Asian Students Have Specific Needs
If you were to create a survey for students that are currently looking for an international higher ed institution where they can continue their education and ask them what they liked or didn’t like about some student recruitment techniques, this is what they would say:
Asian Students Need a Local Approach as Well
What does this mean? Well, your English website is not enough to answer all of their questions. Even though they know how to speak & write in English, they would be more comfortable to learn about a school’s educational programs in Mandarin. If you were to have a copy of your English website that is translated in Mandarin, you would show prospective students that you care about their needs.
You can add a Mandarin blog as well and just make your target audience feel as if they are already going to your school. This international student recruitment strategy would definitely help increase student engagement, your school’s popularity and even your search engine ranking. It’s easier to just rely on a local marketing team that can take care of the school’s Mandarin site & blog for you.
A Survey for Students Would Improve Your Reputation
You don’t need to do much. Just a few well thought-out questions that would show your implication. First and foremost, you must ensure that said survey is available in Mandarin. No matter how you look at it, Asian students will prefer learning about schools in their own language. They will be willing to share their opinion if you offer them this option.
The good news is that after collecting and analyzing the information that your target audience provides, you will be able to adjust your student recruitment process to ensure that their needs are met. The enrollment process usually starts when they make their first contact with your academic institution. They might visit your website, social media page or read a blog article.
Here are a few DOs & DON’ts for your international student recruitment process:
- DO provide information about your school both in English & Mandarin.
- DON’t just assume that all students prefer searching for information in English.
- DO ask for the opinion of prospective students regarding your school’s online presence.
- DON’t expect students that answer your survey to apply to your school.
- DO offer enough details about your educational programs on your English & Mandarin websites.
Penetrating the Asian marketing from an educational point of view is the kind of goal that requires academic institutions to rely on local partners. In this case, DA is the higher education marketing expert that can point you in the right direction and lead prospective Asian students to your school.
Take your digital knowledge to the next level. Read more about the importance of digital marketing for academic institutions here!
