Childcare marketing in regional Victoria: the complete 2026 guide

Marketing a childcare centre in regional Victoria is a different job from marketing one in Melbourne. A centre in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton or Warrnambool might compete with a handful of services rather than dozens. A centre in a town of a few thousand people might be the only long day care option for 20 kilometres. Families are more price-sensitive, more reliant on the Child Care Subsidy, and far more likely to choose a centre because someone they trust recommended it.

That changes what works. Google still matters, and in the regional cities it is often where the search for care begins. But in smaller towns, your reputation, your relationships with the local maternal and child health nurse and GP, and your presence at the footy club and school fete do more of the heavy lifting than any ad campaign. The centres that stay full do both: they are easy to find online, and they are part of the community that recommends them.

This guide brings together everything we have written about marketing childcare outside Melbourne: who regional families are and how they decide, the character of Ballarat, Bendigo, the Goulburn Valley, the Latrobe Valley and the south-west, and the channels that fill places, from Google Business Profile and Google Ads to Facebook groups, letterbox drops, referral programmes and waitlists.

Contents

• The regional Victorian childcare market
• How regional families choose childcare
• Sub-region guides
• Google Business Profile and local search
• SEO and your website
• Google Ads outside metro Melbourne
• Facebook and community groups
• Word of mouth, referrals and community partnerships
• Local area marketing to fill vacancies
• Open days and tours
• Building a waitlist and nurturing enquiries
• A 12-month regional marketing playbook
• Frequently asked questions

The regional Victorian childcare market

Regional Victoria is not one market. It runs from the large regional cities of Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo, through service hubs such as Shepparton, Warrnambool, Traralgon, Mildura, Horsham, Wangaratta, Wodonga and Sale, to farming communities of 1,000 to 5,000 people. What they share is a smaller population base, fewer competing centres, and a bigger role for community relationships than in Melbourne.

Uneven population growth

Census data shows many regional local government areas growing modestly or not at all, and birth rates in areas such as the Loddon-Mallee and the Goulburn and north-east sit below the state average as young people move to the cities. (For the national picture, see the five structural drivers behind Australia’s childcare occupancy decline.) There are clear growth pockets, though: Armstrong Creek near Geelong, new estates around Bendigo and Ballarat, and renewed family formation in the Latrobe Valley.

• Stable or declining areas: the pool of families is fixed, so win a larger share through quality positioning, reputation and referrals.
• Growth areas: demand is rising, so be the first centre new arrivals find, before a competitor opens.

The numbers are small. Ballarat has roughly 8,500 children aged 0 to 5 and Bendigo roughly 10,000. A regional town may have only 200 to 400 children eligible for long day care, against 1,000 or more in a typical Melbourne suburban precinct. That caps growth, but it also means less competition, and a centre with a strong local reputation can hold its share for years.

Incomes, affordability and the Child Care Subsidy

Regional household incomes are typically lower than Melbourne’s. On 2021 Census figures, median household income is around $72,000 a year in Ballarat, around $75,000 in Bendigo and around $68,000 in Warrnambool, with Gippsland similar or slightly lower. Regional economies have more agriculture, manufacturing and trades, fewer dual-professional households, and more farmers and small-business owners with irregular income. Farm income moves with seasons, weather and commodity prices, and drought and flood keep coming back. For many families, the subsidy decides whether they enrol at all.

Subsidy communication is therefore one of your strongest messages. Many families don’t understand how the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) works, assume they won’t qualify, or delay enrolling because the process seems complicated. Remove that friction:

• State clearly on your website, Google profile and flyers that you are an approved CCS provider.
• Explain in plain language how CCS reduces the daily fee, and talk about out-of-pocket cost per day, not just the headline rate.
• Mention the Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) for families in hardship, and offer to walk families through eligibility and processing timelines.
• Highlight sibling discounts, early-bird offers, part-time packages or payment plans if you have them.
• Keep subsidy information current. Rules change, and changes hit regional families hardest.

Who you are marketing to

• Dual-income commuters. Both parents usually work, often in different towns, commuting into hubs like Ballarat or Bendigo. Reliability, early drop-off and late pick-up matter.
• Healthcare and public sector workers. Bendigo Health, Ballarat Base Hospital, Latrobe Regional Hospital, schools and councils are major employers, and shift work drives demand for extended hours and flexible bookings.
• Farming families. Seasonal income and long, irregular hours, with demand peaking around lambing, calving, harvest and planting in the Western District, Goulburn and Loddon-Mallee.
• FIFO and shift workers. Around Bendigo, Ballarat and Gippsland, families in healthcare, mining and energy may need irregular hours or extra days during rotations. They often have above-average incomes and value a centre that understands rosters.
• Student parents at Federation University (Ballarat), La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus and regional TAFEs.
• Culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families, especially in the Goulburn Valley.
• Melbourne sea-changers in the growth suburbs of Ballarat and Bendigo, who search online like Melbourne parents but have no local network yet.

How regional families choose childcare

Compared with Melbourne parents, families in rural and regional Victoria tend to:

• Rely on people they trust. GPs, maternal and child health (MCH) nurses, midwives, school staff and other parents carry enormous weight. A recommendation from the local GP can outweigh any advertisement.
• Do less online research. Relationships and reputation matter more than website polish, especially in small towns. Facebook is used for community news and recommendations more than structured research.
• Phone rather than fill in forms. In many rural areas the phone is still the main way people enquire, so answer it or call back within hours.
• Visit fewer centres and decide faster. A Melbourne family may visit five to ten centres over three to six months. In a town with four centres, families visit two or three and decide within weeks.
• Trust local institutions. Schools, kindergartens, the library, council, churches, sports clubs, playgroups and the local paper all shape opinion.

There is an important distinction. In the regional cities, many families, particularly newcomers, start with Google because they have no dense network to ask. In small towns, word of mouth leads and Google confirms. Most centres need both, weighted to their location.

Three things follow. Responsiveness is a competitive advantage: have enrolment forms ready and return calls the same day. Promotions work faster: a two-week open day push in a rural town can fill a waitlist. And reputation cuts both ways. Trust can take 12 to 24 months to build, and families who trust you refer others, but a poor experience or an incident will be known across a small town within weeks. Quality of care is your most important marketing asset.

Sub-region guides

Ballarat

Ballarat has around 120,000 people and steady growth, much of it from Melbourne sea-changers attracted by affordable housing within commuting distance via the Western Freeway or V/Line. That brings a growing cohort of young families and first-home buyers, alongside strong public sector employment in health, education and government, and student parents at Federation University. Residents are proud of their city and favour businesses that take part in it.

• Delacombe and Alfredton: fast-growing western suburbs with new estates, where demand often outpaces supply.
• Buninyong and Brown Hill: established family suburbs with strong community networks.
• Ballarat Central and Sebastopol: established areas where reputation and community presence keep enrolments strong.

What works: a complete Google Business Profile with 20+ photos, weekly posts and a growing review base (aim for 40+); Google Ads on “childcare Ballarat”, “long day care Ballarat” and “early learning centre [suburb]” at around $15 to $25 a day; genuine participation in local parent Facebook groups plus Facebook ads within about 10 km. Offline, build relationships with the Ballarat Base Hospital maternity ward, local MCH nurses, Federation University’s family services and student parent programs, and local schools and kindergartens, and be visible at the Ballarat Show, the Begonia Festival and local markets. Against large group operators, independents win on local identity, personal relationships, curriculum specialisation and responsiveness. Position your centre as a Ballarat institution, not a corporate service.

Bendigo

Bendigo, Central Victoria’s commercial and cultural hub with more than 120,000 people, attracts Melbourne and interstate families looking for space and affordability. Its economy rests on healthcare, education, retail and manufacturing. Bendigo Health is a major employer, which drives demand for flexible hours, and La Trobe’s Bendigo campus adds student parents.

• Strathdale and Kennington: established middle-class suburbs with demand for education-focused care.
• Huntly and Junortoun: growing northern suburbs with young families.
• Kangaroo Flat and Maiden Gully: southern growth areas with new estates and first-home buyers.
• Eaglehawk and Strathfieldsaye: good candidates for their own landing pages and ad groups.

What works: Bendigo parents typically start on Google, so your Business Profile is non-negotiable. Google Ads click costs are well below Melbourne’s. Target suburb-level terms (“long day care Eaglehawk”, “early learning centre Kangaroo Flat”) on around $20 to $30 a day, and use a 10 to 12 km radius for Facebook ads. Offline, work with Bendigo Health maternity services, MCH nurses across Greater Bendigo, La Trobe student services and allied health providers (paediatric OTs, speech therapists, GPs), appear at the Bendigo Easter Festival and Bendigo Agricultural Show, and sponsor AFL, netball or swimming clubs with large family memberships.

Goulburn Valley: Shepparton, Mooroopna and surrounds

Greater Shepparton, around 65,000 people, is one of Australia’s most multicultural regional communities. It has a well-established Afghan community, South Sudanese and Pasifika (Samoan, Tongan, Fijian) families, and smaller communities from Somalia, Myanmar, India and Eastern Europe. Agriculture, including fruit processors such as SPC and Kagome, dairy and seasonal work, supports a workforce with often lower incomes, irregular hours and higher subsidy reliance. Many families are time-poor, some have limited English, and most rely on community networks rather than web research. One-size-fits-all marketing will miss them.

• Translate key pages (about, enrolment, fees, curriculum) into local community languages such as Dari, Dinka or Nuer, Samoan, Tongan and Fijian, using a professional translator rather than machine translation.
• Feature bilingual staff on your Google profile and website, and offer enrolment conversations in a family’s preferred language or with a professional interpreter.
• Partner with the community: Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative (including NAIDOC Week), settlement service providers, mosques, churches and temples, multicultural and community health services, women’s and family support organisations, TAFE and large employers such as SPC. Over time, settlement workers and community leaders become trusted advisers who refer families to you.
• Show up as a community member at multicultural festivals, Eid celebrations, NAIDOC Week events, playgroups and women’s groups, and co-host an interpreted “Choosing childcare” evening with a settlement service.
• Use community channels: multicultural and community radio, community newspapers, WhatsApp and Facebook groups, and referrals from current families.
• Show cultural competence: ask about family values at enrolment, accommodate reasonable requests such as halal meals or cultural celebrations, and reflect your families’ cultures in books, music and images.

Quality means different things to different families: emotional safety, school readiness, or reliable, affordable care around shift work. Use varied testimonials, ideally video testimonials in families’ own languages with translation.

Latrobe Valley: Traralgon, Morwell and Moe

The Latrobe Valley has been in economic transition since the Hazelwood power station closed in 2017. The region has since attracted younger families, TAFE students and workers in healthcare, retail and services. Household incomes are lower than metropolitan Victoria and unemployment, though improving, is higher. Many families see childcare as the support that lets them work or study, not an enrichment purchase, so luxury positioning misses the mark.

• Lead with affordability and CCS in plain language: “Affordable, reliable childcare for Latrobe Valley families.”
• Be inclusive: “We support all families, whether you’re working, studying or receiving assistance.” Train staff to discuss subsidies and payment options warmly. One dismissive comment can damage your reputation across the community.
• Partner locally with Latrobe Community Health, TAFE student services, neighbourhood houses, job agencies, Centrelink offices, disability services, schools and footy clubs. Visit frontline staff, leave flyers and offer information sessions.
• Use low-cost reach: flyers at libraries, medical centres, TAFE and Centrelink; noticeboards at Traralgon library, Morwell shopping centres and schools; active Buy/Swap/Sell groups and Gumtree; stands at fetes and festivals; free community media coverage; and a monthly email to enquiring families.
• Split a small budget sensibly: with $100 to $200 a month, put about 60% into Google (profile work and perhaps a small campaign on “childcare Traralgon”, “long day care Morwell” or “preschool Moe”) and 40% into Facebook targeting local parents aged 25 to 45. With no budget, focus on your Google profile and Facebook group participation.

Hold open days on Saturday afternoons, offer after-hours tours for shift workers, keep the atmosphere relaxed, and call every visitor within 24 hours.

Warrnambool and the south-west

Warrnambool, about 35,000 residents, is the hub for families across the Moyne, Corangamite and Southern Grampians shires, in Victoria’s dairy heartland with beef, sheep and wool also significant. Sports clubs, agricultural societies and churches shape local networks, and messages about stability, safety and local commitment land well.

Dairy means milking twice a day, every day, from before dawn to late afternoon, including weekends. Spring calving (September to November) is the busiest period, summer brings silage and feed preparation, and winter is quieter.

• Don’t oversell “flexibility”. Dairy families generally want reliable, consistent, long-term care that fits a dawn-to-dusk schedule. “We understand farming schedules” lands better than “flexible enrolment”. Only promote early or late care if you offer it.
• Time marketing to the farming year. Expect slightly higher demand in spring and summer and lift activity then. In leaner months, emphasise affordability and focus on retention.
• Build presence town by town. Koroit, Camperdown, Timboon, Cobden and Hamilton sit 30 to 50 km from Warrnambool. Some families commute and enrol in Warrnambool, but most want local solutions, so work with each town’s GPs, schools and groups rather than running one region-wide campaign.
• Partner with agricultural networks: Dairy Australia, local dairy co-operatives and producer groups, rural financial counsellors and agricultural shows.
• Sponsor the footy club. A $500 to $1,000 annual sponsorship can generate several leads a year through word of mouth.

Rural towns and border communities

In towns such as Wangaratta, Horsham, Mildura, Swan Hill, Sale and Wodonga, demand often exceeds supply, there may be only two or three alternatives within 20 km, and families will drive 15 to 20 minutes for care. Networks run through schools, sports clubs, agricultural shows and churches, and Facebook town groups and Buy/Swap/Sell pages act as noticeboards. In border areas such as Echuca-Moama and Albury-Wodonga, families on each side of the Murray search differently, which matters for advertising.

Google Business Profile and local search

In many regional towns, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is the first, and sometimes only, part of your online presence a family sees. A parent in Horsham or Traralgon searching “childcare near me” may see three results, or just yours, so the profile can matter more than your website. (See why your childcare centre needs a Google Business Profile in 2026.)

Get the basics right

• Location: many rural centres share an address with a school or community hub, so check your map pin, and list surrounding towns you serve as service areas.
• Local wording: use town names in your description and services (“Wangaratta long day care”, “Mildura childcare”).
• Accurate hours, a prominent phone number and a link straight to your enquiry or tour booking page.
• Consistent name, address and phone across your website, Facebook, Childcare Finder, Care for Kids, council and Chamber of Commerce directories and Yellow Pages.
• 20 to 30 good photos refreshed monthly. Image-rich profiles perform much better than text-only ones.
• Q&A answering real questions: infant rooms, qualifications, CCS, hours, languages.

Reviews and posts

The local pack ranks on relevance, distance and prominence, not just review count, so a complete, active profile with recent, specific reviews can outrank a centre with more but older ones. Post weekly: news, curriculum moments, staff spotlights and community partnerships. Many rural parents prefer to recommend privately, so make reviewing warm and easy:

• Send a direct review link by text or email with a personal note. Private requests outperform public campaigns.
• Ask at good moments: after settling in, a graduation or an open day. Ask parents to mention specifics, such as outdoor play or how staff helped a shy child.
• Aim for one or two new reviews a month, building towards 50+ at 4.7 stars or above in the first year.
• Respond to every review within 48 hours. For critical reviews, be brief, professional and empathetic, and offer to talk offline.

Families often check a profile many times over several weeks before calling, so every detail needs to be right. Use your GBP performance data (views, calls, website clicks) to see what they look for.

SEO and your website

Search competition outside Melbourne is far lower. A centre in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton or Warrnambool might compete with three to eight local centres rather than a hundred, so you need consistent, competent SEO rather than a sophisticated campaign.

• Town plus service keywords: “childcare Bendigo”, “long day care Bendigo”, “Bendigo early learning centre”, “kindergarten Bendigo”, and “before school care” or “OSHC” if relevant. Use the town name in titles, headings and early copy.
• Suburb and town landing pages: if you draw from Bendigo, Eaglehawk, Kangaroo Flat and Strathfieldsaye, give each its own page with 300 to 500 words of genuinely local content (schools, landmarks, routes), your address and map, and a clear call to action.
• Long-tail content: one helpful 800 to 1,000 word article a month on a local question (“how to prepare your child for childcare in Ballarat”, “childcare fees Warrnambool”) builds visibility over six to nine months.
• Technical basics: mobile-friendly, loads in under three seconds, HTTPS, clean structure and URLs, an XML sitemap and unique meta titles.
• Local links: one or two a month from local news, business associations, sponsorships and parenting blogs.
• Measure: use Search Console, Analytics and GBP data, with a target such as “page one for ‘childcare [my town]’ within six months”.

Because regional parents decide faster, your website’s job is conversion: phone number on every page, a simple tour booking or callback form, clear CCS and out-of-pocket information, and real photos. Send ad traffic to an enquiry page, not your home page.

Google Ads outside metro Melbourne

Childcare clicks in Melbourne typically cost $3 to $12. In regional Victoria they cost closer to $1.50 to $6. That reflects smaller populations rather than an absence of competition, but it means $1,000 a month in somewhere like Shepparton buys far more clicks than in Melbourne’s suburbs. (Our guide to Google Ads for childcare enrolment covers set-up.)

• Start with Search, not Performance Max. Performance Max needs volume to learn. Begin with a Search campaign using local keywords, location and call assets, and test a tightly targeted Performance Max campaign only once Search produces steady leads. If Local Services Ads are available for childcare in your area, they are worth enabling.
• Use a small radius. Metro centres often target 8 to 15 km. Regional centres usually do better with 5 to 10 km around the centre and the towns that genuinely feed it.
• Exclude areas you can’t serve. A Bendigo centre should exclude Ballarat, Geelong and Melbourne. Regional parents rarely consider a centre 50 km away.
• Separate cross-border campaigns. In Echuca-Moama and Albury-Wodonga, run separate NSW and Victorian campaigns.
• Combine place and service: “childcare centre Ballarat”, “preschool near Geelong”, “before and after school care Shepparton”, “childcare Mildura”, “childcare near Swan Hill”. Avoid broad terms on their own.
• Land on a conversion page (tour booking or callback), because regional decisions happen quickly.

Facebook and community groups

Facebook is thriving in regional Victoria. Parents aged 25 to 45 use it heavily, and in many towns without a strong local paper, community groups are the town noticeboard. A parent needing childcare will often post in the local parents’ group asking for recommendations, and groups in towns like Mildura, Horsham and Wangaratta can have thousands of active members. (See our social media marketing guide for childcare centres.)

Join and take part ethically

Search your town name plus “mums”, “parents”, “families” or “community”, and join the five to eight groups most relevant to your catchment, from the city-wide parent groups in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and the Latrobe Valley to suburb and town groups. Watch for two or three weeks first to learn what parents ask about and each group’s rules on business posts. Then answer questions helpfully as a knowledgeable local, mention your centre only where relevant, and support other local businesses and events. Use Buy/Swap/Sell groups and Marketplace sparingly for open days and community events.

Content, ads and Facebook Live

Post four to five times a week on your own page: day-in-the-life clips, staff spotlights, short parent testimonials, curriculum insights, practical tips on settling in, and community news. Rural audiences trust simple phone-filmed clips more than polished productions. Ask easy questions to encourage comments, reply to every one, and use Insights to see what works. Support this with modest paid ads targeting parents aged 25 to 45 within 10 to 12 km, using carousels of outdoor areas, educators and the enrolment process.

Distance stops some families attending open days, so run a Facebook Live tour a week or two beforehand. Walk through rooms, outdoor areas, the kitchen and nappy change areas, introduce educators, and answer questions live. Then share the recording in local groups and on your website.

Word of mouth, referrals and community partnerships

In a town of 10,000 to 30,000 people, one parent’s recommendation passes quickly to a sister, a playgroup and the library, and a respected local’s endorsement can reach more families than a $5,000 ad budget. Word of mouth doesn’t happen by accident, though. (See marketing your childcare centre to local Australian parents.)

A deliberate referral programme

• Offer a $50 to $150 voucher or fee credit when a referred family enrols, or reward both sides, for example $100 to the referrer and $50 to the new family.
• Log who referred whom, and ask every new family how they heard about you.
• Thank referrers personally and welcome referred families in your newsletter (with permission).
• Make sharing easy with referral cards, a one-page flyer and a simple refer-a-friend form.

Advocacy starts with exceptional care and communication: daily updates, photos and milestones, invitations to events, and moments families want to share. Families who love your centre recommend it unprompted.

Health professionals

GPs, MCH nurses, hospital midwives and obstetricians see parents exactly when childcare decisions are made, and in rural towns the GP is often your most valuable marketing partner. Visit the practice and meet the practice manager. Leave a one-page flyer or letter of introduction covering your philosophy, enrolment process, subsidy information and contact details, or a simple referral pad. Invite them to see the centre, ask directly whether they would mention you, thank them when a referred family enrols, and check in every three to six months. Regional health services such as Bendigo Health, Ballarat Base Hospital, Shepparton’s hospital, Latrobe Regional Hospital and Latrobe Community Health can host information packs or co-branded referral cards in postnatal wards. Parents referred this way often enquire six to nine months before they need care.

Support services, playgroups and schools

Rural financial counsellors, family resource centres and family support services work with families who may not realise care is affordable. Give them clear subsidy and fee information, a simple referral form, and a reduced-fee arrangement if it is viable. Attend playgroup sessions, sponsor a morning tea, invite playgroups to an “open playdate”, or run a “Preparing for childcare” session. One facilitator’s recommendation reaches a dozen families. Work with local schools and kindergartens on transition programs and cross-referrals, and with P&Cs if you offer before and after school care.

Sponsorship and genuine presence

Regional sponsorship is visible and uncontested: your name on a footy scoreboard or netball uniform is seen by hundreds of people every week. Options include the local footy club ($500 to $2,000 a year), netball association, Landcare, school P&Cs, library storytime, the local show and the community garden. Choose ones that reach young families, track which ones produce enquiries, and move budget towards them. Beyond sponsorship, have your director attend community events, let staff be visibly local, and give back through donations or free parent education. It feels slow, but over 18 to 24 months a centre embedded in its community usually builds a longer waitlist and a sturdier business than one relying on ads alone.

Local area marketing to fill vacancies

In towns of 50,000 to 150,000 people, hyperlocal, tangible marketing that reaches parents where they already are is often the most cost-effective way to fill empty places.

Tactic	Indicative cost	Notes
Letterbox drop (1,000 households)	$600 to $800	Typically 3 to 8 quality enquiries. Target young-family postcodes, e.g. 3550 and 3551 in Bendigo, 3350 and 3352 in Ballarat.
A-frame signs	$30 to $80 each	Centre frontage, near schools and clinics. Change the message monthly.
Sports club and hall signage	$100 to $300 sponsorship	Reaches parents at weekend sport and events.
Local radio	$30 to $60 per 30-second spot	Drive time (7 to 9 am, 4 to 6 pm); four-week packages of around 12 spots a week.
Regional newspaper or The Weekly Times	$150 to $300 per week (quarter page)	Still effective where online channels reach fewer parents.

Make the letterbox piece specific: a clear photo of the centre, the exact vacancy (“2 places available: ages 2 to 3”), one call to action and, if appropriate, a small incentive. Time drops for late July or late December, when families plan for the next year. Employer partnerships also work well. Approach the HR teams at hospitals, TAFE campuses, councils and large agricultural operations with a staff offer in return for mentions in newsletters and inductions. One partnership with a large hospital or council can produce 10 to 20 quality enquiries.

A combined campaign (letterbox drop, signs, classifieds and a month of radio) typically costs $1,500 to $2,500 and can be expected to produce 15 to 30 leads, or five to ten enrolments at typical conversion rates of 30% to 40%. Combining two or three of these tactics with your digital channels fills vacancies faster than digital alone.

Open days and tours

• Timing: hold your main open day in August or September to catch families planning a January start, on a Saturday afternoon, with after-hours tours for shift workers.
• Promotion: post on your Google profile and Facebook three weeks out and one week out, then send a text or email reminder two days before. Include date, time, address, parking, an RSVP link and “all families welcome”.
• Invite widely: current families and their friends, expectant parents, playgroups, MCH nurses and community partners.
• Atmosphere: relaxed, with light refreshments, children’s activities and educators available to chat.
• Follow-up: call every visitor within 24 hours, ask what they liked and address concerns. Quick, personal follow-up is often what turns a visit into an enrolment.

Building a waitlist and nurturing enquiries

Many regional centres face the opposite problem to inner-Melbourne ones: not managing a long waitlist but building enough awareness to create one. A good regional centre may have no direct competitor within 10 km, but a small population means fewer chance referrals, so the waitlist has to be built deliberately, often 12 to 18 months before families need care.

• Reach parents early through MCH nurses, midwives, GPs and obstetricians, and invite expectant parents to your open day.
• Nurture by email: a welcome email with photos and an enrolment timeline, a monthly newsletter with curriculum highlights and testimonials, quarterly waitlist updates, open day invitations, and practical resources for new parents.
• Be honest about availability. A real waitlist is persuasive, but don’t overstate it. Tell callers truthfully when places are likely to open. Regional parents understand supply and demand and respect candour.

A 12-month regional marketing playbook

• Months 1 to 3, foundations: complete your Google Business Profile and fix directory consistency. Make your website enquiry-ready. Join and observe local Facebook groups and post regularly. Launch your referral programme. Visit GPs, MCH nurses and your nearest maternity unit.
• Months 4 to 6, reach: launch a tightly targeted Search campaign. Add suburb or town landing pages and a monthly local article. Choose one or two sponsorships and approach a large employer. Build area-specific partnerships: settlement services in the Goulburn Valley, community health and TAFE in the Latrobe Valley, dairy networks in the south-west, universities and hospitals in Ballarat and Bendigo.
• Months 7 to 9, conversion: run your August or September open day with a Facebook Live tour beforehand. Run a late-July local area marketing burst where you have vacancies. Build your email nurture sequence.
• Months 10 to 12, compounding: keep reviews coming and respond to all of them. Review referral, sponsorship, Search Console and GBP data and move budget to what works. Plan a late-December letterbox drop for the new year.

The most successful regional centres treat marketing as an ongoing discipline rather than a one-off campaign. Results build over six to twelve months and keep growing after that.

Frequently asked questions

Get a marketing plan for your regional centre

Ballarat’s growth suburbs, Shepparton’s multicultural communities, the Latrobe Valley’s families in transition and the dairy towns of the south-west each need a different mix. ChildCare Marketing builds plans around your town, your competitors and your vacancies.

Request your free childcare marketing plan or contact the CCM team.