Is Meta or Google better for school admissions?

Google Search: parents who are already looking

Parents type searches like “CBSE schools near Whitefield” or “best preschool in Velachery” when they are building a shortlist. Appearing here puts you in front of families who are ready to compare and visit.

Best uses

• Area and board-specific searches.
• Your school’s name, to protect brand searches from competitors.
• Google Maps visibility, supported by reviews from parents.

Meta: reaching parents before they search

Instagram and Facebook let you show campus life, teachers and activities to parents in your catchment area with children of the right age. This builds familiarity so your school is already known when they start searching.

Best uses

• Open-house and campus tour registrations.
• Short videos of classrooms, sports, labs and events.
• Parent testimonials and student achievements.
• Retargeting parents who visited your website.

A practical split

1. In early awareness months, lean on Meta to build your enquiry list.
2. In peak months, increase Google Search to capture active comparison searches.
3. Throughout, retarget everyone who engaged.

What matters more than the channel

Speed and quality of follow-up decide most admissions. A parent who gets a warm call the same day and a clear invitation to visit is far more likely to enrol than one who waits two days for a brochure. Make sure your admissions team can handle the enquiries before you increase spend.

Track by source

Record the source of every enquiry, visit and admission so you can compare channels on cost per admission rather than clicks or likes.

Review the numbers every two weeks during peak season and move budget quickly.