The key to engaging Chinese students and getting your accommodation brand front of mind is through the networks that students interact with on an almost daily basis. Our activation team at TONG has a wealth of experience in integrating our marketing activity with these digital spaces, which are crucial to Chinese students’ lives, before, during, and after studying abroad. Such communities are formed from pre-existing student networks known as CSSAs, they can be grown by KOLs on Chinese social media, and with the right digital strategy, targeted communities can be fostered by brands themselves.
Chinese Student and Scholar Associations (CSSA)
CSSAs are an early point of contact for many Chinese students before they even set foot in the UK to study. As official university societies set up by Chinese students, they are well-managed organisations that can be found at any UK university with Chinese students. CSSAs provide a credible voice from students who already study or have graduated from universities, addressing concerns of new students, while building solid communities based on a common background through social events.
At TONG we have collaborated with regional CSSAs on offline events, allowing the brands we represent to be a part of their experience of finding a welcoming community abroad.
We have allowed CSSAs to use client accommodation spaces to run social activities, allowing students to get a feel for an accommodation building and its facilities while doing something fun, surrounded by familiar faces.
Our team has had the pleasure of working with several CSSAs to arrange such evenings, managing organisation and communications with the student societies and acting as a point of contact for both student and accommodation stakeholders.
Putting budget into perks such as games, prizes, and snacks favoured by Chinese students, we have curated several successful events that allow students to really experience the warmth of an accommodation space.
Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs)
Chinese influencers can set trends on almost anything, as they can in any culture. However, it is fair to say that studying abroad is more of a pronounced subculture in China than it is in a lot of countries.
By 2021, despite the pandemic, well over one million Chinese students were studying abroad. Student KOLs are part of this subculture and often lead the way in tastemaking, helping students find the hottest spots to visit, and simply reassuring students on how to get set up and thrive abroad.
There is a wealth of social content on how to apply to top universities and get work abroad. Equally, quality content on living advice produces impressive conversion rates for sales-driven campaigns. There are KOLs particular to renting in the UK for Chinese students and also micro-influencers who have committed social followings in particular UK cities, allowing for targeted campaigns on behalf of regional properties.
TONG have worked with several accommodation residents who are themselves influencers, giving the most first-hand experience of a building possible. Creative freedom also allows tastemakers to produce great localised content. This can really bolster brand equity and allows students to feel like they’re in the shoes of the influencer.
Nurturing Your Own Communities
Inspired by CSSAs, TONG have worked to develop regional student clubs centred around accommodation communities. Over the past three years, we have worked to grow and sustain Chinese Student and Scholar Clubs (CSSCs) for one of the UK’s largest accommodation providers. This has allowed us to establish and nurture close-knit networks in regions across the UK.
Beginning with a network in London, we helped to set up and manage WeChat group chats across accommodation sites and the wider city, connecting students in neighbourhoods and across the capital. We also integrated pre-existing student-run group chats into our own, building on organic communities, helping to further mature the communities we sought to support.
These group chats serve as a means of monitoring sentiment, allowing us to respond to student needs in real time. We provide perks to members by collaborating with local Asian supermarkets and food providers, giving that added sense of comfort to students in a brand new environment. They also function as great sales tools, brands can encourage rebooking and even provide incentives such as discount codes.
How to Get Going
In summary, engaging with Chinese students requires a deep understanding of the networks, both digital and physical, that define their lives. At TONG we’ve been part of these networks for almost a decade and continue to foster communities and a sense of belonging among students in the UK. To tap into these existing spaces and build your own for your accommodation brand, it all starts with asking where you are now, what you can do to further integrate with Chinese students, and how you devise a strategy.
