connecting with today's prospective students - hong kong report

How marketers can best influence the student decision journey

Connecting with Today’s Prospective Students

HK Version

2 LinkedIn Survey and Internal Data: August 2015

Understanding today’s higher education decision journey We surveyed 15,000+ respondents on LinkedIn

Brazil

Australia

India

Germany

UK

France

USA

Canada

Hong Kong

Singapore

Netherlands

South Korea

Japan Spain

This deck features Hong Kong 537 total respondents including: • 302 MBA / Masters Intenders • 235 MBA / Masters Grads

3

Peer groups and professional networks are a

significant influence

Prospects seek specific content

at each stage

The prospects’ shortlist is exclusive

and critical

Key Findings

The Importance of Making the Shortlist

The decision process is exclusive and critical

Only 3 schools make the prospects’ shortlist

54% develop their shortlist before reaching out to

a school representative

84% end up enrolling at a school from

their shortlist

5

Base: MBA and Masters Grads (n=235)

Friends and peers are the most influential

47% 41% 33% 29%

Friends/Peers

Institution Website EmployerRecommendation

ProfessionalNetworks

Professional networks are nearly 2x as influential as personal networks

29%

15%

ProfessionalNetworks

PersonalNetworks

Top influential sources when considering further education

6

Base: MBA and Masters Intenders (n=302)

MBA/Masters intenders on LinkedIn are highly engaged

3X more connected 7X more likely to Follow a company

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data, 2015

7X more likely to share content

8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Credit Cards Airlines Wireless Laptop/Tablet Insurance Auto

Category influences time investment LENGTH OF PURCHASE JOURNEY

Number of days from start of journey to purchase for each category Average days

9

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Credit Cards Airlines Wireless Laptop/Tablet Insurance Auto Higher Education

Category influences time investment LENGTH OF PURCHASE JOURNEY

Number of days from start of journey to purchase for each category

Average days

Implication for Marketers:

Engage early in the decision process with

a relevant content marketing strategy

Understanding the Prospect Mindset

12

The need to upskill is the most influencing factor

25%

28%

37%

49%

50%

Entrepreneural Opportunities

Increased confidence in my current job

Passion for learning

Seeking a higher Salary

The need to up-skill


Top 5 factors influencing the decision to undertake higher education

13

Millennials (18-34) Gen X (35-49) Higher Salary Passion for Learning

The Need to up-skill The need to up-skill

Passion for learning Develop leadership skills

Increased Confidence Higher Salary

Millennials and GenXers both feel the need to upskill, place different emphasis on salary and leadership skills

1


2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Top factors influencing decision to undertake higher education

14

61%

66%

77%

79%

88%

91%

Tuition fees

Tech and Entrepreneurship focus

University Ranking

Program format

Faculty/teacher quality

University reputation (overall)

Millennials place more importance on

employment rates and employer

recommendation rates than GenX


Respondents who intend to undertake a Masters or MBA

When deciding where to study, quality of learning experience is more important than cost

15

Prospects seek flexibility and study abroad But there are differences by age


64%

39%

17% 17% 16%

Part-Time Local(within dailycommuting

distance from yourhome)

Full-Time Abroad Online Full-Time Local(within dailycommuting

distance from yourhome)

Hybrid(Combination offace to face and

online)

GenXers are 2X more likely to want online study options.

16

Want to develop new perspectives on academic subjects and real-world issues

Understand the different reasons for studying abroad

APAC

Want to experience a different culture

76%

68%


Build a presence on digital platforms that aligns with the

mindset of prospects and the

brand identity of your university

Creating Content for Every Stage

19

Top types of information sought by intenders in each stage of the higher education decision-making process:

Giving them relevant content at each stage will help keep schools top of mind

AWARENESS DISCOVERY SELECTION

Career Advice

Information on courses and degree program's

Expert commentary and reviews

Staff and lecturer profiles

Institution rankings

Education and industry news


20

Top types of information sought by intenders in each stage of the higher education decision-making process:

Giving them relevant content at each stage will help keep schools top of mind

AWARENESS DISCOVERY SELECTION

Transform yourself with 3 accredited Post-Grad business qualifications (including an MBA in just 12 months

Are you struggling with a personal transition? Whether you’re debating move or a job change, it’s natural to experience a flood of emotions. Discover how to embrace complex change in this recent HBR article


Understand the nuances of your audience

and target them with relevant content by

decision stage

Thinking about the LinkedIn audience

Where are LinkedIn members with MBAs in APAC?

India: 72%

Singapore: 3%

Australia: 6%

Hong Kong: 2%

Bangladesh: 3%

Malaysia: 1% Philippines: 1% Thailand: 1%

Taiwan: 1%

Indonesia: 1%

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data

And what did they do prior to their MBA?

Source: LinkedIn Internal Data

Using LinkedIn data, we can help you understand

the educational and professional journey of

your target audience, so you can engage them

with maximum relevance.

25

Peer groups and professional networks are a

significant influence

Prospects seek specific content

at each stage

The prospects’ shortlist is exclusive

and critical

Implications for Marketers

Implication: Engage early in the

decision process with a relevant content marketing strategy

Implication: Understand the nuances

of your audience and target them with

relevant content by stage

Implication: Build a presence on digital platforms that

aligns with the mindset of prospects and the brand identity of your university

Thank You

Appendix