Emailing? So 2005. To Reach Chinese Millennials, Try Blogging, Networking & Instant Messaging

Amanda Mohar
Manager, PR & Communications

In a recent article, we highlighted the latest news found in CNNIC’s 25th Report on the Development of the Internet in China. Like much of the rest of the world, China’s youth is plugged in and logged on. Now, a study released by global consultant Accenture shows us the importance of digital technology to the Millennial generation.

The organization polled 5,595 Millennials (ages 14 – 27) from 13 countries and highlighted how recruiters and employers will need to adjust HR and IT strategies for these future employees, and how this tailoring will need to vary by region. Though not specifically directed towards those in the international education industry, the lesson for these recruiters is just as valid:
An aggressive, transformative digital strategy is critical in attracting students and recent grads from all corners of the world
and most essential in developing corners.

Across the globe, Millennials are…
     - Savvy
Millennials are the first to jump on the new tech bandwagon, using a diverse set of tools to acquire and exchange information, like social networks and mobile and instant messaging

     - Impatient
Millennials are also quick to abandon platforms for their preferred tools. Email? Too slow. Too tedious. Not collaborative. So yesterday. Millennials prefer employers, peers, (and yes, even admissions offices) use real-time chatting and quick micro-feeds.

     - Open
This generation believes digital resources and information should be free, and they are less inclined to abide by an employer’s privacy policy. The boundaries between professional and social lives are hazy, and Millennials share their opinions and experiences openly with their peers online.

     - Community-Oriented
User-generated content is the rule. In general, Millennials tend to prefer polling their virtual community for advice and feedback, rather than consulting the experts.

So how is China different from your home audience?
Chinese Millennials are…

     - More savvy
Asia-Pacific Millennials have a more positive perception of technology and spend more time (both in raw numbers and in percentage of time spent online) using real-time communications tools. At the same time, China, India and Brazil have effectively leap-frogged over more advanced countries, and users are more prone to adapt (and even drive the trend) towards emerging technologies.

     - More impatient
Without question, if you want to be part of the local conversation, be prepared to do it on their terms, though once you engage them, you’ll find Chinese Millennials to be extremely accessible. While young Chinese employees may email as often as their US counterparts, they spend far more time using their tools of choice than the rest of the world – over three times more on average (approx. 34 hours per week vs. 11). And just as they’re savvier and more inclined to adapt new technologies, Millennials from Brazil, India and China expect to use their preferred platforms over their employers’ choices.

     - More open
Millennials in China, Japan and Brazil were found to be the most open when writing about themselves and their friends online. The concept of openly posting opinions, experiences and thoughts is so prevalent that there are slightly more bloggers than emailers (57.7% vs. 56.8% of netizens) in China!

     - More community-oriented
Local young people may be listening to each other even more than they’re sharing. Four in five Millennials in China, compared to one in five internationally, use social networking for researching employers and colleagues (and, one can assume, foreign institutions). Additionally, to learn about employers and peers, Chinese Millennials prefer to poll their community rather than ask the expert – three in four use social networking more than half the time they’re conducting such research. This can be seen as a dramatic shift from more traditional Chinese beliefs of closely following the advice of an expert.

What does this mean for your promotions and recruitment in China?
Successful recruiters in China should...

     - Never ignore the local market culture
Seems obvious, but it can be easy to ignore. Clearly there are differences in how Chinese Millennials are communicating when compared to their peers elsewhere. Perhaps the most common mistake for institutions to make is to expect marketing activities to be universally successful across countries. It’s important to develop tailored strategies that reflect the attitudes, behavior, and actions of the local market in terms of structure, content and form. This enables the institution to create activities that are effective and personal, motivating the student to continue a dialogue with the institution.

Adjust for the Millennials, but don’t forget about their parents. The older generation are major players in the decision making process, and most have a strong preference for traditional media.

     - Embrace new media before the competition does
A necessity to successful recruitment is to not only establish a presence in the market but to surpass peer institutions when it comes to reaching the most talented students. Strategies that incorporate new-wave media allow foreign institutions to engage these students a) where they are and b) in a way that they respond to. Already, students are selecting top-echelon domestic institutions over foreign schools more frequently than before. With local students talking openly about their experiences, it’s no wonder that local schools have benefited from the discussion, creating brand exposure and an improved reputation. Foreign institutions looking to gain market share must then be more active and eager to find new opportunities to make connections with students in China if they want to outdo the competition.

     - Meet them on their turf
Institutions who choose not to engage Millennials in their terms won’t be part of the conversation. Young people in China would much rather consult a social networking site for information about your institution than wade through a dense website in a foreign language. The only way to guide Fortunately, there are countless opportunities to engage Millennials within digital platforms; they’re always plugged in. Chinese Millennials spend 14.8 hours a week playing web-based video games, compared to an international average of 3.4; 5.1 hours shopping online vs. 1 hour globally; and 5.3 hours in virtual worlds like Second Life, more than twelve times the world average.

     - Learn now
Develop a better understanding of the habits of the student market and their use of emerging technologies by continuing to follow news and blogs like ours!