Paid Online Advertising Options for Preschools & Daycares (Beginner-Friendly Guide for Directors)

If you’re a preschool or daycare director trying to increase enrollment, you’ve probably heard about Google Ads, Facebook ads, Yelp ads, Winnie upgrades… and you might be wondering:

Which paid advertising options actually work for childcare?

How much do they cost?

And do you need marketing experience to run them?

This guide breaks down each option in clear, beginner-friendly language so you can choose the right platform for your budget, your goals, and your school without feeling overwhelmed when you start daycare or preschool paid advertisements.

Why Paid Ads Matter for Preschools & Daycares

Parents don’t search the old-fashioned way. They Google. They scroll. They compare schools online before ever reaching out.

Paid ads help your school:

• Show up first in local searches

• Increase tour requests quickly

• Stay full year-round

• Compete against bigger childcare chains

• Stand out in crowded markets

You don’t need a marketing background — just a simple understanding of what each platform does.

Low-Maintenance Paid Advertising Options for Preschools & Daycares

These options are easy to set up and work well for most childcare programs.

Yelp — Paid Profiles & Ads

Cost: Varies by location and campaign

Difficulty: Easy

Best For: Centers with strong parent reviews

What You Should Know:Yelp offers profile upgrades and paid ads, and pricing varies widely based on your region and settings. Many preschools stick with light upgrades instead of full ad campaigns.

Pros:

• Improves visibility

• Removes competitor ads

• Trusted by many parents

• Easy to set up

Cons:

• Pricing is not standard

• Strong reviews matter more than ads

• Lead volume varies by city and it can get pricey

Director Tip: Works best only if your Yelp reviews are already solid.

Winnie — Featured Placement

Cost: Often around $300/month per location (varies- check website for most update to date pricing)

Difficulty: Very easy

Best For: Infant/toddler programs, centers with frequent openings

What It Does:Featured listings place your program at the top of search results for your area, age groups, and availability.

Pros:

• Very director-friendly

• Great for filling infant/toddler spots

• High trust among new parents

• Easy to set up

Cons:

• Price varies

• Website traffic depends on your city

Mid-Range Advertising Options

Great for ongoing visibility without huge budgets.

Local Parent Media (Blogs, Newsletters, Community Sites)

Cost: $50–$200 per placement

Difficulty: Easy

Best For: New locations, seasonal enrollment pushes

Pros:

• Very targeted to local families

• Builds trust quickly

• Ideal for open-house promotions

Cons:

• Hard to track performance since you can't run reports

• Usually one-time placements

  
  

Facebook & Instagram Ads

Cost: Typically $150–$500/month

Difficulty: Medium

Best For: Increasing brand awareness and tour requests

What They Do:Your ads appear to parents nearby — even if they aren’t actively searching for childcare while scrolling.

Pros:

• Affordable

• Strong for short videos or photo ads

• Great for retargeting website visitors

Cons:

• Not high-intent (parents aren’t “searching” specifically for daycares or preschools when they see your ad, but are just browsing)

• Requires testing and tweaking

• Photo/video quality impacts results

Director Tip: A quick 10–15 second video showcasing the best of your space performs well. Videos usually do better than photos.

High-Return on Investment (ROI) Advertising Options

These platforms tend to drive the most tour bookings, especially in competitive cities.

Google Ads (Search Ads)

Cost: Often $500–$2,000+/month

Difficulty: Medium–High

Best For: Centers that need consistent year-round inquiries

Pros:

• Reaches parents actively searching “daycare near me”

• High-intent leads since parents are specifically searching for what you offer

• Immediate visibility

Cons:

• Has a steep learning curve

• Requires ongoing adjustments

• Time-consuming to optimize

• Many centers hire a specialist or agency to manage it

• Can use up a lot of your budget very quickly

  
  

Director Tip: Start small or hire someone — Google Ads can get very expensive if you don't check it regularly and update it/make changes based on your click results.

Google Local Services Ads (LSA)

Cost: Pay-per-lead (varies by region)

Difficulty: Medium

Best For: Fast, high-quality inquiries from local parents

What They Are:These appear at the very top of Google under the “Google Guaranteed” badge, allowing parents to call or message you directly.

Pros:

• Prime placement

• Pay only for actual leads

• Very high-intent inquiries

Cons:

• Requires verification and approval

• Lead prices vary

• Not available in every area

Compare Your Advertising Options

Which Paid Ads Should Your Preschool or Daycare Start With?

If you're brand new:

• Winnie

• Yelp (if you have a lot of reviews)

• Local daycare or childcare listing websites

If you want consistent tour requests:

• Google Ads

• Google Local Services Ads

If you're opening a new location:

• Local newsletters/blog ads

• Neighborhood-targeted Facebook or Instagram ads

• Google Local Service Ads

Director Tips for Running Ads With No Marketing Experience

• Keep your website easy to navigate, parent-friendly, and informative

• Make your “Request a Tour” or "Request More Info" call to action buttons easy to find and use

• Use high-quality, real photos showcasing the best of your space on these advertisement platforms

• Respond to inquiries fast

• Track where each lead comes from to help inform where you should advertise and to track if your paid advertisements are bringing in more leads or tour requests (a simple Google Sheet works)