How Tulane Business School Boosted Its International Recruitment in China with Sunrise's Digital Strategy

In today’s competitive landscape, universities are increasingly seeking innovative strategies to enhance their international recruitment efforts, particularly in key markets like China. Due to China's unique internet ecosystem, leveraging local platforms is essential for effective outreach. Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business partnered with Sunrise to develop a targeted digital marketing strategy to attract Chinese students. This case study examines the multi-platform campaign and highlights how Sunrise's tailored approach delivered measurable results.

As international recruitment becomes increasingly competitive, universities are seeking innovative ways to connect with prospective students, particularly in key markets like China. Chinese students represent one of the largest segments of international graduate students globally. In fact, during the 2022-2023 academic year, the number of Chinese graduate students increased by 2.3%, making China the second-largest sending country of international graduate students. Moreover, China’s rapidly evolving economy is creating additional pressure on individuals to seek higher education. Graduate degrees are increasingly viewed as a way to gain a competitive edge in China’s cut-throat job market, with Chinese job platform Liepin reporting a 12.37% increase in jobs preferring an overseas degree in late 2023. For institutions like Tulane, capturing the attention of this audience is crucial.

Xiaohongshu Platform Campaign: Leveraging China’s Leading Social Commerce App

Sunrise developed a targeted digital campaign for Tulane on one of China’s fastest-growing platforms: Xiaohongshu (commonly known as “Little Red Book”), by leveraging age and geographic proxies, such as young millennials in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. Xiaohongshu, which initially started as an e-commerce platform, has evolved into much more - it’s now a thriving digital lifestyle community where users engage with products and knowledge through livestreams and content sharing. It has become indispensable for universities looking to enhance their recruitment efforts in China. With over 260 million monthly active users, primarily composed of young women, Xiaohongshu offers a unique ecosystem where users share experiences, discover new products, and connect with different communities.

For Tulane’s Freeman School of Business, Sunrise crafted a series of engaging posts that blended lifestyle content with insights into academic programs. Our ad creatives were designed to resonate with young Chinese professionals and students, incorporating vibrant visuals of Tulane's campus and student life to create a sense of connection, tailoring the content to specific interests such as study abroad, career development, and campus culture. The campaign generated over 110,000 impressions in 22 days, achieving an engagement rate of 5.88%. This strategy boosted brand awareness and positioned Tulane as a top option among young Chinese professionals and students seeking international education.

Bilibili Platform Campaign: Capturing the Attention of Gen Z

Bilibili, one of China’s key video-sharing platforms, is widely popular among Gen Z audiences, making it an important tool for reaching students. Sunrise developed a 15-day targeted video campaign for Tulane, featuring a promotional video and an H5 landing page designed to capture leads. The video included interviews with alumni sharing their academic experiences, along with visuals of Tulane’s campus and city life. The H5 page used clear, concise text and engaging visuals to drive clicks. Our expertise in specialized video production, combined with our localization services, targeted audience data collection, and comprehensive data reporting, allowed for a successful Bilibili campaign.The campaign achieved 380,914 impressions and 1,657 clicks, with an average daily reach of 25,394 impressions.

This approach capitalized on Bilibili’s widespread influence among student audiences, successfully driving traffic to Tulane’s lead collection page. This included targeting a younger audience from tier 1 and 2 cities across China. The engaging content, combined with the platform’s user-friendly interface, helped Tulane stand out as a leading choice for students exploring their international education options.

SEO Articles on Baidu: Enhancing Search Visibility

A strong presence on China’s leading search engine, Baidu, is critical for any university looking to capture the attention of prospective students. Sunrise employed a detailed SEO strategy to improve Tulane’s search visibility. This approach included publishing a blog-style article on Zhihu, which appears on the first page of Baidu search results when looking up Tulane’s Freeman School of Business. Additionally, 100 targeted Q&A posts were added on Baidu Tieba, engaging prospective students directly through the platform’s discussion forums.

To further enhance visibility, two news articles were written and published across four major Chinese educational news platforms: China Online (China.com), Xinhua Newspaper Net (xhby.net), China Edu News (cnedunews.com), and Langchao News (zjnews.china.com.cn). One article focused on Tulane’s role in cultivating global business leaders, while the other highlighted its strong alumni network and commitment to social responsibility. These topics resonated with readers interested in international education and business leadership and provided valuable exposure, securing Tulane’s presence across widely-read and trusted sources.

As a result of these efforts, Tulane’s official Chinese website now appears on the first page of Baidu search results when searching for the Freeman School of Business, with the news articles and other content we developed appearing closely behind. Their official English website ranks 2nd for organic results on Baidu. This elevated visibility has significantly boosted website traffic and strengthened Tulane’s digital presence in China.

Conclusion: A Comprehensive Approach to University Recruitment in China

Through our multi-platform strategy, Sunrise successfully positioned Tulane’s Freeman School of Business as a top choice for Chinese students. The campaign effectively increased brand visibility and drove overall student engagement by leveraging XiaoHongShu, Bilibili, and Baidu.

Contact us at contact@sieconnection.com to learn more about what Sunrise can do for your university!