facebook: usage in the middle east opportunities in recruitment, engagement, and retention for...
DESCRIPTION
US Educational Group & Al Jamiat session presented at Boston OACAC 2010. Facebook research & data presentation for the Middle East - social media and its usage in higher education recruitment. www.usegtours.comTRANSCRIPT
US Educational Group & Al Jamiat Usage in the Middle East
Opportunities in Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention For Higher Education
Regional Based Session
Sponsored students & Government scholarships: – Saudi Arabia – Qatar– Oman– Bahrain– Kuwait– United Arab Emirates
– Iraq– Libya– Kazakhstan– Azerbaijan
the recruitment gamehas changed
Social Media in Higher Education
Tools to help you
•Recruit ● Engage ● Retain A younger audience looking for information in non-traditional spaces
Social Media in Higher Education
relationships are what matter todayespecially in the Middle East, a culture built on relationships
social media
usage
July 2009facebook was the #1 most visited site in Lebanon & Tunisia
July 2010facebook is the #1 most visited site in Lebanon, Tunisia, Morocco & Indonesia
July 2010facebook is the #2 most visited site in Jordan, Egypt, UAE, Bahrain, Palestine, Sudan, Azerbaijan, Algeria, Libya
Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon
500% increase in total facebook users in the Middle East in the last 12 months
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Jul-09 Oct-09 Jan-10 Apr-10 Jul-10
wow
200% increase in total facebook users in just Saudi Arabia in last 12 months
from 780K to 2.4Million
facebook Users in the Middle EastJuly 2009
- 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Jordan
Lebanon
Morocco
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Total Users (1000's)
Between 17-27
Total Users on Facebook
This is your target audience!
780,000 users
800,000 total
facebook Users in the Middle EastJuly 2010
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Jordan
Lebanon
Morocco
UAE
Saudi Arabia
Total Users (1000's)
Between 17-27
Total Users on Facebook
2,385,740 users
Male / Female Users
0 500,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000
Oman
Palestine
Bahrain
Iraq
Qatar
Kuwait
Lebanon
Jordan
UAE
Tunisia
Morocco
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Women (17-27)
Men (17-27)
Saudi Users Between 40-65
-
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
7/1/09 10/1/09 1/1/10 4/1/10 7/1/10
why this sudden growth?
Explosive Growth
• Huge improvements in web-infrastructure• Strong investment in cell-satellites• Less ability for government censorship online• New way for separated population to interact
your future student is on facebook
you need a strategy
What is your Goal?
• Increase diversity in international student body
• Grow students from particular part of the world
• Reach and connect with potential students you don’t travel to
• Brand awareness
What is your Strategy on facebook?
• Increased interaction between alumni & students• Engage prospective students before they are on campus• Foster a warm environment for incoming students
• Generate leads• Increase traffic to specific program websites• Quantify $ spent vs. Inquiries generated
can it work?
Iraqi Student Outreach
• Targeted advertising & articles aimed at Iraqi students
• Months of Search Engine Optimization and article seeding
• Used new media to create buzz & interest
• Small ad campaign to niche market – total cost PPC $130
• Facebook Page created 1 year ago• Targeting Iraqi students currently living in Iraq • Ages between 17-28• Eligible for Scholarship• 47 Engaging conversations this week• 1 ad + Facebook Page request generated over 120 unique
student leads
Results?
Dates: July 27 – August 26, 2009
Al Jamiat Traffic Growth
yay
Great results, low dollar campaign, highly measurable, immensely successful, continued organic growth
Time consuming, many questions to answer, changing campaign to adjust to goals continually
Changing Expectations for InformationMillenials in the Middle East are
looking for
- Engagement- Choice- Understanding - Personalization
“All the websites look the same, its confusing” - Parul K.
“All the websites look the same, its confusing” - Parul K. “I would like to see
the basic information
for English programs
to be in Arabic” - Khaled
S.
“Sometimes it doesn’tseem like the collegeunderstands what I
am looking for culturally”
- Mariam A.
The time to reach these students is NOW
• Minimal competition for keywords• Audience still not immune to online marketing• Inexpensive ad campaigns can result in strong
branding• Excellent partner program to physical & traditional
recruiting
we want to talk to you!
Wassan Humadi
twitter.com/aljamiat
facebook.com/aljamiat
Joseph Humadi
617.923.6024