Local SEO For Childcare Centres: Get Found By Parents In Your Suburb
Parents do not flick through directories anymore.
They grab their phone, open Google and type things like:
“childcare near me”
“daycare [your suburb]”
“early learning centre [area]”
If your centre does not show up in those local searches, the enquiry goes to someone else.
This guide breaks down local SEO for childcare centres in simple language so you can understand what matters, what to fix and when it makes sense to get help.
You will learn:
What local SEO is (and how it is different to general childcare SEO)
How parents actually use Google to find daycare
How to optimise your Google Business Profile
How to build location pages that rank
How to use reviews, content and citations to win your suburb
How to track if yourchildcare local SEOis working
What Is Local SEO (And Why It Matters For Childcare)?
Local SEO is everything you do to help your childcare or daycare centre appear in local Google searches and on Google Maps.
It is different from generic SEO because it is tied to:
Your physical address
Your service area
Local intent searches like “near me” and “[suburb] childcare”
For childcare, local SEO is critical because:
Parents rarely travel far for daycare
Each child is worth thousands per year to your centre
If you dominate your suburb and nearby suburbs, you win
You can think of it like this:
Childcare SEO= your overall search strategy
Local SEO for childcare centres= the part focused on your suburb, map rankings and “near me” searches
When you get local SEO for daycare centres right, you show up where it matters most: in front of local parents who are ready to enquire.
How Parents Use Google To Find Childcare Near Them
Most parents follow the same pattern:
They open Google on their phone
They type a local search, like:
“childcare near me”
“daycare [suburb]”
“early learning centre [area]”
“before and after school care [suburb]”
They see themap pack– the three local listings with star ratings and reviews
They quickly scan:
Star rating and number of reviews
Photos
Distance
Then they click through to the centres that look the most trustworthy
Your childcare local SEO and daycare local SEO work together to:
Get you into that map pack
Make your listing the obvious choice to click
Back it up with a strong website and offer
If you want to know how to rank your childcare centre in local search and how to show up in “childcare near me” searches, the first step is your Google Business Profile.
Step 1 – Optimise Your Google Business Profile For Local Searches
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the foundation of local SEO for childcare.
It is what shows in Google Maps and in the local pack when someone searches for childcare in your area.
Choose The Right Categories
Your primary category tells Google what you are.
Pick the closest match:
“Day care centre”
“Child care agency”
“Preschool”
Then add relevant secondary categories, such as:
“Preschool”
“Kindergarten”
“After school program”
This helps you appear for more local searches related to daycare, preschool and out of school hours care.
Use Consistent Name, Address And Phone (NAP)
Your Name, Address and Phone (NAP) must be consistent across:
Your website
Your Google Business Profile
Facebook page
Major directories and listings
If Google sees different phone numbers or slightly different addresses, it can get confused and your local SEO for daycare can suffer.
Write A Local-Focused Description
In your GBP description, speak like a human but include local signals:
Mention your suburb and nearby areas
Mention the ages you care for
Mention the type of care (long day care, early learning, before and after school care)
Example:
“We are a family owned childcare centre in [Suburb], providing long day care and early learning programs for children aged [X–Y]. We welcome families from [Nearby Suburb 1], [Nearby Suburb 2] and surrounding areas.”
This supports your childcare centre local SEO and helps you show up for more local searches.
Add Photos, Services And Posts
Parents want to see the real environment their child will be in.
Add:
Exterior photos (street view, entrance)
Interior photos (rooms, play areas, nap areas)
Outdoor play spaces
Staff photos (with permission)
List your services clearly:
Long day care
Preschool / kindergarten
Before and after school care
Vacation care
Use Posts to promote:
Open days
Holiday programs
Special events
Important updates
This is simple, but it sends strong signals to Google and parents that your listing is active and trustworthy.
Step 2 – Build Location Pages That Target Your Suburbs
Your website and your Google Business Profile should work together.
One of the biggest local SEO mistakes childcare centres make is having one generic “Locations” paragraph instead of proper location pages.
One Page Per Centre Or Main Suburb
For strong local SEO for daycare centres, create a dedicated page for each centre or main suburb you serve.
Example URLs:
/childcare-centre-[suburb]/daycare-[suburb]/early-learning-[suburb]
Each location page should include:
The suburb in the page title and H1
Your full address and phone number
Opening hours
A Google Map embed
Real photos from that specific centre
A clear “Book a tour” or “Join the waitlist” button
This makes it easy for Google to connect:
Your Google Business Profile
Your physical address
Your website page for that location
Target Nearby Suburbs In Your Copy
Most centres draw families from a few surrounding suburbs.
On each location page, mention nearby suburbs you realistically serve:
“Located in [Suburb], we also welcome families from [Suburb A], [Suburb B] and [Suburb C].”
This helps you show up for broader area searches and supports your local SEO strategy for daycare centres.
Step 3 – Use Local Keywords In The Right Places
Local keywords are simply “service + suburb”.
For local SEO for childcare centres, your core keywords will look like:
childcare [suburb]
daycare [suburb]
early learning [suburb]
before and after school care [suburb]
vacation care [suburb]
You can also target long tail local phrases like:
“best childcare [suburb]”
“childcare near [landmark / area]”
Where To Use Local Keywords
Use these phrases naturally in:
Page titles and meta descriptions
H1 and H2 headings
The first 1–2 paragraphs of each page
Image alt text (e.g. “outdoor play area at our childcare in [suburb]”)
Your Google Business description and services section
You do not need to stuff them. Just write like a human and make sure Google can clearly see:
What you do (childcare, daycare, early learning)
Where you do it (your suburb and area)
This is a key part of both childcare local SEO and broader childcare SEO.
Step 4 – Build Local Citations And Directory Listings
Citations are mentions of your business name, address and phone number on other websites.
They help confirm to Google that you are a real local business in that location.
Where To Get Citations
For local SEO for childcare, focus on:
Local business directories
Childcare and early learning directories
Council or community business listings
Local parenting websites or blogs
Industry association directories (if relevant)
You do not need hundreds of low quality listings.
A smaller number of strong, relevant citations with consistent NAP is far more powerful.
Step 5 – Use Reviews As A Local SEO Powerhouse
Reviews are huge for childcare.
Parents read them. Google uses them. They affect both your ranking and your click through rate.
Ask For Reviews At The Right Time
Build a simple review system:
Ask after a positive parent conversation
Ask after the child has settled in and the parent is happy
Ask at the end of a term or year when you know they are grateful
You can send a short SMS or email with your Google review link and a simple message.
This is one of the most effective local SEO tips for childcare centres.
Make It Easy And Reply To Every Review
Make sure the link works on mobile
Give basic instructions if needed
Reply to every review:
Thank them by name
Mention something specific about their child or experience
Mention your suburb or program naturally where it fits
Example:
“Thanks so much Emma. We love supporting families in [Suburb] and it has been amazing seeing [Child’s Name] grow in our preschool program.”
More genuine 5 star reviews = stronger daycare local SEO and more parents choosing you over the centre down the road.
Step 6 – Create Local Content That Parents Actually Search For
Content is not just for generic SEO. It can also support your local presence.
Local Content Ideas For Childcare Centres
Create blog posts and resources around:
“How To Choose A Childcare Centre In [City/Region]”
“Best Parks And Playgrounds Near [Suburb] For Young Kids”
“Childcare Subsidy Explained For [State] Families”
“What To Pack For Your Child’s First Day At Childcare In [City]”
This kind of content:
Attracts local parents who are researching
Builds your authority as a helpful, trusted centre
Gives you assets to share in email and social media
Link these articles back to your location pages and main childcare pages.
This supports both your local SEO for childcare centres and your broader childcare marketing SEO.
Step 7 – Track Your Local SEO Results
If you are serious about improving local SEO for daycare, you need to know what is working.
What To Track
Rankings for:
“childcare [suburb]”
“daycare [suburb]”
“childcare near me” (from devices in your area)
Calls and enquiries from Google search
Google Business Profile insights:
How many people see your listing
How many call you
How many ask for directions
You can use:
Google Analytics
Google Business Profile Insights
Simple call tracking or at least click-to-call tracking
This is how you build a local SEO checklist for childcare centres that is based on data, not guesswork.
Common Local SEO Mistakes Childcare Centres Make
A few things that can quietly hurt your childcare centre local SEO:
Using a PO box instead of a real street address
Inconsistent name, address or phone across the web
No real photos on your Google Business Profile
Only having one generic “Locations” paragraph instead of proper suburb pages
Never asking for reviews
Ignoring Google Business Posts and updates
Avoid these and you are already ahead of many centres in your area.
When To Get Help From A Local SEO Agency For Your Childcare Centre
You can do a lot of this yourself with time and focus.
But there is a point where bringing in a specialist local SEO agency for your childcare centre makes sense.
Signs You Are Ready For Help
You are flat out running the centre and marketing keeps slipping
Competitors keep outranking you even though your centre is better
You want a clearlocal SEO strategy for daycare centres, not random tweaks
You want someone to implement, track and report in plain English
A good agency will:
Audit your current local SEO setup
Fix your Google Business Profile and citations
Build or improve your location pages
Set up tracking so you can see real results
If you want deeper help beyond local SEO, you can also look at a full childcare SEO strategy that covers content, technical SEO and broader marketing.
Want A Local SEO Plan Done For Your Childcare Centre?
You now have a clear picture of how local SEO for childcare centres works and what you can do to show up in local searches.
If you want to move faster and avoid trial and error, we can build the plan for you.
At Business Warriors, we specialise in local service businesses and offer:
Dedicated childcare SEO and childcare local SEO services
Full childcare centre marketing including Google Ads, social and email
Clear, no fluff reporting focused on enquiries and enrolments
With our free plan, you can:
Get an audit of your Google Business Profile and website location pages
See where you are missing out on local search visibility
Get a 90 day action plan to improve your rankings and enquiries
If you are ready to be the first centre parents see when they search in your suburb,
claim your free childcare local SEO plan and book a 30 minute growth session with our team.
