Coming to grips with digital and social media in China is no easy task. Between VPNs, firewalls and the influx of local alternative platforms, it can be a difficult market to gain cut-through. This presentation was part of a workshop during the Australia International Education Conference held in Tasmania in October 2017. It empowered participants to get beyond the great firewall and embrace digital and social media platforms in China, explored the most popular Chinese social media platforms, how they work and best practice case studies. Participants gained a better understanding of the differences between Western and Chinese platforms and how best to reach and engage prospective students. Key areas of focus included: * differentiating Western and Chinese online systems, such as search engines and social media platforms * leveraging the right digital marketing channels to reach prospective students in China * developing a marketing plan for Chinese students – marketing agencies versus campaigns developed in-house

1. China Social
Media
Management
and Content

2. Management: Discussion Groups
1. Issues you have experienced or will experience
2. In-house management or agent management?
3. How would you divide your resources between
websites and Wechat?

3. 目
录 Contents
PART 02
Market
Observations
PART 03
Managing
Social Media
PART 01
Background
PART 04
Content

4. Background
“Sinologist”
Worked in business,
government and
education
Social media manager
and writer
In-house and out-
sourced social media
• Studied Chinese at Sydney University
• 1975-1977 – exchange student in China
• 1979-90 – DFAT, incl. Australian
Embassy Beijing
• 1990-2009 – business consulting with
China
• 2009-2016 – Trade Commission,
Austrade Beijing:
2013-2016 Marcom Team leader
2015-2016 Education Team leader
• 2016-2017 – AD International USQ
• 2017 - GM, Linuo Australia

5. Linuo Group Overview
History
Founded 23 years
ago
Products&Services
Solar power,
healthcare & fine
chemicals
Revenue
12.8 billion RMB (2 billion
USD) in 2016
General
8 subsidiary groups with
more than 8000
employees
Linuo Australia Pty Ltd
joint research, investment,
marketing
R & D
Innovation platforms : 26
Authorized patents : 685
Invention patents : 156

6. Educationsocialmedia
today1 Social media can promote our
diversification agenda
1) Promoting a wider variety of courses and
pathways to overseas students
2) Enrichment of the Australian education
value proposition
3) Further sophistication and localisation of
marketing
4) Promoting regional education in Australia
5) Opening other regional/provincial
markets within our key markets
Queensland Government/EQI
Study Brisbane
Study Toowoomba
Universities
Partner colleges
USQ
Queensland Tourism
(Austrade, Tourism Australia)

7. Bobby the Purple Lavender Bear
薰衣草小熊

8. Lake Tyrrell 天空
之境

9. .
Chinesesocialmedia
today2 Only the post 1990-
2000 generation users
are experts.
Wechat is their
lifestyle, not media
They are decisive
consumers, quick to
adapt to technology
The younger generation leads
China’s culture &
consumption - teachers of the
older generation.
Talk to them directly to
understand what the market
needs – your students can be
your in-house experts

10. TheMarket
Motivation
“China’s GDP ranks second in the
world, but we feel dissatisfied that
the quality of education in China
has made so little progress over 60
years since the founding of new
China.”
“The in-depth and precise Chinese
education system does not have
the openness, innovation and
focus on holistic education that is
found in the West. The
combination of these two systems
supplements the shortcomings of
a Chinese education…”
Yu Minhong, New Oriental
Why Australia?
Australia-China relations
• Trade: agribusiness, processed F&B,
resources, services
• Investment
• Tourism
• International Education
The Premium Australia brand – solutions

11. • Have big data and other
technology largely replaced
the need to understand
another country’s culture,
language and history?
Marketintellgenceiskeyto
sales=internationalisationis
localisation
• Recent article published by an
officer in Israeli army
intelligence:
a) originally the point of
intelligence was to analyse
the enemy leadership’s
motivation and military
capacity
b) today the international
situation is more complicated
- we also need to analyse the
motivation of normal citizens
and non-government groups.
We rely on big data to give
fast and accurate answers. In
doing so, we neglect the

12. ManagingSocial
Media1
Austrade:
1) in-house marcom team
managed Austrade general
account
1) Outsourced Austrade
Education Team account
Everyone:
What is your
current practice?

13. Austrade social media platforms in China
Sites Category Management
WeChat Mobile chat China Marketing Team
Sina weibo Micro blogging China Marketing Team
Tencent weibo Micro blogging China Marketing Team
Sina blog Blogging China Marketing Team
Youku Video sharing China Marketing Team
QQ video Video sharing China Marketing Team
Linkedin Mining & Environment China Professional SNS China Industry Team
Linkedin Built Environment Professional SNS China Industry Team
LinkedIn Health and Senior Living Professional SNS China Industry Team
Austrade Internet Radio Podcasts China Marketing Team
Future Unlimited WeChat Mobile chat AUS Recent (Future Unlimited contracted agency)
FU Sina weibo Micro blogging AUS Recent
FU Tencent weibo Micro blogging AUS Recent
FU Youku Video sharing AUS Recent
FU sina blog Blogging AUS RecentDiversification: Australia’s Path to Growth
in the China Education Market
13

14. ManagingSocial
Media2 Choices: Many Paths, One
Heaven
Managed by your institution’s
• Marketing/Communication team?
• International team?
• Regional managers?
• In country representative?
Outsourced agencies
• Education agency?
• PR/Social media company?
• In Australia or in China?

15. Subscription Account
• Content strategy
• Cooperation with other accounts
Friends moments
• Loyal reader moments
• Official and personal posts
Wechat groups
• Groups led by our staff
• Groups run by students, agents, partner institutions, etc
Managingsocial
media3

16. Advantage:
Understand the brand requirements for
promotional content, including images,
videos, tone, and university domestic
content.
MarketingTeam
management1
Structural issues:
1) Organisations seem
to have more staff
managing brand
than writing
content.
1) Branding
authoritarianism

17. Prerequisites:
- real and up-to-date
knowledge of China:
language and market
- Understanding your
institution
- Able to slalom between
/ weave together policy
and relevance
In-house
management2
You need to:
• Create content
• Engage your audience – e.g.
time zone, language, culture,
• Cope with China’s policy and
politics
• Leverage your own
institution’s procedures
• Win your management’s
blessing
• Resources

18. Operations
Manager
Business
Development
Manager
Business
Development
(2)
Channel
Manager
Channels (3)
Data Analysis
Dept
Data Analysis
(3)
Customer
Relationship
Manager
Customer
Relationship
(3)
Activities
Manager
Activities
Support (5)
Strategic
Development
Dept
Capability
Development
Dept (3)
In-house management resources 3

19. • Quality control
• Cost advantages,
maybe?
• Creativity/fun
• IP control
*Image courtesy Melville Guitars, from
Austrade Wechat about music and food
in Australia
In-housemanagement
advantages4

20. • When resources are limited, you can outsource to
China or Australia
• Why?
– Budget constraints
– Lack of time to create content
– Language barrier
– Lack of current market knowledge
– Time difference
Outsourcing1

21. • Know the audience
• Know the language
• Flexibility to suit your needs
• Specialise in the education industry
Outsourcing
Advantages2

22. Tasks:
• Key in-house manager has to be appointed
• Weekly/fortnightly meeting sessions
• Use as much original content as possible
• Draw up a social media post schedule and regularly
review it
• Schedule for website updates/ work reviews/
benchmarking
• Regular reports/updates
• Preview the content prior to publication
Managing
Outsourcing3

23. Considerations:
• Do they represent any competing companies -
almost always do
• Content approval prior to publication
• Their staff turnaround
• Is the outcome useful and productive?
• Is it better to work with a China-based or Australia-
based agent?
Outsourcingissues
4

24. Content:Design1
Weixin is probably the best designed and managed app in
China。

25. Design2

26. Design3

27. Translating Facebook and Twitter posts will
often not work – customisation
Incorporate priorities in message plans;
remember your long-term objectives
Less wordy, more visuals
Seek cross promotional assistance -
Destination Education
Tone of voice – entertaining and interactive
Be responsive and consistent. Manage
negative feedback thoughtfully
Content1
What makes good
content?
What is most popular?
Advantages of managing
Chinese media content:
1) Unintelligible to most
senior management
and marketing staff
2) Can be much more
creative

28. Content-Your
Audience2
Specific issues:
The reaction in China to Sydney
Uni’s failure of Commerce and
Accounting Masters students.
Some media comments were
negative (but mainly coming out
of Australia); most local Chinese
commentary was positive.
The whole issue probably
bolstered the university’s
reputation in market.

29. Content:Whatis
Popular1
Austrade:
• Readership boost during
critical events, e.g.
Chinese New Year,
ChAFTA, high level visits,
trade disputes
ChAFTA:
• Interview with Senior
Trade Commissioner about
ChaFTA details
• Weiguan: ChAFTA (Nov
2014) – effect on Chinese
family – reprinted in daily
press
Infant formula (April 2013, Chengdu)
NZ imposed restrictions on number
of formula tins that could be
purchased at any one time.
“Australia is increasing production to
meet increased demand. If there
are any restrictions, they are being
imposed by individual retailers”

30. Content:Whatis
Popular2
Chinese New Year
Stories:
Facts and humour

31. Content:Whatis
Popular3
High level visits:
Xi Jinping
Story of Australian teddy
bears

32. Content:Whatis
Popular4
General interest:
• What is wrong with
English fish and chips –
five reasons why you
should try Australia’s
ugraded version of fish
and chips
• Have a glass of Australian
beer
• The Snowflakes are Falling
– the origin of Chinese
skiing (congratulating
China on winning its
Winter Olympics bid)

33. Content:non-
mainstreampromotion
Regional University:
• Destination Education – have to sell the
entire student experience, so that
perceptions of shortcomings can be
overcome
• Appeal to specific markets – specialised
subjects, mature age PG, individualists,
partner institutions
• Most popular - scholarship information
• Best content - stories written by Chinese
students
• Toowoomba’s brunch spots
• Why I moved to a regional university
• Bird songs around campus

34. MeasuringContent6
• WeChat public accounts also pay for fake subscribers, like
Weibo account holders, in order to attract more advertisers
• WeChat did not give accurate figures when readers came from
other platforms or used non-mobile devices
• You might need to add 50-100% to reach your actual
readership numbers
• Useful readers – keep thinking about who your audience really
is, and how to target them

35. Content-Your
Audience7
• Our common and basic problem is we often don’t know whom we are
talking to, so we can’t know what to say.
• Compared to our own society, the generational differences in China
are drastic, not gradual. You need to identify the right group of people
as your market, and tailor your brand and student experience to
them.
• Learning about your audience is a never-ending process. The
motivations of your students will be different to their parents; while
your partner schools and agents all have their own motivations. You
have to talk to these different audiences.

36. Linuo Group
Sunshine and Health -
Creating a Better Life
Linuo Australia Pty Ltd
Email: david.dukes@linuogroup.com
Web:www.linuo.com