A working parent searches for childcare near their home. They find your daycare, schedule a tour, and enroll their child. That enrollment could last for years.
Cost Per Acquisition tells you what each new family costs.
Why Cost Per Acquisition Matters for Daycares
Long enrollment periods are common. Families often stay for years. Acquiring a child who attends for three-plus years is enormously valuable.
Referrals drive the industry. Parents trust other parents. A referral from a satisfied family is your best and cheapest lead.
Retention is the ultimate metric. Losing a family means you must acquire a replacement. High retention lowers effective CPA over time.
Waiting lists change the game. When full, your CPA becomes irrelevant for new families. But you still track it to know your market value.
How to Check in GA4
Set up conversions for tour bookings, applications, and new enrollments. Use unique UTM codes for each marketing channel and campaign.
In GA4, compare conversion data by source. Look beyond enrollments to see which channels bring families who stay longest.
Track inquiry-to-tour and tour-to-enrollment conversion. Both matter for understanding true CPA.
The Easier Way
Daycares use Google, Facebook, local parenting groups, and community partnerships. Tracking all these sources is tedious.
ClawAnalytics pulls data from your enrollment system and marketing platforms automatically. Ask questions like “What’s my CPA for infant care?” or “Which channel brings families who stay longest?”
This helps you focus on channels that produce families who stay and refer others. You can also identify your most profitable age groups.
Quick Wins
Ask every new family how they heard about you. Build this into your enrollment paperwork.
Create a referral program. Offer a discount or credit for referring another family. Word of mouth is powerful in parenting communities.
Host open houses and tours. These events generate leads and convert interested families who were comparison shopping.
Build a waitlist email list. Even when full, interested families may return. Email marketing keeps you top of mind.
