Online Marketing & Recruitment Attracting and engaging international candidates

Transcription

1 Online Marketing & Recruitment Attracting and engaging international candidates Ian Lynes, QS Business Manager, Online Products

2 Agenda About QS Understanding your market The online marketing mix Copyright 2008 QS (

3 About QS Founded in 1990 by Nunzio Quacquarelli More than 100 staff in offices worldwide: London, Paris, Alicante, Singapore, Beijing, Johannesburg, Sydney, Washington DC Mission To enable motivated people around the world to fulfill their potential, by fostering international mobility, educational achievement and career development Main publications, events and services THE World University Rankings QS World s Top Universities Guide QS World MBA Tour (70+ events) QS Top MBA Connect (20+ events) QS World Grad School Tour (40+ events) QS Top Universities Fair new in 2009 QS APPLE Conference QS Top MBA Career Guide QS Talent Recruitment

4 About QS Online QS web sites: QS online products: TopMBA Careers TopMBA Scorecard TopApply Prospect Manager TopApply Application Manager TopApply Exchange Manager TopApply CV Manager

5 Online marketing objectives Promote Reach global market Use institutional and other voices Optimize Reduce administration Utilise staff expertise effectively Engage Tune messages by segment Support prospects through lifecycle Measure Track marketing campaigns React to market changes

6 Agenda About QS Understanding your market The online marketing mix Copyright 2008 QS (

7 Who are Generation Y? Y Impatient Team players Hungry for feedback Don t hold back Fearless of technology Seek stimulation Believe in themselves Sceptical

8 Who are Generation Y? Y 97% own a computer 94% own a cell phone 76% use Instant Messaging. 15% of IM users are logged on 24 hours a day 34% use websites as primary source of news 28% own a blog and 44% read blogs 49% download music using file sharing 75% of US students have a Facebook account 60% own portable music or video device e.g. ipod Source: Connecting to the Net.Generation: What Higher Education Professionals Need to Know About Today's College Students, Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa (2007)

9 Don t t forget their parents Helicopter parents" are increasingly key influencers Parent-child co-purchase decisions are common Consider creating a parallel process to market to parents Image source: Nordette Adams, blogher.org

10 International differences Culture & etiquette Greetings Humour Punctuality Competitiveness Role models & references Online media e.g. China: Search engine - Baidu 62% Social network - Xiaonei 280m pv/month Currency Language Charles was sure Chuck had said he should wear pants and suspenders Source: The Best of British by Mike & Sarah Etherington, 1999

11 International English? International meaning Possible confusion Example delay period of lateness F: period of time a three week delay qualified partial, conditional F: total a qualified success quite very UK: not very he s quite reliable table put on the agenda US: take off agenda table a proposal hear hear UK: disagree I hear what you say Source: Mind Your Manners by John Mole, 1998 Invaluable political and psychological profiles of each nationality - Business Week

12 Defining the message Proposition(s) REPUTATION PROGRAMS RoI COST LOCATION DIVERSITY INNOVATION FACULTY CAREER PLACEMENT SPECIALIZATION RANKINGS FINANCIAL AID CAMPUS VALUES STYLE ALUMNI What is different or unique about your programs? Tune the message to each target segment Plan communications for each stage of the lifecycle

13 Marketing life-cycle INTERESTED CANDIDATE ENQUIRER APPLICATION STARTED APPLICATION SUBMITTED PLACE ACCEPTED STUDENT

14 Media balance

15 Design & navigation should reflect objectives and brand Web site

16 Web site Design & navigation should reflect objectives and brand Landing page(s) should match visitor source & status Get visitors to return Get visitors to tell their friends Encourage targeted visitors through the marketing lifecycle

17 Search engines

18 Search Engine Optimisation Search engines all work differently and change frequently Ensure site is search engine friendly but avoid using tricks Titles, headlines, content, meta tags, site maps Page titles should also attract human users: clear & provocative Links are vital Number, reputation and popularity Industry hubs and directories Press releases and free articles or feeds Blogs, Forums and Social Networking Identify your keywords / phrases What are your prospects searching for? Include synonyms, plurals and misspellings Keyword tools: Wordtracker, Yahoo! Suggestion Tool, Google Tool

19 The long tail Searches for long tail keywords Fewer results = more clicks Self qualifying = better conversion rates

20 Tangible objectives Branding Traffic Conversion Media plan Target market Related sites Similar demographics Design Clear message 7 words or less Eye catching but not obtrusive Test & measure CPM, PPC, CPA Banner advertising tips

21 User generated content Social networking Facebook, MySpace, Bebo Professional profiles LinkedIn, Ecademy, Naymz Bookmarking & voting Digg, Stumbleupon, Del.icio.us Information, reviews & questions Wkipedia, Yahoo! answers Blogging Blogger (Blogspot), Twitter Rich media YouTube, Flickr, itunes Virtual Worlds SecondLife, The Sims Online

22 User generated content And hundreds more CHALLENGE: BE AWARE MONITOR PARTICIPATE RESPOND

23 User generated content

24 Networking sites

25 Facebook marketing Profiles Groups Pages Events Messages News feeds Facebook ads Social ads Beacons Polls Applications Source: Facebook Marketing Bible - insidefacebook.com

26 Facebook marketing examples Facebook Ad Facebook Page

27 Blogs Offers a personal voice to prospects, students, faculty and alumni A chance to engage and ask questions Share and discuss best practices STUDENT INTEREST EXAMPLE WHARTON ADMISSIONS Would if they could Have done Read faculty member blog Read student blog 83% 17% 63% 30% Source: Noel-Levitz, Inc E-Expectations 1000 US College Students Class of 2007 Report

28 Wikis Collaboratively authored information - Open & free E.g. Wikipedia one of the largest & most referenced web sites WARNING: Blatant marketing not permitted

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30 Video & audio Unique qualities Take advantage of location Reduce distance barriers Entertain & inspire

31 Bots, avatars and virtual worlds Second Life = 60% Top countries United States Germany United Kingdom Japan Brazil France Italy Netherlands Canada Spain High usage within education but unproven for marketing

32 marketing Identify tangible objectives and measurements for campaigns Branding Conversion Message content Keep it simple with a clear call to action Ensure relevance of landing page(s) design Keep it simple limit use of images Check spelling and grammar Privacy and security Opt in / Opt out Restrict access to personal data

33 delivery Human considerations Choose subject lines carefully Time of delivery Technical considerations SPAM filters Sending application and server technology HTML or plain text (might the recipient be mobile?) Use of images, links and attachments Choose subject lines carefully

34 The role of online applications Focus resources on your preferred candidates Track the results of your marketing activity Target resources on meeting recruitment objectives Build relationship and communicate at key times Streamline processing of applications; faster & less resource Convert your prospects into students!

35 Life-cycle marketing: QS products INTERESTED CANDIDATE ENQUIRER APPLICATION STARTED APPLICATION SUBMITTED PLACE ACCEPTED STUDENT

36 Thank you About QS Understanding your market The online marketing mix Ian Lynes Copyright 2008 QS (

37 Backup slides

38 QS TopApply family Application Manager Simple, intuitive online application form Process applicants faster and with less administrative overhead Prospect Manager Manage details and communicate effectively with prospective students Support and encourage candidates to apply Value Save money / use resources more effectively Attract and convert more prospective candidates Provide prospects & applicants with excellent service

39 TopApply Application Manager Online application form for candidates Simple form; save and return, as required Upload supporting documents Reference request system Online payment of application fee

40 TopApply Application Manager Online back-office system for schools Monitor progress of applications Define and manage application status Process submitted applications Follow-up individuals and groups Automated and targeted s Detailed reporting Set appropriate access for each user

41 Copyright 2008 QS ( 41