As a digital marketing expert, I've spent years refining my process for setting up successful ad campaigns, especially for businesses in niche markets like early learning centres. Today, I want to share my exact workflow for creating Facebook Ads, designing landing pages, and generating leads for an early learning centre. This campaign is for a business opening two new locations, and the goal is to drive highly targeted traffic and convert visitors into leads.
Research and Competitor Analysis
Before creating ads, I always start with "swipe file creation." This is an in-depth competitor analysis where I pull successful ads, landing pages, and marketing materials from top childcare businesses worldwide. I focus on English-speaking countries like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, as these markets tend to have similar terminologies and target audiences.
I study their Google and Facebook Ads, particularly the ad copy, headlines, and landing page structure. Tools like the Facebook Ad Library and Google Transparency Center are incredibly helpful for this step, as they allow me to see which ads are running and how long they've been active. The key takeaway is that if an ad has been running successfully for months or years, it's worth analyzing—there's a reason it's working.
With all this data, I create a swipe file of proven marketing tactics to draw upon when building my campaign.
Identifying Pain Points and Emotional Triggers
Once I've gathered my research, it's time to consider the target audience's pain points and emotional triggers. In the case of an early learning centre, parents have a range of concerns—from emotional to practical. I start by listing a broad spectrum of pain points that parents face when choosing childcare, like separation anxiety, concerns about their child's emotional well-being, and the fear of missing important milestones. On the practical side, I consider things like child safety, communication with caregivers, and the logistical challenges of drop-off and pick-up.
I also focus on deeper concerns, such as how parents worry about their child's future development or how they'll adjust to a new environment. By addressing these concerns directly in my ads, I can connect more emotionally with the audience. For example, an ad copy might say, "We understand that leaving your child can be difficult. That's why our caring staff works closely with every child to ease separation anxiety and ensure they feel safe and loved."
This process step is crucial because it allows me to tailor the messaging to resonate with parents' deepest concerns while positioning the learning centre as the solution.
Highlighting the Center's Strengths
Now that I've pinpointed parents' concerns and challenges, I focus on showcasing the early learning centre's strengths and unique qualities. This involves collecting data about the business, such as the years it's been operating, awards or accolades, and the number of children educated. I also gather testimonials from satisfied parents that highlight positive experiences.
For instance, if the centre has been in business for 15 years and has educated thousands of children, I'll feature this in the ad copy: "For over 15 years, we've been nurturing young minds and helping children develop the skills they need to succeed. Join the thousands of parents who trust us with their most precious asset—their child."
These facts build credibility and help reassure parents that they're making the right decision for their children.
Crafting Engaging Ad Copy and Creative Variations
With all my research and data in place, it's time to start crafting the ad copy. The goal here is to create multiple versions of the ads, including variations in headlines, descriptions and calls to action. For example, I might test different hooks like:
- "Did you know that 90% of your child's brain development happens by age 6?"
- "Worried about your child's development? We're here to help them thrive!"
Each version will target different pain points and appeal to parents' emotional concerns. I also mix emojis in some versions and leave them out in others to see which version generates the highest engagement.
When it comes to creatives, I know that parents are looking for authenticity and relatability. While I try to use real images of children in the learning centre, I've found that stock photos and videos can work well, too—especially when they feature happy, engaged children in learning activities. I also like to use AI-generated voiceovers for videos, choosing soothing and professional voices with accents that align with the target market (e.g., Australian or UK accents for an English-speaking audience).
Setting Up Precise Targeting
Facebook's targeting capabilities are among its most powerful features, especially when reaching parents. I always target parents with children aged 1 month to 5 years within a 10-kilometre radius of the early learning centre. Facebook's algorithm is incredibly accurate, and it can predict the likelihood of someone being a parent based on their online behaviour.
Along with basic demographic targeting, I also include some behavioural triggers, such as parents actively searching for childcare or recently visiting childcare-related websites. This ensures that my ads are shown to people already in the childcare services market and are more likely to convert.
Creating a High-Converting Landing Page
A well-designed landing page is crucial to the success of any ad campaign. The page needs to mirror the messaging in the ad and provide a seamless user experience. I keep the layout clean and focused, highlighting the centre's strengths, addressing concerns, and including strong calls to action.
I include parent testimonials to build trust and feature clear contact forms so visitors can easily request more information or book a tour. The page also includes specific details about the centre's curriculum, safety protocols, and any special programs that differentiate it from other childcare centres. By making it easy for parents to take the next step, whether scheduling a tour or getting more information, I ensure the landing page is fully optimized for conversions.
Testing and Optimisation
Once the ads are live and the landing page is set, the real work begins—testing and optimisation. I run multiple versions of the ads to see which ones perform best. This includes testing different headlines, creative variations, and lead forms to weed out tire-kickers. I track key metrics like click-through rates, conversion rates, and cost per lead to determine which ad sets deliver the best results.
Based on these results, I continuously refine the campaign to improve performance. Sometimes, this means adjusting the targeting or tweaking the messaging to make it more compelling. The goal is always to find what resonates with the target audience and drives high-quality leads.
