Parents do extensive online research when it comes to choosing child care providers. Most will surf through multiple childcare websites before they consider stopping by to check them out in person. If your childcare website doesn’t show up for local childcare-related searches on Google, or if it doesn’t do much to convert visitors into leads, you are missing out on a staggering amount of potential business. There are 4 main purposes that your childcare website must serve:
- To get found by potential customers
- To show prospects what sets your daycare apart from competitors
- To engage current customers and make their experience better
- To collect leads
Here are some childcare website design tips to help you accomplish each of these 4 goals.
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To get found by potential customers
It doesn’t pay to invest in a great childcare website if nobody can find it. Before you start thinking about SEO tactics, it’s important to mention that your website has to have a mobile-responsive design that can be viewed on all different device types and sizes (over half of all searches for local businesses occur on mobile devices). The key to getting found online is to optimize the content of your website so that it includes search terms that your potential customers are searching. For instance, “daycare in Boston” or “childcare center in San Diego” etc.
It’s also imperative that you list your childcare business on Google My Business so that it shows up in the maps results (also known as the Google “3 pack”) at the top of the page. Lastly, Google prefers to show searchers websites that have a good reputation, and part of the way they determine this is by seeing how many other quality websites link back to yours. Press releases, guest posts on other childcare-related blogs, listings in legitimate business directories, and partnerships with other local businesses are great ways of getting your link on other websites and improving your search rankings.
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To show prospects what sets your daycare apart from competitors
Parents will most likely be viewing your childcare website alongside your competitors’. That means you have to show your website visitors why your daycare or childcare business is the best option for their child. There are several ways to accomplish this goal. The most important is to create tons of valuable content for parents. This could include blogs, advice articles, videos and more. Showing your facility is important, but parents choose a daycare based on the staff, so make sure to put a spotlight on the people who make your business great! A great way to do this is to make a video that not only shows your staff in action with the children, but also features them talking to the camera about who they are and why they love what they do. This builds trust with prospects and makes them feel more comfortable.
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To engage current customers and make their experience better
Your childcare website should also be helpful to your current customers! Include your regular schedule, curriculum, and event calendar to make it easy for parents to know what’s going on and get them to be more engaged with your business.
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To collect leads
You don’t want your childcare website visitors to leave without taking any action, but unless you spell it out for them, they most likely will. Call-to-action buttons are the best feature you can put on your website for getting leads. There should be at least one prominent button on your homepage that says “schedule an appointment” and allows users to fill out an appointment request form when clicked. Keep your form short and sweet; don’t ask for information that you don’t absolutely need. There should also be a call button so that mobile visitors can call with one click rather than having to enter your phone number manually.
Thanks for reading, we hope this article was useful and informative. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more updates and marketing tips! If you ever have a marketing-related question or want a comprehensive analysis of your childcare business’ marketing strategy, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-992-9663. You can also find more information about our services on our website. Get in touch with us and find out how we can help you grow your business!
