise his hand, share with friends, and love learning. The teachers truly care about every single child."

Your response: "We're so proud of your son and happy to hear he's doing well in kindergarten. Our Pre-K curriculum is focused teaching students early literacy as well as social and emotional skills, to prepare them for the next steps in school. We miss your family and thank you for being part of our preschool community in [City]."

Example 3: The Infant Room

Parent review: "Leaving my 6-month-old to return to work was the hardest thing I've ever done, but the infant room teachers treated my baby like their own. The classroom is spotless, the safety protocols are strict, and I get real-time photos throughout the day. It truly feels like a second home."

Your response: "We know how stressful it is for first-time parents to drop their child off at an infant program. At [School Name], our infant daycare center is built around being a nurturing, safe second home, and we're glad that's been your experience. Thank you for trusting our nurturing and dedicated teachers with your baby's care. We look forward to watching him grow at our daycare in [City]."

How to Build a Review Routine That Actually Sticks

Make asking for reviews part of your ongoing marketing at the school. Here's a simple system:

Weekly: During your staff meeting or individual teacher check in's, take a few minutes to ask whether any parents shared positive feedback. If a teacher mentions a parent who gave them real praise that week, see if that parent would be willing to write a review.

Monthly: Check your Google profile to make sure you've responded to every recent review. Add your director to the profile so they also get email notifications when new reviews come in and can respond right away.

Ongoing: Keep your direct review link saved in your phone and in an email folder so it's easy to share the moment the timing is right.

A system like this makes it harder to forget to ask when the moment comes.

Google Business Profile Mistakes That Hurt Preschool Rankings

Even with the best intentions, a lot of directors accidentally hurt their own visibility with a few common habits. Avoid these and you're already ahead of most local competitors:

Offering incentives for reviews. A discount, a gift card, a raffle entry, any reward for a review violates Google's policies. The result can be a flagged account, deleted reviews, or a suspended listing.

Filtering for only positive reviews. Telling parents "only post if you'd give us five stars" creates a trust gap. A profile with 150 perfect reviews and zero constructive feedback looks suspicious. Real reviews, including the occasional honest four-star, build more trust than a wall of flawless five-stars.

Writing reviews for parents. You can coach a parent on what to mention, like how a teacher helped with a transition or how a milestone felt. But never draft the review for them. Let families tell their own stories in their own words.

Ignoring the rest of your Google profile. Reviews are only one part of your Google Business Profile. If the rest is incomplete, with wrong hours, no photos, or a missing program description, even a strong review count can only take you so far in local rankings.

Google Reviews vs. Yelp vs. Winnie: Where Should Preschools Focus?

When directors ask this, the answer is straightforward: Google first, always.

Google reviews directly affect your rank in Google Search and Google Maps, which is where most parents look. When a parent searches "preschool near me" or "infant daycare in [city]," your Google Business Profile and review count help decide whether you land in the top three results.

Yelp reviews don't influence Google rankings at all, but they do show up in other places, like Apple Maps. They're still worth getting, just secondary.

Winnie is another option worth considering. It's a directory built specifically for daycares and preschools, so it is helpful to have reviews there as parents are actively searching and comparing program options on that site. A complete, positive Winnie profile can help your overall visibility, though it won't move your Google ranking.

Facebook reviews matter least. Some parents check a school's Facebook page during their school research, and a visible rating with recent reviews adds a little credibility. But it won't move your local search ranking the way Google does.

The practical rule: build your Google reviews until you have at least 25 to 30 recent reviews with a rating above 4.5. After that, if families naturally mention Yelp, Winnie, or Facebook, encourage them to post there too. Get Google solid first, then branch out.

Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Google Reviews for Your Preschool or Daycare

How do I get Google reviews for my preschool from parents? Ask one parent directly within 24 to 48 hours of a positive comment, and send your direct Google review link at the same time. Parents are far more likely to follow through when the timing is personal and the process is one click. Mass email blasts get low response rates because they lack the personal connection that motivates parents to act.

How do I get more daycare reviews online? Generate your direct Google review link from your Google Business Profile, then save it in your phone and email signature so you can send it right after a positive interaction. Consistency beats volume. Two or three new reviews a month, spread across the year, does more for your ranking than ten reviews in one week.

How do I ask parents for preschool reviews without feeling pushy? Ask right after a parent shares something positive, not out of nowhere. Frame it as helping other local families find your school, not as a personal favor. Keep the message short, reference the specific thing they said, and include your direct link so it takes less than two minutes.

What should a preschool Google review say? Never tell parents what to write, but let them know what other families have found helpful to mention: their child's experience in the classroom, a specific teacher who made a difference, a milestone their child reached, how the school handled a transition, or how the director communicates. Specific, story-driven reviews book more tours than generic five-star ratings with one line of text.

How do I respond to Google reviews for my daycare or preschool? Respond to every review within a few days. Thank the parent by name if you can, mention your school name and city naturally, and reference something specific from what they wrote. For critical reviews, stay calm, acknowledge the concern without arguing, and offer to continue privately.

How often should preschools ask for Google reviews? Make it a year-round routine rather than a seasonal campaign. A steady two to four new reviews a month beats a burst of ten followed by months of silence.

Does it matter how many Google reviews my daycare has? Yes. Google's local search considers review count, recency, and star rating. A school with more recent reviews will generally outrank one with the same rating but older reviews. A steady stream across the year is more effective than a one-time push.

Should preschools focus on Google reviews or Yelp reviews? Google first, every time. Google reviews directly influence your ranking in Search and Maps, which is where most local parent searches happen. Yelp doesn't affect Google rankings. Build Google to at least 25 to 30 recent reviews before putting energy anywhere else.

The Bottom Line

Getting more Google reviews for your preschool comes down to making it easy for the parents who already love your school to say so, in the right place, at the right time.

The schools with the strongest review profiles aren't doing anything fancy. They're just more intentional about when and how they ask. Repeat that habit consistently across the year and it compounds into more interested families.

In my experience working with preschools, referrals typically account for about 60 to 70

percent of how parents first hear about a school. So the most important thing you can do as a director or owner is keep delivering quality programming to your families.

Ready to Get Your Google Business Profile Working for You?

Want to stop guessing and start seeing new enrollments? I offer specific trainings on how to optimize your Google Business profile for daycares and preschools.

To learn more, book a free 30-minute consultation and we'll talk through what your profile needs to start getting your preschool found by more local families.

Annie Liu is a preschool and daycare marketing consultant based in San Francisco with 15+ years of experience in early childhood education marketing and a Master's in Education from Harvard University. She works exclusively with preschools, daycares, and early childhood education programs across the U.S.