The Value of Translations in International Student Recruitment
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Let's explore five areas colleges and organizations can use native language content successfully to reach key demographics: web, print, communications flow, video, and live chats to recruit and enroll international students. By examining case studies and a review of best practices, let's see what works well and what doesn't.
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The Value of Translations in International Student Recruitment
- 1. The Value of Translations in International Student Recruitment: Successful Use of Native Language Content Marty Bennett, President, Social Media & Int’l Education Consulting Karen Bauer, REAC – Middle East, South & Central Asia, EducationUSA Marie Whalen, Associate Director, Int’l Admissions, Whitworth University
- 2. Session Objectives 2 Understand the value of/need for translations in international student recruitment strategies. Learn from case studies on successes and failures of implementing translations, which type of services work best for different media. Identify, from an institutional perspective, what areas make most sense to introduce translations of key information into existing communications with prospective students and their parents.
- 3. 3 What Value do Translations Bring to International Student Recruitment?
- 4. What is the value of translations? 4 • Survey data results • Intuitive value • Engagement • Sharing • Respect • Increased prospect generation Source: Study in the USA data
- 5. 5 Q. How useful is it for universities to translate information into your local language? asked student users of 12 microsites in 10 different languages plus English IDP Connect survey of Hotcourses student users Spring 2019 58%27% 15% Hotcourses Abroad Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 50% 40% 10% India Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 77% 21% 2% Latin America Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful
- 6. 6 How useful is it for universities to translate information into your local language? IDP Connect survey of Hotcourses student users 73% 23% 4% Middle East Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 81% 19% 0% Brazil Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 68% 27% 5% Turkey Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful
- 7. 7 How useful is it for universities to translate information into your local language? IDP Connect survey of Hotcourses student users 56% 43% 1% Russia Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 90% 8% 2% Thailand Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 53% 30% 17% Vietnam Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful
- 8. 8 How useful is it for universities to translate information into your local language? IDP Connect survey of Hotcourses student users 72% 28% 0% Korea Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 92% 8% 0% Indonesia Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful 50% 40% 10% China Responses Very useful Somewhat useful Not Useful
- 9. • Brand awareness • Mobile apps • Targeted campaigns • Segmented messaging 9 What can be done with translations?
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- 11. 11 What works well, what doesn't? Where can institutions get the most bang for their buck/pound with translated materials?
- 13. What works well, what doesn't? 13 • Web/social media • Print • Video • Communications flow • In-person events • Online chats
- 14. • Information about institution, admissions, costs, scholarships • Videos either recorded in native languages and/or subtitled in different languages. 14 Online Content – The Good
- 15. • Information about institution, admissions, costs, scholarships in PDF format – less traffic • Over-reliance on Google Translate (Study in the States & EducationUSA) 15 Online Content – The NOT So
- 16. I. What Didn’t Work I. Overviews & info on our website, translated into 9 languages, including Chinese, Arabic, Spanish, French, Korean, Vietnamese. II. Data analytics over 1.5 years = 95%+ of prospects were reading the overviews in English. The highest usage of translations = Arabic & Chinese 16 Whitworth Case Studies
- 17. 17 Case Studies—What NOT To Do Why Didn’t It Work? 1. There were too many languages 2. The text was generic and not targeted 3. The text was too lengthy 4. The layout was unappealing 5. Our prospective students possess English proficiency The translation project wasn’t made strategically and it wasn't data driven
- 18. • Translators who are not who they are supposed to be 18 • Translators who are senior students, young adults In person events - the bad - the good
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- 24. What are the best practices for using translations in student recruitment? 24
- 25. Who will be responsible for translations & related activities & campaigns? What level(s) of expertise does your staff possess? How many staff could assist with developing and executing translation projects? Human Resources 25 Practical Considerations for Campuses: Bandwidth & Budget
- 26. What are the best practices in translations? 26 Good resource articles: • The Need for Foreign Language Translations, IDP Connect, June 2018 • The Role of Translation in International Student Recruitment, Intead, April 2019 • Translating Your Materials for International Student Recruitment, Inside Higher Ed, August 2017
- 27. • Best for targeted audiences • Immediate response • Highly engaged audiences when done right • Reusable for print & messaging • Locally-hosted, language versions of content 27 Website Content
- 28. • For targeted audiences • Highly engaged audiences when done right • Reusable on the web as a resource, for e-mail as part of segmented messaging campaigns 28 Print Materials
- 29. • Best for targeted audiences • Immediate response • Highly engaged audiences when done right • Reusable when recorded • Timing of events is key • Beneficial from prospective student through to pre-departure chats 29 Live Chats
- 30. 30 Translated Social Media Content
- 31. • Native language videos – best when it’s scripted where you know the accuracy of answers. • Subtitles/captioning – Yes! 508 compliance Watching videos on mobile devices 31 Videos
- 32. 32 I. What Has Worked? I. Short video testimonials in students’ native languages II. Translators at large college fairs outside the U.S., such as EducationUSA fairs, where there are often parents whose English is minimal or who may simply be uncomfortable speaking English III. On the domestic side—translating admission and financial aid information into Spanish for domestic students has been successful, due to strategic and data-driven implementation. II. Current Projects I. Create more short testimonial videos in markets we are developing II. Create one-page informational handouts in select languages, with data important to international students & families Whitworth Case Study
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- 34. 34 Thank You and Questions?
- 35. 35 Martin A. Bennett President Social Media and International Education Consulting Email: marty.bennett@smieconsulting.org Marie Whalen Associate Director, International Admissions & Recruitment Whitworth University Email: mwhalen@whitworth.edu Karen Bauer Regional Educational Advising Coordinator – Middle East & South/Central Asia EducationUSA Email: kbauer@educationusa.org Contact Us
- 36. 36 Please complete this session evaluation NOW! Or FAVORITE now and EVALUATE later!
Editor's Notes
- Target Audience International Enrollment Management Content Focus Areas Innovations in Recruitment and Marketing Learning Objectives Session Abstract Let's explore five areas colleges and organizations can use native language content successfully to reach key demographics: web, print, communications flow, video, and live chats to recruit and enroll international students. By examining case studies and a review of best practices, let's see what works well and what doesn't.
- Main Points for Topic/Section 1 – 10 Minutes Analyze recent survey data on student and parent preferences. Marty – survey data from HC Identify target audiences for translations. BCU – priority markets, where apps coming from, all non-English speaking priority markets – for their 5 sec video shorts, Diwali (Hindi/English), Whitworth –Has been using FB ads to target certain cities, countries. Idea for the future – language newsletters to parents Consider which platforms/communications make most sense for investing in translating content and at the different stages of the student journey – inquiring, applying, or admitted BCU- China website – local partner, international guide translated; Thai agent video production – all local language; pre-sessional English – animated explainer video – (website is too text heavy now – landing page campaigns – for 3 main markets) Whitworth = Brand awareness campaigns – use translations. Not too formal or informal is a delicate balance – using professional translators for that. EducationUSA - Examples of EducationUSA App in the UAE, in Arabic as well (+India and Mexico City)
- 50% or more of all Google searches are in languages other than English Keep in mind if students are interested in your English program many of the students (or parents) inquiring probably do not speak English. They may be hesitant to respond in English. In general, there will be a lower response rate. Long emails, forms, etc. in English, especially ones in which they have to write their responses, can also be intimidating. If you're going to make a really big, expensive, life changing decision you're going to want to read the information carefully and in your language. 75% of consumers said they were more likely to buy a product online if the information was available in their native language.* Many students find our site on foreign search engines and other linkages, bypassing content and entry points in English. Use professional translators for your material not machine translation
- Main Points for Topic/Section 2 – 20 Minutes Explore EducationUSA Amreeka 101 Arabic language series of videos and other examples from advising centers around the world. Karen – video series data with both Amreeka101 and the UAE Ambassadors Video. Student video examples from Turkmenistan. Discuss Birmingham City University’s series of holiday video shorts for different national/cultural celebrations, BCU’s China website, brochure and social media, as well as parent pages. English language courses (for students who have IELTS 4.0), translated content allows students to understand what’s on offer. (low cost website translations – 400 words to Arabic 75 pounds) BCU- using students and intl faculty for translations BCU LinkedIn allows for country separate posting – foreign language versions– Taiwan Examine Whitworth U.’s university overview website content translated into 12 languages. PDFs don’t get a lot of traffic – why? data analytics show that translated copy (in PDF format) on site isn’t effective, except for some use on Arabic for students. Review U. of Findlay’s translated travel pieces – 4 languages. Double check services provided – lessons learned Review vendor selection criteria Get testimonials from potential vendors – follow-up with them Have current students review translations for effectiveness, accuracy Typically – professional translators are very expensive. If doing it in house, have work done to review initial translations (faculty > students)
- -Know your audience. The data will illuminate this: --what kind of students do you attract? What do you know about the parents of those students? The majority of int'l students who apply to Whitworth are proficient, and so are many (though certainly not all) of their parents. -Understand recruitment marketing: --International students (or high school students in general) aren't going to read lengthy pages of text. They went key facts, presented in an eye-appealing way, with photos and/or graphics—preferably ones that are culture-sensitive. --Know what is important to students and families from specific markets. If you do translations, make sure it targets key concerns.
- Main Points for Topic/Section 3 – 25 Minutes Discuss different platform advantages websites – MB - local hosted, Hotcourses example. social media – MB -FB & LinkedIn – country specific posts, China – whole different game, Russia – Vkontakte; chat apps – eg. Malaysia. KMB in Arabic Print – BCU - summer school guide, incoming student guide (Erasmus), academic brochure. Quick and easy flyers (current intl student prospectus –i.e. course catalog) communication flows – BCU – China comms segmented out – pushed out through KMB EducatinUSA Academy handouts Chinese S.M.; WhatsApp – regional managers (3 of 6) would be using native language China, Taiwan, SE Asia/India) videos – BCU – holiday, Thai regional manager (agent video). Basic English video – animated live chat – BCU, English tour streamed to Chinese social media (this Spring, before Easter) in-country events – BCU in Mandarin for China, most others in English, some UK events – post-grad fairs; Whitworth - EdUSA fairs – SE Asia and beyond – translators at fairs, plus handouts with key info translated for parents (hard data -% of 4-yr degree completion, 100% of grads admitted to grad schools, OPT approval/job placement rates, key points, and testimonials, stories) Phone App - KMB in Arabic Webinars - KMB
- -Working with translations is time-consuming.& requires expertise -If working with print resources and/or social media, who will be in charge—admissions or the marketing/PR department, or both? -D
- On the ground EducationUSA fairs in Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, spring 2017 Connected with over 1000 students in person Handed out cards with info for the chat, invited parents to join Set-up live video chat with a current Vietnamese student two days later 253 students and parents participated in the live video chat
- On the ground EducationUSA fairs in Hanoi & Ho Chi Minh City, spring 2017 Connected with over 1000 students in person Handed out cards with info for the chat, invited parents to join Set-up live video chat with a current Vietnamese student two days later 253 students and parents participated in the live video chat