Savanna Hoffman
With the rise of social media and the internet, the game has changed for educational institutions looking to attract international students. Colleges and universities need to adapt to remain competitive, and a key part of this is mastering the art of audience targeting. This involves creating marketing materials that appeal to the interests of international students, emphasising the strengths of the institution, and highlighting any competitive advantages. For example, a Canadian higher education institution may wish to highlight the possibility of permanent residency for eligible international students. In addition, institutions should ensure they have an updated, optimised website that provides easy-to-understand information on the international application process. When it comes to social media, Facebook's Narrow Audience button allows for specific targeting based on demographics, behaviours, interests, and location. However, it is important not to be too specific when narrowing your audience, as this can reduce the audience size too much.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Target audience | International students |
| Platforms | Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, Email |
| Ad type | Video, image, carousel, stories |
| Ad content | Marketing material that appeals to the interests of international students, highlighting competitive advantages, and offering a "future" |
| Ad copy length | 41-45 words |
| Targeting strategy | Detailed targeting based on demographics, behaviors, interests, age, gender, education, financial status, life events, location |
| Audience type | Retargeting, interests, lookalike |
| Reach | Worldwide audience with geo-restrictions for specific regions/countries |
| Website | Updated, optimized, easy to navigate, informative, with details on international application processes |
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What You'll Learn
- Highlight the benefits of studying in the country, such as post-study work visas or permanent residency pathways
- Utilise digital marketing strategies, including social media platforms, email marketing, and virtual campus tours
- Create marketing materials in English to attract international students to French-speaking regions
- Focus on specific cities rather than targeting an entire country, especially in large countries such as the US and Canada
- Use Facebook's Detailed Targeting capability to refine your target audience based on demographics, behaviours, and interests
Highlight the benefits of studying in the country, such as post-study work visas or permanent residency pathways
When it comes to marketing your educational institution to international students, it's important to highlight the benefits of studying in your country specifically. This can help you narrow your target audience and attract students who are looking for the advantages your country has to offer. Here are some paragraphs you can use as a starting point for your marketing content, focusing on the benefits of studying in the country and the post-study work visa or permanent residency pathways:
Immersion in a New Culture
By studying in our country, international students will have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture. They will be able to explore our nation's distinct customs, traditions, and social atmospheres, gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of our people and history. This cultural exchange is a valuable aspect of the educational journey, providing students with a broader perspective and a chance to discover new interests and talents.
Enhanced Employment Opportunities
Our country offers post-study work visa options, providing international students with the chance to gain valuable work experience and immerse themselves in our professional culture. With our Post-Higher Education Work stream, international graduates can stay in the country for up to three years, depending on their qualifications. This allows students to strengthen their resumes and gain skills that are attractive to employers worldwide.
World-Class Education and Research
Our country is home to some of the top universities in the world, renowned for their academic excellence and research capabilities. By choosing to study here, international students can benefit from our highly regarded educational institutions and advance their careers with globally recognized qualifications. Our universities foster innovation and critical thinking, preparing students for success in a variety of fields.
Long-Term Residency Pathways
In addition to our post-study work visas, we offer a range of permanent residency pathways for international students who wish to establish a longer-term future in our country. Our Graduate visa, for example, allows graduates to stay in the country for up to two years, providing an opportunity to further explore career options and build a life here. We understand that some students may fall in love with our country and want to make it their permanent home, so we have created pathways to support those aspirations.
Remember, when creating your marketing content, it's important to be specific about the benefits your country offers. This will help you effectively narrow your target audience and attract international students who are aligned with what your country can provide.
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Utilise digital marketing strategies, including social media platforms, email marketing, and virtual campus tours
Social media platforms, email marketing, and virtual campus tours are all effective digital marketing strategies for targeting international students.
Social Media Platforms
Social media is a powerful tool for reaching a massive audience, especially with targeted advertising on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok. To effectively utilise these platforms, consider the following strategies:
- Identify the platforms most used by your target audience. For example, Gen Z students are most active on Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter.
- Establish your social media presence as a source for campus news, announcements, and admissions information.
- Engage consistently with your audience by replying to comments, retweeting, and sharing user-generated content.
- Utilise live features on social media to host discussions about your programs and campus life, allowing prospective students and their parents to interact with your admissions team.
- Create dynamic content such as blogs, short video stories, and webinars, which can be shared on social media and integrated into a mobile campus app.
- Collaborate with current students, faculty, and staff to showcase diverse stories and experiences, especially during heritage months.
- Utilise Facebook retargeting campaigns to reach specific audiences, such as past visitors to your website or those with relevant interests.
- Consider the length of your ad copy, as longer texts have been shown to perform better in the higher education student market. Aim for a word count of 41-45 words.
Email Marketing
Email marketing remains an effective strategy for communicating with international students and their parents. To optimise your email campaigns:
- Personalise your emails by segmenting your audience into meaningful personas, such as parents, students, and alumni.
- Utilise email marketing tools to create automated workflows triggered by specific actions, such as sending a follow-up email after a prospectus request.
Virtual Campus Tours
Virtual tours are essential for attracting international students by offering a glimpse into your campus environment before an on-site visit. To enhance your virtual tours:
- Use high-quality video and interactive elements to showcase classrooms, dorms, facilities, and other points of interest.
- Make the tours easily accessible by hosting them on your website, mobile app, or social media platforms.
- Include a "Question and Answer" component to provide a more personalised experience and address any concerns.
- Utilise student tour guides to offer an authentic perspective of campus life.
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Create marketing materials in English to attract international students to French-speaking regions
When creating marketing materials in English to attract international students to French-speaking regions, there are several key strategies that can be employed to effectively reach and engage the target audience. Here are some detailed guidelines to help create compelling and targeted marketing content:
Understanding Your Target Audience
Before crafting any marketing materials, it is crucial to develop a deep understanding of the international student population you aim to attract. This involves analysing important demographics such as country of origin, academic interests, and cultural backgrounds. By gathering insights into their preferences, aspirations, and unique needs, you can tailor your messaging to resonate strongly with this audience. Recognise that some students may be intimidated by language barriers, so address this concern in your marketing materials. For instance, highlight that the regional government offers free French lessons for international students, easing their apprehension about studying in a French-speaking region.
Creating Compelling Content
Attract international students by developing marketing materials that appeal to their interests and aspirations. Highlight the benefits of studying in a French-speaking region, such as the opportunity to become multilingual, the cultural experience, and any unique programs or courses offered. Differentiate your institution by emphasising its strengths, such as prestigious faculty members, specialised courses, or renowned research facilities. Offer a glimpse into the "future" that students can aspire to, including career prospects, networking opportunities, and the potential for permanent residency in the region.
Digital Marketing Strategies
Utilise digital marketing to effectively reach international students. Create content in English for social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Consider running Facebook Ads, which offer the ability to target specific audiences, including international students interested in studying abroad. Employ a combination of feed ads, stories, and video content to engage a wider audience. Additionally, host online events, such as virtual campus tours with a Q&A component, to provide a personalised experience and showcase your campus's unique attributes.
Website Optimisation
Ensure your college or university website creates a positive first impression for international students. Provide easy-to-understand information on the international application process, including visa requirements, tuition fees, and application deadlines. Consider developing a subdomain for English-language content or creating micro-sites for different regions to effectively reach international students. Offer translation services for your website to make information accessible to a broader audience.
Flexible Learning Options
Attract international students by offering flexible learning options, such as online courses and adaptable timetables. This enables students to study remotely from their home countries and more easily balance employment with their studies. Provide information on financial aid and scholarship programs, as this is a significant factor for many international students when choosing an institution.
By implementing these strategies, your marketing materials in English will effectively attract international students to French-speaking regions, providing a compelling and comprehensive view of the opportunities available.
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Focus on specific cities rather than targeting an entire country, especially in large countries such as the US and Canada
When marketing to international students, it is important to consider the geographic location of your target audience. While targeting a wider geographic area can result in a higher click-through rate (CTR) and lower cost per click (CPC), it is sometimes necessary to target specific regions or countries, especially when dealing with large countries such as the US and Canada.
In these cases, it is advisable to focus on specific cities rather than an entire country. This ensures that your ads are geographically relevant to searchers, increasing the likelihood of engagement. For example, a business school might make the mistake of setting their ads to target an entire country, resulting in their ads being shown in rural areas where users are unlikely to be interested in their services. Instead, they could target specific cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, or Toronto, which have a higher concentration of individuals interested in business education.
By utilizing location targeting, you can increase your return on investment (ROI) and ensure that your ads are served to users who meet your location settings. This is especially useful for large countries, where the needs and interests of individuals can vary significantly across different cities and states. For instance, consider the difference in time zones, lifestyles, and mentalities between someone from California and someone from New York.
When creating your marketing strategy, it is important to consider the unique characteristics of each city and state. This includes thinking about the specific services or products that would be most relevant to each location. For example, a salon in California might advertise tanning services, while a salon in New York might focus on hair extensions. By creating different campaigns for each city or state, you can ensure that your ads are tailored to the needs and interests of the local population.
Additionally, you can use geo-targeted keywords to further narrow down your audience. These are keywords that include the name of the city or state you are targeting, such as "local salon in Virginia" or "nail spa in NY." By including these keywords in your ad copy, you can increase the chances of your ads being shown to users in those specific locations.
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Use Facebook's Detailed Targeting capability to refine your target audience based on demographics, behaviours, and interests
Facebook's Detailed Targeting capability is a powerful tool for refining your target audience and ensuring your ads are served to the right market. This is especially important when targeting international students, as you want to reach those who are most likely to be interested in your institution and what it has to offer.
To start, you can use Detailed Targeting to refine your audience based on demographics. This includes basic demographic targeting options such as age, location, and gender. For example, if your institution is located in a major city, you can set a targeting radius to reach users within a certain number of kilometres. You can also target specific cities or countries, depending on where your desired international students are located.
In addition to location, you can use Detailed Targeting to reach users with specific education levels, financial or relationship statuses, or even whether they are parents or not. This can be useful if you are targeting mature students with families, for instance.
Facebook's Interest targeting allows you to reach users based on their hobbies, likes, and lifestyle. For instance, if your institution offers a unique program in agriculture, you can narrow your audience by users interested in agriculture or studying abroad. Combining interest targeting with other factors like age and location can further refine your audience and boost engagement.
Behaviour targeting is another powerful tool offered by Facebook. This allows you to target users based on their behaviours and interactions on the platform, such as their engagement with specific topics or their device usage and travel preferences. For example, you can target users who are interested in finance and segment them further by topics such as credit cards, insurance, or mortgages.
To effectively use Facebook's Detailed Targeting capability, it's important to regularly analyse the performance of your ads and refine your audience accordingly. This will help maintain accuracy and improve your ad results over time. Additionally, consider using Facebook's Custom Audiences feature to reach users who have previously interacted with your institution's website or Facebook page.
By utilising Facebook's Detailed Targeting options, you can create a refined target audience that reaches the right international students and showcases what your institution has to offer.
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Frequently asked questions
Click on the "Narrow Audience" button to add more criteria for your audience. You can refine your targeting by using additional demographics including education, financial, life events, location, age, behaviours and interests.
Official websites of educational institutions are the driving force, beaten only by direct emails. Ensure your website creates a great first impression and gives easy-to-understand information on the international application process and requirements. Share success stories from current international students and alumni on your website and social media channels.
Make use of digital marketing strategies through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Hold virtual campus tours with a Q&A component so students can have a personalised experience. Emphasise the strengths of your institution and what makes it different from competitors.
According to a 2015 survey by QS, employment prospects, quality of education, networking opportunities and prestige were some of the reasons given by European students for choosing to study abroad. In the case of Canada, the "welcoming immigration gateway" and the opportunity to apply for permanent residency are also attractive factors.
While short and punchy copy usually performs better, ad campaigns directed at the higher education student market showed that ads with a higher word count had a higher average CTR. Facebook retargeting campaigns can be successful in reminding students why they were interested in your institution and what you can offer them.
