The kid wants to kick things. The parent reads the ad, books the trial and pays the membership. Everything we run for kids programs is written for the grown-up holding the phone.
A seven-year-old will say yes to anything with the word ninja in it.
That is not who you are selling to. You are selling to a mom at 9pm, scrolling after bedtime, asking one question: will this help my kid?
01 The buyer
The one holding the phone.
Kids programs are the highest-intent audience in martial arts, and the most misunderstood. The ads that fail talk to the child: flying kicks, ninjas, fun. The child isn't on Facebook.
The parent is. She is weighing your school against soccer, swimming and a quiet night in. She wants to know her kid will be safe, will gain confidence and focus, and will be taught by someone she trusts. Reviews carry more weight here than anywhere else.
Women 25 to 55, mostly moms, deciding for kids 4 to 12.
Who
Parents, mostly moms, 25 to 55
Fear
Bullying, screens, a shy kid, an unsafe room
Searches
"kids martial arts near me", "karate for kids"
Decides on
Reviews, the instructor, the schedule, safety
02 The angle
Two readers. One wallet.
Every kids ad has two readers. We write for the one who decides. Fun earns a glance; confidence, focus and safety earn the booking.
Then the booking becomes a show-up. Your desk calls to confirm the day before, after work hours. We text a selfie holding up a uniform, asking for the child's size. And on the trial you go through a short questionnaire with the parent about their goals for their kid.
Through the kid's eyesNinja training! Flips, kicks and games!FunGamesCool movesThrough the parent's eyesConfidence she'll carry into the classroom.ConfidenceFocusSafety
KidParent
The parent reads the ad. Write for her.
03 The proof
12 kids to 55.
Gracie Jiu Jitsu St. NicolasLévis, QC · kids program
Alexandre's kids program had 12 students in April 2024. In 48 days, 33 new kids joined. The program reached 55 kids, a 358 percent increase, and his Google reviews went from 12 to 52.
At Port Credit Academy of Martial Arts in Mississauga, an established school of 314 students, 79 people walked through the door in the first month and 68 in the second. The school grew to 428 students, and its reviews went from 37 at 4.6 stars to 132 at 4.9.
For kids programs the website is where the parent checks you out: reviews up front, the instructor's face, a schedule that fits after school, and a trial booked in under a minute. We built the sites for Port Credit Academy and Gracie Jiu Jitsu St. Nicolas, the second one entirely in French.
The parent. Our kids program ads target women 25 to 55, because moms most often find, compare and book kids activities. The child's excitement matters in class, not in the ad.
That their kid will gain confidence and focus, be safe, and be taught by someone they can trust. Fun is a bonus, not the reason they book. That is why we lead with outcomes and back them with reviews.
Speed, then small human touches. Every lead gets an instant reply, a call to confirm the day before after work hours, and a selfie of the instructor holding up a uniform asking for the child's size. Port Credit had 147 show-ups in its first two months.
More than for any other audience. Parents read them before they book. Port Credit went from 37 reviews to 132 and from 4.6 to 4.9 stars, and Gracie St. Nicolas went from 12 to 52.
Plan around the school calendar with back-to-school events, summer camps and after-school programs, and keep the ads running when others pause. Our guide to filling kids classes during slow seasons walks through it.
