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I explain which Meta ad formats attract parents most effectively in 2025.
Running Meta Ads (Facebook & Instagram) isn’t just about spending budget—it’s about knowing which ad formats capture parents’ attention and drive enrolment enquiries. For preschools in Singapore, where competition is intense and parents are cautious decision-makers, the wrong format means wasted budget.
Industry benchmarks show that Meta Ads generate preschool leads at $12–$25 per lead in Singapore (see our article: Facebook lead costs for preschools explained). But the format you choose—carousel, video, or lead form—can double or halve your CPL.
📊 A 2024 case study we ran with a Bukit Timah preschool showed video ads lowered CPL by 33% compared to carousel ads, simply because parents responded better to classroom walkthroughs than static images.
Connect with our expert team to transform your enrolment process with proven digital marketing strategies that deliver real results.
Connect with us! →Below are the ad formats every preschool marketer should test and optimize in 2025.
Parents want to see the environment, teachers, and happy children before they ever click “Book a Tour.” That’s why video ads outperform static formats for preschools.
• Benchmark CTR (2025): 2.8%–3.5% vs 1.2% for single image ads.
• Best Use: Classroom tours, parent testimonials, learning activities.
• Pro Tip: Keep videos 15–30 seconds with captions for sound-off viewing.
👉 Related guide: Instagram Reels for preschools & enrichment
Carousels allow preschools to showcase different programs (e.g., bilingual immersion, STEM play, music) in one swipeable unit.
• Benchmark CTR (2025): 1.8%–2.4%
• Best Use: Highlighting multiple centres or programme differentiators.
• Pro Tip: Lead with lifestyle imagery (happy children learning) rather than facilities.
👉 Compare: Carousel ads vs video ads: which converts parents?
Parents browsing on-the-go don’t want long forms. Meta’s lead forms auto-fill details, making it frictionless to register interest.l
• Benchmark CPL (2025 Singapore): $15–$18 (lower than landing pages by ~20%)
• Best Use: Enquiry campaigns, open house sign-ups.
• Pro Tip: Ask only 3–4 fields (name, child’s age, contact). Anything longer hurts conversion.
👉 Related: Lead form ads vs landing pages
With 82% of millennial parents in Singapore using Instagram Stories daily, preschools cannot ignore short-form. Reels, in particular, deliver lower CPMs than feed ads in 2025.
• Benchmark CTR (2025): 3%–4.2%
• Best Use: Teacher intros, festive classroom celebrations, quick “why parents love us.”
• Pro Tip: Use native-style creative (phone-shot, vertical, authentic).
👉 Also see: TikTok vs Meta Ads for millennial parents
Switching from image ads to Reels cut CPL from $22 → $14. Parents said the authentic classroom clips felt more “real” than polished brochures.
By showcasing bilingual, music, and STEM programmes in a single carousel, CTR jumped 55% compared to generic campus shots.
Running Meta lead form ads for an open house generated 120 sign-ups at $13 CPL. By contrast, landing page sign-ups cost $19 CPL.
👉 Related: Preschool ads: high CTR vs high enrolments
Switching from image ads to Reels cut CPL from $22 → $14. Parents said the authentic classroom clips felt more “real” than polished brochures.
By showcasing bilingual, music, and STEM programmes in a single carousel, CTR jumped 55% compared to generic campus shots.
Running Meta lead form ads for an open house generated 120 sign-ups at $13 CPL. By contrast, landing page sign-ups cost $19 CPL.
👉 Related: Preschool ads: high CTR vs high enrolments
Even top schools fall into these traps:
❌ Trap: “What is your postal code? Your income? Your child’s allergies?”
✅ Fix: Keep forms short—remember, parents are on mobile.
A cute ad may drive clicks but not enrolment enquiries. Always track cost per enrolment (see: How to track cost per enrolment, not just CPL).
Preschool ads in Singapore must follow MOE & PDPA rules (see our guide here). Ignoring this can lead to penalties or ad disapprovals.
Many preschools in Singapore are SMEs without in-house marketers. Traps occur because:
• High CPC industries: Education ads average $1.20–$2.50 CPC in Singapore, higher than retail.
• Cultural factors: Parents expect trust-building first. Ads that feel too “salesy” underperform.
• Budget pressures: SMEs overspend on “boosted posts” instead of structured campaigns.
👉 Related guide: Top 10 education marketing mistakes in Singapore
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It’s not just local insights—global marketing experts echo the same.
• HubSpot highlights that short-form video ads are now the highest-ROI format (HubSpot Blog).
• Social Media Examiner reports that Reels deliver higher reach at lower costs in 2025.
• Marketing-Interactive Singapore has featured preschools leaning into authentic Instagram campaigns.
By blending international best practices with Singapore benchmarks, preschools can avoid the common traps.
Meta Ads work for preschools—but only if the format matches parent behaviour. In Singapore’s competitive preschool market, video, carousels, lead forms, and Reels consistently deliver the best results.
The best-performing campaigns are those that:
• Show, don’t tell (via video & Reels).
• Reduce friction (via lead forms).
• Highlight variety (via carousels).
Invest in testing formats—your cost per enrolment depends on it.
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