On July 25th, 2023, Sunrise International hosted a webinar on Insights and Updates of Digital Marketing in China, Led by Shan Liu, Director of Digital Media. During the session, Shan covered some essential updates pertaining to China's educational landscape, including:

Travel between China has significantly improved and students and parents are enthusiastic to meet international admission representatives. As universities plan their outreach, it's essential to reconnect with schools and agencies, given the importance of cultivating relationships and the frequent personnel turnover in educational institutions.

China's rising unemployment rate in June reached 21.3%, leading to a spike in Chinese students considering studying abroad as an alternative option. Many are opting for graduate or MBA programs before re-entering the job market.

Understanding the distinctions among popular Chinese social media platforms—WeChat, Weibo, Douyin, and Bilibili—is crucial for a successful China campaign and engaging prospective students, Chinese alumni, and parents.

Reconnect with partners and agencies in China

In 2023, the landscape for students returning to China or seeking opportunities abroad has evolved significantly. The previous assumption that staying in China for safety reasons was a viable option has diminished, and students are now considering their options more critically. The implications for admission have become apparent, as the demand for international education experiences rises, prompting a surge in applications for study abroad programs.

However, it's also essential to acknowledge the impact of the three-year lockdown on the study-abroad industry in China. Many agencies and study abroad partners have faced challenges, leading to closures or a halt in operations. Before entering the Chinese market, institutions must take proactive steps to rebuild or reconnect with their agency network to ensure a strong presence.

Furthermore, maintaining close communication with schools and training center partners is crucial. Frequent personnel turnover is a common occurrence, and staff might have been laid off or moved on to other positions. By staying in touch with these institutions, international recruiters can stay informed about current contacts and potential decision-makers, ensuring a smooth engagement process.

Notable rise in unemployment rates

The latest official data paints a grim picture for young Chinese job seekers, as the youth unemployment rate soared to a record 21.3 percent in June, following a steady increase from 20.8 percent in May. A significant number of graduates are now facing the harsh reality of accepting low-wage jobs or venturing into fields unrelated to their educational qualifications. With the realization that a bachelor's degree alone may no longer be enough for their desired career paths, many individuals are choosing to pursue further education to bolster their qualifications.

The complex employment landscape for recent Chinese graduates presents both opportunities and challenges for overseas universities. While there is potential for increased demand for graduate programs in growing industries, there is also a need to refocus on career outcomes for Chinese international students who often return to China after studying abroad.

Effective Strategies to Attract Chinese Students

To increase your institution's visibility and reputation in China, consider implementing the following strategies:

In today's competitive landscape, having a Chinese landing page is crucial, especially for graduate schools or MBA programs targeting Chinese students and their parents. Chinese parents play a significant role in their children's education choices, and many may not be proficient in English. Tailoring content to this audience ensures effective communication and engagement, allowing educational institutions to connect with both students and parents seamlessly.
SEO also holds immense significance for our clients, ensuring the presence of a dedicated landing page for information search while securing top rankings on Baidu, China's leading search engine (as Google is unavailable in China). To effectively reach their target audience, institutions should regularly provide fresh content and optimize their websites with Mandarin keywords for better accessibility and searchability on Chinese platforms. Building links from Chinese websites and sharing high-quality content further enhance website rankings on Baidu.
Gain a head start by leveraging social media.
- WeChat is China's dominant social app with 1.3 billion monthly active users. For universities, it offers personal, subscription, and service accounts to engage with students. Students can ask questions and interact with admissions officers for a personalized experience. By utilizing WeChat's extensive user base and content-driven approach, universities can connect effectively with students and alumni, establishing a compelling online presence.
- Weibo stands as a Twitter-like platform with a massive user base of over 584 million. Leveraging Weibo's features, such as linking resources and embedding QR links in posts, universities can effectively reach a wide audience and drive substantial traffic to their WeChat pages. As a potent social media marketing channel, Weibo allows universities to target specific demographics and interests, strategically promoting short posts to engage prospective students interested in studying abroad.

Douyin, a short video platform owned by ByteDance, allows users to share fast and easy-to-spread 30-second to 1-minute videos. Despite its short format, Douyin caters to a diverse user base and showcases more serious content. With an impressive 550 million monthly active users, the platform features inspiring and emotional videos shared by individuals from different backgrounds. Universities harness the power of Douyin campaigns to generate leads and drive traffic to Chinese landing pages, capitalizing on the platform's vast audience and high engagement levels.
Bilibili, also known as B Site or "B Zhàn," is a popular video-sharing platform in China. In a 2022 Q3 report, it recorded high user engagement, with an average daily time spent of 96 minutes. Bilibili offers a unique combination of features, resembling YouTube with elements of Netflix, catering to diverse interests like vlogging, gaming, anime, live-streaming, documentaries, and web series. The platform witnessed a surge in educational influencers since 2019, with over 20 million users focusing on tutorials and educational content.

Experience Campuses Like Never Before with VR and AR
Currently, the Metaverse and AI are immensely popular in the recruitment domain, with various technologies being utilized. Virtual reality tours and experiences are proving valuable for Chinese students who cannot physically visit campuses before making their choices. To cater to this audience, having China-ready VR tours is essential as regular tours on foreign platforms are inaccessible in China. Our platform, Campus 360, offers VR tours hosted on both Chinese and Western servers, ensuring wider accessibility. AR, on the other hand, serves as a potent marketing tool, enabling interactive encounters with features like AR mascots, postcards, and stickers. These captivating technologies can be seamlessly integrated into recruitment fairs and events, providing students with a truly immersive and memorable experience.

Looking for guidance in attracting Chinese students to your institution?

This is the perfect time to do so, as the number of Chinese students interested in studying abroad continues to grow. We've discussed effective strategies above, but it's important to acknowledge that this process can be complex and requires deep market knowledge for success. To reach and engage potential Chinese students, careful planning and execution are crucial.

Partnering with an agency well-versed in the Chinese market ecosystem will be most beneficial. Our expertise is here to accelerate your efforts in attracting Chinese students to your institution. Let us assist you in navigating this journey with confidence.

WEBCAST RECAP: Social Media Marketing in China 2023