In a groundbreaking announcement during the “2024 Zhihu Education Summit” on January 11th, Zhihu’s CEO and founder, Zhou Yuan, unveiled the independent operation of their vocational education brand, “Zhihu ZhiXueTang.” Stemming from Zhihu’s community-driven Q&A platform, this move marks a significant expansion into the vocational education sector, reflecting the platform’s evolution as a comprehensive knowledge-sharing hub.
Pioneering Strategies in Vocational Education
Since 2019, Zhihu has strategically ventured into vocational education, employing diverse approaches such as joint operations, self-operation, and external investments to establish a robust framework for vocational education services. By the end of 2023, vocational education-related content on Zhihu had amassed over a billion views, underscoring the platform’s pivotal role in this domain.
Therefore, for overseas education brands looking to establish a presence in China, Zhihu has emerged as a pivotal platform. With its extensive reach and engaged user base, Zhihu offers a unique opportunity for these brands to showcase their expertise and connect with Chinese students and professionals seeking educational opportunities abroad.
Empowering Education Brands
By leveraging Zhihu’s platform, overseas education brands can enhance their visibility and credibility in the Chinese market. Through strategic content marketing, targeted advertising campaigns, and active engagement with Zhihu’s community, these brands can effectively reach their target audience and generate valuable sales leads.
Content Marketing with Data Insights
Overseas education brands can leverage data analytics to inform their content marketing strategy on Zhihu. By analyzing user engagement metrics, such as views, likes, and shares, brands can identify trending topics and preferences among Chinese users interested in international education.
For example, a language school specializing in English proficiency exams analyzes Zhihu data to discover that topics related to TOEFL preparation are highly popular among Chinese users. Based on this insight, the school creates a series of informative articles providing TOEFL study tips and strategies, which garners high engagement from the Zhihu community.
Targeted Advertising with Data-driven Segmentation
Utilizing Zhihu’s advertising platform, overseas education brands can employ data-driven segmentation to target specific audience segments interested in international education, language learning, and career advancement.
For example, an overseas university offering MBA programs uses Zhihu’s demographic targeting feature to reach Chinese users aged 25-35 with undergraduate degrees in business-related fields. By tailoring their ad content to address the career advancement aspirations of this specific audience segment, the university achieves a higher click-through rate and leads generation.
Community Engagement with Case Studies
Actively engaging with Zhihu’s community through case studies can help overseas education brands build credibility and foster personal connections with potential students and professionals.
For example, study abroad agency shares a case study on Zhihu detailing a student’s successful experience of securing admission to a prestigious university abroad with the agency’s assistance. The case study highlights the agency’s expertise in navigating the complex application process and provides valuable insights for other Chinese students considering studying abroad, resulting in increased inquiries and leads for the agency.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Zhihu is a significant milestone in its evolution as a comprehensive knowledge-sharing platform. For overseas education brands, Zhihu represents a valuable gateway to enter the Chinese market and expand their reach among Chinese students and professionals. Therefore, by leveraging Zhihu’s resources and implementing strategic marketing and engagement strategies, these brands can establish a strong presence, enhance their brand awareness, and generate valuable sales leads in China’s thriving education sector. Please contact Deep Digital China for further strategy recommendations.