Today, we will share some tips on how to recruit Chinese students using digital marketing.

Students from overseas are a much desired asset for any educational establishment. They diversify the studentship, demonstrate the university’s prowess and reputation, and offer many financial benefits. In fact, as of 2013, around 10% of UK university’s total funding came from overseas students outside of Britain and Europe (source: South China Morning Post). The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Prime Minister have both expressed a desire to have more Chinese students in the UK. Universities are doing everything they can to attract eager Chinese students.

Here are four things to consider when using digital marketing for Chinese student recruitment.

Chinese students have very different concerns to domestic students when it comes to selecting a university. Chinese students are very interested in a university’s ranking, and their parents by having their children attend a university that other people have heard of. Quality of teaching is also important, and the safety of the university is of large concern as well, as students want to feel safe while in the UK (Source: Hanover Research). Understanding what your target market wants will make it much easier to market to them.

Chinese parents will likely have a large say in where their children go to study. This means that, in order to be successful in your Chinese student recruitment, you need to address the concerns and desires of Chinese parents. They are interested in different criteria than their children, so you must ensure that your marketing is targeted at allaying parental concerns as well as impressing potential students.

When trying to market to students in China, you need to make yourself as accessible as possible. The easier it is for your target market to engage with you and absorb your key messages, the more likely you are to succeed with your Chinese student recruitment. To this end, a Chinese website is vital. Having a Chinese website is the perfect way to demonstrate to your potential students than you are able, and willing, to adapt to their needs.

In China, Facebook and Twitter won’t get you very far. China has its own social networks, with the Twitter-like Sina Weibo being the second and third most popular, with a combined number of accounts totalling more than 1 billion. Being on these networks will get you access to a huge number of Chinese internet users, with 91% of the Chinese internet population being on social networks (source: Tech in Asia). WeChat and Renren are another two popular social media platforms in China.

Get results from your Chinese student recruitment strategies with Market Me China

As experts in Chinese marketing, language and culture, we are perfectly positioned to help assist you with your Chinese student recruitment strategies. Get in touch with us today to discuss how, together, we can make your plans a reality.