The impact of social network to student’s choice an education consultant agency solution of marketing on social network for OSI

Introduction

Nowadays,socialnetworkhasdevelopedverywidelyandstrongly.Itallowsp e o p l e toconnectwithfamily,friends,toshareallinformationwithallusers.Theinnov ationoftechnologyhasplayingakeyroleandapowerfultoolininfluencinga n d changi ngbehaviourofconsumer.Socialnetworkhasbecome moreandmorepopularasthedai lylife,sothesetoolshasbeenperceivedassourcesforcustomert o searchinformationa boutproductsorserviceduringtheirbuyingdecisionprocess.

Social networks serve as vital platforms for sharing information, experiences, and reviews that engage users, including friends and followers (Sinem Ozer, 2012) These platforms not only provide helpful resources but also significantly influence consumer purchasing decisions (Seaman, 2013) Additionally, social networks have emerged as one of the most effective marketing and business development tools in recent years Customers often rely on the information shared on these networks as guidance in their decision-making processes Furthermore, businesses utilize social media as an advertising channel to reach potential customers, ultimately enhancing their opportunities for growth and success (Seaman, 2013).

Since 2015, global internet and social network usage has surged by 21%, with 2.8 billion users reported in 2017 (Kemp, 2017) Social networks have transformed communication, information gathering, and decision-making, especially for young students and modern parents, who increasingly rely on these platforms for peer-to-peer interactions (Kemp, 2017) A significant 83% of prospective students utilize social networks to research study abroad opportunities As globalization and advancements in science and technology continue, studying abroad has become essential for many young individuals aspiring to achieve the "Global Citizen" dream, broadening their knowledge beyond traditional educational methods This experience enhances students' awareness of diverse cultures, fostering a deeper understanding of today's society compared to conventional education in their home countries (Johnson and Stewart, 1991) Additionally, Kinginger (2007) noted that students who study abroad often exhibit superior cognitive and creative thinking skills compared to those with solely local educational experiences.

Oneofthereasonswhystudyingabroadisbecomingincreasinglyimportanti s that globalizationhasopenedupinternationalemploymentopportunities.Qiang(2003)observ edthatt h e r e i s a noticeableincreasei n t h e numbero f internationall a b o r recruitment d u e t o globalization.Thiscreatesa n e e d f o r competitioni n t h e internationallabormar ketwhichaffectsmanystudentsinseekingopportunitiestoenhancetheircareerprospects byachievinghighqualityeducationwithqualificationswhicharerecognizedaroundthew orld(Mpinganjira,2009).U p ton o w , theconceptofoverseasstudyhasbeendevelo pedanditseemtobepotentialservice business.Overseasstudyhasbeen becomingtheeducational activities.

The rise of social networks has significantly impacted how enterprises communicate with potential consumers, particularly in the education consultancy sector, which aims to influence the choices of parents and students According to Morris (2012), students increasingly rely on social networks to assist in their university selection process These platforms serve as valuable resources for prospective students to gather information and make informed decisions about studying abroad and choosing destinations (We Are Social Report, 2017) Students utilize a variety of information sources, including the internet, social networks, newspapers, word of mouth, education consultancies, and government resources, to aid in their decision-making.

Despite the wide range of information sources available, overseas students often struggle to make informed decisions regarding their course selection and job prospects after completing specific programs This highlights the necessity for professional advice and guidance in their decision-making process Social networks play a significant role in assisting students with university choices, presenting an opportunity for educational agencies to enhance their visibility and attract prospective students With the rising demand for studying abroad in Vietnam, there has been a notable increase in education consulting agencies aimed at helping students navigate the study abroad process The competitive landscape has led to the emergence of numerous agencies, such as OSI Vietnam, which face challenges in adapting to technological advancements while seeking proactive strategies to engage prospective students through social networks.

OSIVietnam has been in the market for over 20 years but remains relatively unknown and unsuccessful As a small enterprise with only 12 employees, the company faces unreasonable job allocation, requiring each employee to juggle multiple roles, which hampers marketing effectiveness While employees receive training in professional counseling and customer care, they lack marketing training, and the absence of a specialized marketing department has led to ineffective publicity and a narrow focus on visa application processing With a very low marketing budget, the company struggles to engage in communication activities and organize events Consequently, OSIVietnam requires a cost-effective yet impactful marketing plan to enhance its visibility and success.

Eventhought he companyh a s website:www.osivietnam.comandf a n pa ge o n Facebookb u t doesn o t regularlyu p d a t e , refresht h e contenta s w e l l a s d o n o t h a v e specialistsinchargesoitdoesnotbringeffectivemarketingforthecompany.Theyonlyha dineffectivemarketingpolicieslikeannually;thecompanycoordinateswiththeThanhNie nNewspapertoparticipateinthegraduatingseasonconsultancyprogram.Althougheffecti veimmediatelya t t h a t timeb u t d o e s n o t b r i n g long-termandstable effects.

Furthermore,thecompetitorsareusingsocialnetworkingandmarketingonlinev e r y strongs o t h e r e i s f e w e r customersk n o w a n d willingt o chooseO S I Vietnamand traditionalapproachmentstrategyhasbecomepassiveandoutdatedsot h e companynee dtothinkaboutchangingandreplacingthemarketingplanassoona s possibleor theywilldecreaseday byday.

OSI Vietnam is currently facing significant challenges in acquiring new customers through traditional methods and relationships, as recognized by their director Understanding the need to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment, the company acknowledges that a passive approach will lead to being left behind in a highly competitive landscape An author, who has a personal connection to OSI Vietnam, is motivated to help the company navigate this difficult period After discussions with the board, it became clear that establishing a marketing department is essential, albeit constrained by a limited budget Consequently, the author has identified social media marketing as an effective tool to enhance OSI Vietnam's image and reach a broader audience within the social community.

AndauthorchoseOSIVietnambecauseauthorusedtobecounsellorofthatcompan y,soIknowtheyarelackingthemarkingstrategyeventheirserviceisgood butwithoutadvertisementt h e y w i l l l o s e t h e i r businesst o o t h e r competitors.S o , n e x t sectionauthorwillintroduce about

OSIVietnamandtheirproblemthatneedtoh a v e solutionformarketingcampaignasthere asonwhyauthordothisresearchtoh e l p them issuetheircurrentproblem.Whethersocialnetworkhasagreatimpactoncustomer’smakin gprocessa n d t h e r e havemanyresearchesa b o u t t h i s issueb u t u n t i l nowtherear enospecificstudiesforthisfieldinVietnam.So,inthisstudy,authorchoosest h e topic“

Theimpacto f s o c i a l networktostudent’schoicea n Educationconsultantagency:So lutiono f marketingo n socialnetworkforO S I Vietnam”

Researchobjectivesandresearchquestions

Scopeofresearch

Students:w h o havealreadyh a d studentvisat o studyabroadb y Educationconsult antcentres.T h e y h a v e g o n e throught h e selectionprocesst o makef i n a l dec ision,thereforunderstandt h e m willh e l p authorfindo u t whichfactorshavebr oughtthehighestefficienciesandhowsocialnetworkplaysaroleandwhichsoci alnetworkingsitestheyhaveusedintheprocessoftheirchoice.I n t h i s thesis,a u t h o r willfocuso n s t u d e n t s w h o studiedi n USA,CanadaandAustralia.

- OSIVietnamStaff:Theyknowtheproblemsandtheneeds.Theyhavemoreefficie ntmarketingcampaignst o attractm o r e studentsa n d developtheirbusiness.

- Educationcounsellors:authorchoosestointerviewbecausetheyareworkingi n th ecompanywherehasbeenrunningmarketingonlinesothatwecanseemoreclearl ytheeffectiveofsocial networkingmarketing.Thengive solutionf r o m theirexperience tohelpOSIVietnam developtheirmarketingstrategy.

- Parents:theyhavethemostinfluenceonstudentontheirstudyabroaddecision.Acc ordingtoresearchofMcFadden(2015),thereisnearly60%ofprospectivestudent sreporttheyresearchschoolswiththeirparents,and61%o f p a r e n t s saidthatthey willmadethefinal decision.

In thisresearch,authorhasusedbothprimaryandsecondarydatasources.S e c o n d a r y data:allinformationwasfoundedonbooks,magazines,internet andPrimarydata:hasappliedsurveymethodthroughquestionnaires.

Semis t r u c t u r e interview’sobjectivei s e x p l o r i n g t h e i n s i g h t s andspeci ficinformation.

Inthisstudy,authorchoosedirectinterviewonebyonewith4kindsofresearchobjectiv estotaketheiropinionstodevoteintotheresearchasmuchideasfr om manydifferent subjects,there are13participantsacceptto jointheinterviews:

- Students:whoareinternationalstudentsinUSA,Canada,theyarethep e r s o n s t hatsuccessfulstu de nt visabyO S I Vietnam.Authorcontactedthemf o r invitingth einterviewandmadetheconversationonebyoneonFacebookmessenger,Zalo, Sk ype…

Theyare veryhappyandsatisfiedwithOSIVietnama n d promiset o s h a r e eve ry promotionf r o m OS I Vietnamo nsocialnetworks.

- Parents:a u t h o r madeintervieww i t h 2 p a r e n t s w h o a r e workingw i t h O S I Vietnamf o r t h e i r childrent o studyabroad.T h e y k n e w OSIthroughtheirfri ends’introductionandtheyalsosaidthatwithoutsomeonetoldt h e m t h a t companyt hentheywillnotknowwhotheyareandnevercomesotheytotallyagreedthatOSIsh ouldhavemarketingtopromotetheirbrandtomanypeopleespeciallyonsocialnetw ork.

- Boardo f directoro f O S I Vietnam:directoro f OSIVietnama n d Officemanag erdiscussedaboutthelackofmarketingcampaignoftheenterpriseandt h e y a r e fa cingwithloosingmanystudentsandtheydemonstratedO SI mustchangetoadaptto newtechnologyera.Thatwhytheyacceptauthortodothethesiswithusingitasthereal case.

- ReferencefromthemarketerandcounsellorfromotherAgents:Thesep e o p l e haveexperienceofmarketingonEducationfieldinotherAgents,theya r e evenesta blishedlaterthanOSIVietnam,buttheyarenowevengrowingfasterthanOSIbec ausetheyhavetheactiveapproachmentonsocialnetworksw h e r e h a v e a w h o l e worldcommunity.Theyg a v e authormanyi d e a s a b o u t h o w t o domarketingonsocialforstudyingabroaddemand.

Theinterviewstookaround30minutesto45minutes,andsometroublewitht h e ti mezone andinternetso someoftherecordswere notgoodbutafterthat authoralsore- contactedforcompletingthetranscriptversions.Throughthetimedoingmythesis,author isinrushseasonatworkingsoshehadtravelledalot.Butafterall,s h e triedherbesttocom pletethesisontime.

Thisstudyusescombinationofqualitative.Qualitativeresearchisthemethodwit hcollectinginformationwithoutnumericalformanditusuallyrelatedtot h e emotionsofh uman,orbehavior.Discoveringtheexperienceofparticipantsinaqualitatives t u d y i s v i e w e d a s a phenomenologicalapproach.Furthermore,

Qualitativeresearchissuitabletoanswerthequestionof“How”and“Why”(Henninketal.,2 011).

The attitude, values, and behavior of researchers should be acknowledged at the beginning of qualitative research, as they play a crucial role throughout the study A prime example of qualitative research is group interviews, which utilize structured questions that allow for open-ended responses, enabling respondents to articulate their thoughts in their own words This approach facilitates in-depth analysis and a genuine understanding of the respondents' perspectives on the research problem However, it can be time-consuming and is limited by the number of respondents involved (Palys & Atchison, 2014) Qualitative research is fundamentally exploratory, aiming to uncover the reasons, opinions, and motivations behind certain phenomena (Palinkas et al., 2015; Flick, 2015) Researchers often identify trends through qualitative methods, which can be unstructured or semi-structured, with interviews being the most common approach (Robson & McCartan, 2016) Ultimately, the chosen technique should provide valuable insights into the core issues being studied.

T h i s insightmayincludet h e responseso f t h e participants,t h e i r commentsorideas (Tayloretal,2015).

InthisstudyauthorchoosethechoicemodelofEngle,1995;Kardes,Cronley,C l i n e (2011)ashermainmodeltofollowandgivemorefindingabouthowsocialnetworkscan b e effectiveo n eachstep.T h e r e a r e f i v e steps:N e e d ; Informationsearch;Evaluateo f Alternative;Purchasedecisiona n d P o s t purchase.F o l l o w i n g f i v e steps,ithast heirownfactorsthatcanbethereasonforfurtherstepsandfinaldecision

Findingofthisresearchfoundthateffectofsocialnetworkwillbestrongonstep2( Informationsearch)andstep3(EvaluationofAlternative)becausestudentsw i l l nearly 100%gotointernetandsocialnetworkforseekingandtakingalltheirconcernssoeverypo sitiveornegativerecommendationwillbetheirissue.OnStep1 (Need),theeffectjustme diumsincewhattheyseeonsocialnetworkwithgoodperformancet h e n w i l l b e t h e i r motivationt o k n o w exactlywhatt h e y w a n t andw h e r e t o g o Goingt o step4, itjustt h e mostdependsonactualserviceandconsultantskillofAgentsandhowmuchthey givetheircustomersbeliefthenmoreopportunityo f businesst h e y canw i n T he laststep( Postpurchase)w i l l closef o r decisionmakingprocessofthispersonbutwillbethenextbe ginningstepsofothers t u d e n t s

Thisresearchb r i n g s t h e theoreticala s w e l l a s practicals i g n i f i c a n c e t o a llenterprisesi n t h e fieldo f Educationconsultancy,marketing,i t alsoidentifiest h e i n f l u e n c e ofsocialnetworktoconsumer’schoice,especiallystudentsintheprocesso f f inding,comparinganddeciding.Fromt h i s researchtheycancomeu p withappreciatepoli ciest o attractt h e i r targetcustomers,s u p p o r t marketing,builda n d developthestrategi estoimprovecompetitiveness.

Thefirstchapterwillshowtheoverviewofresearchtopic,researchobjective,researc h question, scope andmethodologyofthis study.

Theorieso f socialnetworks,Student’schoicea n d t h e linkbetweensocialnetwor ksandStudent’s decisionmaking processwillbeintroducedinthischapter.

Int h i s c h a p t e r s h o w e d t h e methodologywhichw a s usedf o r t h i s s t u d y t o explaintheresearchquestionmentionedinChapter1,itisqualitativereseach.

Toexplainandanalyzetheresultsfromtheinterviewprocess.Itthenprovidesu s e f u l marketingsolutionsfortheEducationalconsultancycompanytoaddressexistingmarke tingsolutionsande n h a n c e thev a l u e o f t h e Agencies'simaget o potential students.

AccordingH S B C Group(2017),t h e trendo f studyingabroadi s growingr a p i d l y I n particular,t h e highestresulti s belongt o Asianparents,w h o tendt o considers endingt h e i r childrentooverseasstudymoret h a n othercountries.T h e resultsshowtha tAsianstudentsmakeup53%ofthetotalnumberofinternationals t u d e n t s

Intopfiveofthehighestproportioncountries/ territoriesthatparentsconsideringtherearefourcountries/ territoriesinAsia,indicatingastrongdesiretostudyi n ther e g i o n Indonesia,6 1 % (up1 % ) , China:5 9 %

(up1 5 % ) , andHongKong:5 2 % T h e r e i s a similartrendi n Vietnam,w i t h a signi ficantnumbero f 63,703Vietnameses t u d e n t s pursuingundergraduatea n d postgra duateprogramsa r o u n d theworld.Ingeneral,thetrendofoverseasstudyiscontinuin gtoincrease.Comparedt o j u s t 2 1 millioni n 2 0 0 1 , t h e numbero f undergraduat ea n d postgraduates t u d e n t s i n t h e worldi n 2017h a s reachedmoret h a n 4 6 million( H S B C , 2017).

IIE(Instituteo f InternationalEducation)estimatedt h a t i n t h e 2016/2017acad emicy e a r , t h e UnitedStatesh a d attracted1,078,820undergraduatea n d postgraduatest udents,t h e UnitedKingdomh a d nearly497,000internationals t u d e n t s , France310,000and Australia292,000(IIE,2017).

NewZealand 5% Therankingalsoreflectsthechoiceof theVietnamesestudents.AccordingtoH S B C data(2017),thetopfivedestinationsfor overseasVietnamesestudentsare U S A (19,336),Australia(13,147),Japan(6, 071), France(5,284)andUnitedK i n g d o m (4,236)

(HSBC,2017).Furthermore,relatedtoInternationalstudents u r v e y (ISS)2018(Nicol, 2018),therearemorethan80%ofpotentialstudentswhoa r e lookingatstudyingoverseain 11EuropeancountriesgothroughsocialnetworkwhenchoosingandapplyingUniversity.I ti s the channelt h a t s t u d e n t s collectinformationanddiscussionwitht h e i r peers The surveyalsoshow thatSocialnetworkingsitesa n d socialnetworksaret h e p l a c e t h a t 6 5 % studentsf i n d informationbeforedecidinganinquiryaboutoverseasstudyand27%studentsrefer whenapplying,20%o f collectinginformationabouttravellingabroadplanaftergettingoffer and20%findoutsolutiontogettheoffer(Nicol,2018).

Int h i s s u r v e y , Nicol( 2 0 1 8 ) affirmedt h a t e v e n Parents,Family,frien ds,Educationcounsellors… areparticularlyinfluentialonstudent’s choiceofoverseastudybutsurelythatstudentst hemselvesarethemostimportantdecidingsocertainly,i t i s crucialt h a t educationcomp anylistentoviewpointo f prospectives t u d e n t s carefullycanhelpincreaseratingofsat isfactionandperceptionofstudents.Anyways,Nicol(2018)stillidentifiedthatStudents believeandtrustinformation’ss o u r c e s fromEducationAgents(47%agree)whenthe yconsideringandchoosingh i g h e r educationinoverseascountry.

(Nicol,2 0 1 8 ) 4 8 % studentssaidthatAgentsareusefulforthemand34%agreeEduc ationagentsh a d influencedt h e i r choiceo f schooland2 7 % influencedchoiceo f desti nation.A n d as afactthatauthorseethatEducationconsellorsplayaskeyroleofthe choiceo f studentsandthepotentialofthisbusinessisveryhighifagentscanapproachandh a v e therightstrategyofmarketingtorecruitinternationalstudents.Anundeniablefacttha tEducationagentsarepartofmanyinternationalUniversityfortheirrecruitment,especial lyforinternationalstudentswhenseekingvisas.Andofcoursea g e n t s facewithmany challenges.

(Nicol,2018) Thatwhy,nowinthe centuryofincreasinglycompetitiveglobalEdu cationmarket,especiallyinVietnam thatcompetitioni s becomingmorestressfult h a n e v e r whent h e numbero f consultingf o r studyingoverseaservicecentrescontinuestoinc rease(TranThiPhuong,2019)a s b e l o w charto f thenumbero f VietnameseEducatio ncounsellorcentresf r o m quarter III,2017to thefirstmonth of2019.

QuarterIII,QuarterIV, QuarterI, QuarterII,QuarterIII,QuarterIV, January,

AmongthousandsofAgentsinVietnam,OSIVietnamisoneofthecompanies t h a t t h e i r servicei s overseastudyservicea r e facingwiththeiro w n challengetoada ptt o t h e boomingo f technologynowadayst o keepgrowingandreplaceanotherproactive approachstrategytoprospectivestudentsthrough socialnetworkingmaketingchannels.

I n addition,authorchoseO S I Vietnamb e c a u s e authorusedtobetherecounsellor,soIknowtheyarelackingthemarkingstrategye v e n theirserviceisgoodbutwithoutadvertisement;theywilllosetheirbusinesstoo t h e r com petitors.S o , n e x t sectionauthorw i l l introduceaboutO S I Vietnama n d t h e i r proble mthatneedtohavesolutionformarketingcampaignasthereasonwhyauthordo thisresearchtohelpthemissuetheir currentproblem.

OneS t e p InternationalEducationConsultingC o , L t d (OSIVietnam),operating basedonalicenseissuedbytheDepartmentofPlanningandInvestmento f HoChiMinhCi ty,specializingineducation,tourism,immigration,foreigninvestment.OSIVietnamisrep resentativeformanyLanguageInstitutes,SecondaryS c h o o l s , HighSchools,Colleg es,Universities… i n manycountriesw h e r e haveh i g h educationsuchas:U S A , Australia,C a n a d a , Ne wZealand,Singapore…O S I Vietnamisaprofessional

Companyinconsultingschool,major,state forstudentstoattainthebestchoiceofstudyingabroadplan.Inaddition,preparingdocume ntsforenrollingschoolandapplyingvisaa r e importantpartst h a t demandknowledge,ex perience,andskillfromadvisorsinordertohavethebestoutcome.OSIpossessesa s t r ong,professional,a n d a devotepersonnel’sw h o conductfilesa n d obtainedwell- traininga n d practicalprogramf o r eachc a s e ,

( O S I Vietnamreport,2018).AtOSIVietnam,thesehavefourcorevaluesarepursueda ndimplementedconsistentlythroughoutitsmorethan20yearsofoperation:"Transparen cy-Professionalism-Experienceand Trust."

DirectorsaidthattransparencyatOSIVietnamcanunderstandasthework,sequen ceo f t h e mostdetailed,a n d scientificconsultationprocess.T h e financialstatementsar ealwaysclear,detailedfromthebeginning.Allthecompanyservice'sfees,therelevantag enciesasstipulated,especiallythetuitionfeesfromtheschool,livingexpensesarealway shave clearinvoices.TheprofessionalismofOSIVietnamisreflectedintheextensivek nowledgeoftheconsultantsonprofessionalknowledge,socialknowledgea s w e l l a s c u l t u r e a n d customso f manycountries.

Understanding student psychology is crucial for parents to effectively encourage, warn, and maintain strict boundaries without compromising on important matters With a dedicated team, OSI Vietnam ensures that students' overseas study plans are smooth and favorable The organization has built trusted relationships with major partners in the U.S., Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Singapore With over 20 years of experience, OSI Vietnam has successfully assisted thousands of young individuals in obtaining visas for the U.S and other developed countries In recognition of its efforts, OSI Vietnam was honored in 2013 as one of the "Top 50 Trademarks."

FamousBrands"AwardorganizedbyVietnamIntellectualPropertyAssociationandAwar df o r EducationDevelopment(2015)w i t h t h e title"PrestigiousEducationOrganizatio n"awardedbytheAssociationofVietnamStudyEncouragement.OSIVietnamisalsoo neofthe300representativeenterprisesofHoChiMinhCitytoparticipatein"Coopera tionwiththecityofinnovation"inAugust2016(OSIVietnamreport,2018).

Between 2007 and 2010, the number of studying abroad applications saw a significant growth, rising from 208 cases in 2007 to a remarkable fourfold increase by 2010 However, from 2010 to 2014, the growth rate slowed, with a decline noted from 1,146 cases in 2014 to only 894 cases by 2017 A positive trend emerged in 2018, as the number of applications increased again, surpassing the previous year's figures by 224 cases, according to the OSI Vietnam report (2018).

Basedonthereportin2018ofOSIVietnam,fromthetimeofestablishment,O S I Vi etnammainlyadvertisesinnewspapersandavailablerelationships.Thecompanyhasabso lutelynomarketingdepartment,mostcustomersgetthroughtheintroductionofthose whohavebeenworkingwiththecompany,thiswayofdoingbusinesshaspartlyhelpedth ecompanytog r o w salesq u i t e well.Moreover,t h e numbero f p e o p l e w h o k n o w t h e companyw a s increasing.T h e maincustomero f t h i s periodwastheparentswhointend tosendtheirchildrentostudyabroad.

Therevenueo f companyincreasedsteadilyb u t a t mediumlevela n d t h e r e w a s n o breakthrougha n d almostaccesst o customersonlythrought h e traditionalwayo f w o r d o f mouthmarketingo n existingrelationships.(OSIVietnamreport,2 0 1 8 )

In 2018, OSI Vietnam faced significant challenges as the number of cases for study abroad consulting dwindled to around 10 per day, highlighting the intense competition in the education agency market With competitors rapidly increasing their presence through effective promotions and extensive social media engagement, OSI Vietnam struggled to keep pace The company's outdated customer engagement strategies, primarily relying on traditional word-of-mouth and newspapers, rendered them less influential in a landscape where social networks have become the primary source of information and marketing To successfully expand their business, OSI Vietnam must adopt a modern marketing strategy that leverages social media and innovative outreach methods.

Recognizet h e importanceo f marketing,especiallyi n t h e digitala g e , t h e Boa rdofDirectorsdecidedtorunasocialnetworkmarketingstrategy.TheyjoinedFacebookan dhadtheirownFanpagetoconnectwithallstudentsandrelationship.Theygotverygoodsi gnificantofincreasingfollowersonFacebook,theycameandcontactedwithOSIVietna mforconsulting.Soon,thebusinessisgrowing again.Followingt h e successfulo f n e w marketingp l a n , OSIVietnama re settingu p and wideningtheo n l i n e , especiallysocialmarketing,recruitn e w specificmarketers. ( O S I Vietnam report, 2018)

- Companyh a s experiencedstaffs,h i g hqualification,goodconsultings kills,dedicated,t h o u g h t f u l

- Goodservices:stronglysupportst u den ts n o t onlyduringtheapplicat ionprocessb u t alsoaftersuccessful v i s a (immigrationprocedurewhe nst ud en ts goabroad, accommodationarrangement,rene wvisa,…)

- Haven o t focusedo n promotiont o raiseu p t h e i r o w n b r a n d andi mage

- Thew a y t o reachpotentialstu de n ts issomewhatpassive,basedonl yonwordofmouthandreferralsfro mexistingcustomers

- Younggenerationsn o w useinternet andsocialnetworksa s t h e i r sourcet ofindinformationa n d sharingtheire xperience

Inthemodernlife,whentheinternetisbecomemoreandmorepopularandcustom ersusuallyuseinternetasthetooltosearchinformation,communicateandshopingonli neorfindsevices.Itiseasytostayconnectedwhereverandwheneverp e o p l e a r e d u e t o worldwidei s increasingw i t h usingsmartphonesandmobiledevices.T h e advances i n Informationtechnologyi s helpingt o migrateenterprisea n d consumerrelationshipst o interactivel e v e l Moreover,givingthecustomersopportunitytovoicetheiropinion willnotleadtopositivewordofmouthandcanthreatentheenterprise’simageandreputa tionwiththeircustomer(Wilson,2012).

In today's digital age, the Internet and social networking platforms have gained unprecedented importance, leading to increased conversations and engagement Social networks are essential for viral marketing, enabling the rapid spread of marketing messages as users share content with their relationships Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn are central to these viral marketing campaigns, as businesses seek to integrate social networking into their marketing strategies This shift has altered consumer buying behavior, compelling marketers to explore new ways to reach potential customers, as traditional marketing's influence wanes Successful marketing communications rely on a strong foundation, including innovative, high-quality products and well-designed, market-oriented websites Social networks facilitate the creation of public profiles where members share knowledge, experiences, and personal information, further enhancing engagement.

….Contactw i t h othermemberst o exchangeandsharet h e sameinterests(CheungandL ee,2010).Socialnetworksmakeushavethedifferentthinkingaboutmarketing,enterprise sandconsumerscaninteractdirectlyandhaverelationshipwithoneanother(Solomonet al,2010).Digitalnetworkstodayisnotonlyinformationaccesstools,butitalshasbeeni nteractiontools,whichareusedb y individualst o exchangeands h a r e information,cont ents,opinions… andcustomers’sbehaviorw i l l changewhentheyinteractw i t h others(Heinrichse t a l , 2 0

1 1 ) A s consumersliket o interactionandcommunicationw i t h eachothera n d w a n t toreferadvicefromdifferentpositiveornegativeproductsorservices,virtual communitieswillhaveanimpactonconsumers'purchasingdecisions(Evanetal,2 0 0

9 ) Peoplecangathertosharetheirthoughts,idears,commentsonSocialnetworkingsit es;s o i t w i l l b e t h e p l a c e f o r marketerst o listena n d respondtocustomers,revie wcontents(Weber,2 00 9) , t h e advertisementsv i a socialnetwork,t h e meassagew i l l r eachf a r morep o t e n t i a l customersintendedtoreach(Weber,2 0 0 9 ; Weinberg,2009 ).

Socialnetworksaretheplatformswhereindividualcanconnectwithothers( L e e , 2013).ItwasstatedbyWeinberg(2009,page149)as“generictermsforsitest h a t are used toconnectuserswithsimilarbackgroundsandinterests”.

Regardingt o researcho f Boyda n d Ellison( 2 0 0 7 , page2 1 1 ) , Lee( 2 0 1 3 , p a g e 2 5 ) , socialnetworkingsitesplatformsh a v e f e w commonelementsas:“ ( 1 ) u s e r s areabletocreateinteractiveandcustomizedprofileswithinaboundedsystem,

(3)viewa n d traversetheirlistofconnectionsandthosemadebyotherswithinthesyste m”.A t presentthereisnospecificresearchontheconstitutionofsocialnetworks,but w i t h thewayitisformedanditsoperation,theauthormakesuptheconstitutionoft h e s ocialnetworkincluding:

- Node:Anentitywithinanetwork.Thisentitycanbeanindividual,abusines sor anyotherorganization.

- Tie:istherelationshipbetweentheentities.Therearemanytypesofl i n k s inthenetwork.Initssimplestform,asocialnetworkisasingle,scalargrapho f theappro priatelinksbetweennodes.Wecanrepresentthisnetworkwithagraphb y whichthenode sarerepresentedbypointsand thelinks representedby thelines.

Asr e p o r t o f Kemp(2018),t h e numbero f n e w u s e r s u s e s o c i a l n e t w o r k aroundtheworldhasincreasedrapidly.Itismorethan3billionpeopleusesocial networkforeachmonth.Despiteanotoriousyear,Facebookisstillincreasing15%compare dto thesameperiodin2017andreached2.17billionusersinearly2018.

According to Kemp's 2018 statistics, Vietnam has a population exceeding 96 million, with 35% residing in urban areas In 2018, the number of Internet users reached 64 million, marking a 28% increase from 2017 Additionally, there are 55 million social media users in Vietnam, reflecting a 20% growth compared to the previous year Vietnam is actively participating in the global digital marketing growth trend, with Vietnamese users spending nearly 7 hours a day online, integrating social media into their daily lives.

DuetoSocialnetworkingsitesinVietnam,thenumberofactiveaccountsismoreth anhalfofthepopulation(57%)anditisbecomingthemostcurrentcommunicationtoolsfo rbusiness.Belowfigurewilllist12currentlyfamoussocialnetworkplatformsinVietnam.Thenumberone,ofcourse,isFacebook,followbyGoogleandYouTubee (Kemp,2018)

Social networks are becoming integral to educational companies' marketing campaigns, yet many enterprises remain uncertain about how to effectively implement these strategies Providing incentives for education counselors to gather information and foster dialogue can enhance outreach efforts Social networks offer a diverse range of creative ideas that align with a company's mission and goals Increasingly, education agencies are recognizing social networks as powerful tools for building brand awareness, enhancing marketing knowledge, and gaining customer insights However, many universities and colleges still rely on traditional marketing methods, such as print advertisements, brochures, and local partnerships, to attract and recruit potential students globally This approach primarily emphasizes face-to-face interactions between counselors and students.

Asuponmentionabouthoweffectiveofsocialnetworkmarketingandbenefiti t b r i n g s t o enterprise’sbusiness,i t i s exactlyw i l l contributet o educationmarket.Indisputab let h a t t h e improvementandinnovationo f technologyi n 4.0centuryhasstronglyaffe ctedtoeducationindustry.Internetandsocialnetworkingsitesplayacrucialinstrument forhighereducationsector.Nowadays,many

International schools worldwide are leveraging social media for international marketing to attract students Research indicates that students often turn to the internet for decision-making (Gomes and Murphy, 2003) Consequently, education marketers must engage in online marketing to meet student demands and build strong relationships within competitive higher education sectors (Reddy, 2014) Countries like the UK, Australia, and Singapore view websites as effective marketing tools (Maringe and Carter, 2007) and utilize local agencies to enhance their image and promote themselves Currently, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are essential for education marketers to connect with prospective students Aghaee supports this approach.

(2010)demonstratedthatsocialnetworkwasusedtosupporth i g h e r education.Mod ernstudents,ofcourse,theyreferdigitalnative,butitisstilllimitationo f negativeaspectss i n c e i t i s losso f verbalcommunicationlikeb o d y language(Aghaee,2010)soaftersoci alnetwork,educationconsultantagencieswillb e importantpersonstogivetheusefuladvi cetostudents.

Socialnetworkinghasincreasinglychangedthew a y students,firms,industriesan deducationinstitutionsconducttheirbusinessandspreadinformation(Qualman,2010) Amongits,FacebookisbecomingthemostpopularchannelsandnearlyhalfofFacebooku sersarestudents.So,Educationagenciesmusttofocusont h i s channeltoreachoutmorep otentialstudents (Reddy,2014).

Int h i s research,a u t h o r w i l l s t u d y a b o u t themostu s i n g socialnetworking siteslikeFacebook,Y o u T u b e , Twitter,LinkedInt o understanda n d thinka b o u t so lutionsonits also.

Instagram,YouTubecanmakes u r e t o c o n n e c t w i t h allp r o s p e c t s t u d e n t s i n 2 4 h o u r s persevendaysanditisveryaccessible.AsReddy(2014),nowmanyinternati onalschoolsoffervirtualtourbygoingtotheirwebsites.Studentscanfindmuchphotogra phy,videosabouttheirenvironment,facilities,classrooms,programs,library,andstadium. Choudaha(2013),statedt h a t videoso f institutioncampus,whichpostedtoYouTube,pro videdapotentialconvincingcommunication.Reddy(2014),h e alsodemonstratedi t i s n ecessaryi f Educationagencyoruniversityopenforumsforstudentstodiscussallabout theirissuesanddesiresandencouragethemtoshare opinionorpersonal views.

Facebook, founded on February 4, 2004, initially for Harvard students, has grown into the world's largest social network Key components include user profiles, statuses, groups, and fan pages, with the fan page concept launched in November 2007, allowing universities to showcase themselves; by 2008, 420 universities were utilizing this feature Users can become "fans" of pages, sharing content with their friends, creating a viral marketing effect Students can join various groups to interact and share experiences on diverse topics Today, many universities and schools maintain Facebook pages for members to access information and engage in study groups In Vietnam, numerous agents leverage Facebook for marketing, hosting live streams and events such as scholarship opportunities and updates on visa policies for international students.

… Thenstudents,w h o a r e no w livingi n Facebook’scommunityt h e y spendalmostt h e i r timeo n Facebookw i l l meettheAgentsthroughthischannelwillnotbedifficulttou nderstand.Sawetal.(2012)

YouTube is a video-sharing platform founded in 2005 that has become one of the most popular channels for a wide range of content, including entertainment, business, and educational videos It allows users to upload and share their videos, while audiences can comment and share their opinions The platform is widely used globally, serving millions of people who appreciate dynamic videos for easy access to information and real-life concepts Universities, institutions, and organizations utilize YouTube to showcase their facilities, programs, and activities, fostering communication and engagement with students As viewers increasingly seek videos that provide reviews and feedback, the ability to see and hear real experiences enhances trust and connection with the content.

(2012)indicatedthatstudentsu s e YouTubefortheireducationpurposes.Yes,YouTube canbeusetobeeffectivechannelfor Education Agentstodomarketing.

WecountinuewithTwitter:Itwascreatedin2006anditwasonlinenews.Twitte rhasaninterfacethatallowsuserstosendandreadnewsormessagesfromo t h e r users. Twitterisatext- basedthatislimitedto140characters.Itcanbeusefuli n education,bothforstudentsandt eachers,byfacilitatingtheexchangeofinformationrelevantt o upcominge v e n t s andpr ojects.F u r t h e r more,studentscans h a r e theimportantlinksandmentiontheduedateof theirnews.Atthesametimes,alla n o t h e r u s e r s w i l l receivet h e notificationsoo n t heycanshare,f o r w a r d o r responetothiscontents(Jacqueminetal,2014).

Similart o Facebooko r Twitter,i t i s Instagram,peoplecancreateaccountw i t h hasprofileandnewsfeedanditissocialnetworkingapponsmartphonemadef o r sharingv ideosandphotos.Allusersarefollowinganaccountcaneasyseethep h o t o s , videosor newsfeedwhenthisaccountpostittotheirownInstagram.And becauseInstagramnowcanbelinkedtoFacebooksostudentsorInstitution,especiallyEd ucationagentscanmakemanyhothashtagsalongwithmanyphotosa b o u t Internatio nalstudyabroadevents,Schoolvisit,… whichsuchbreakingnewsh a s h t a g s fromAgentsorinstitutesrelatedtostudyabroado rpolicychangingthats t u d e n t s areinterestedincanbethebestwaytoengagemorep otentialstudentstof o l l o w andsharetootherpeoplewhowant toknow.

OnemorechannelthatauthorwanttounderstandisLinkedIn:Thiskindofsocialn etworkingsitewasdesignedtocreateprofessionalidentityonlineandkeepi n touchwith friends;g e t moreprofessionalopportunity,businessc h a n c e , n e w ventures,inspirati ons,insights,…

(Reddy,2 0 1 4 ) Profileo f membero f LinkedInemphasizestheirhistoryandeducati on.Itrequiresallmemberstogetpre- existingrelationshiptojoin.SincethisistheprofessionalpagesoifAgentscanliveonthis,t h e n moreinternationalschoolscanseetheirprofileandlinkwiththemforcorporationov erseasrecruitment.Theycant r u s t profilesi n L i n k e d I n m o r e t h a n others.Andfoll owthischannel,EducationAgentscanhavepotentialtoreachtheh i g h levelofrecruit mentfromstudentswhocometheretoseekthetrustcompanyf o r h i g h e r education.

Finally,therearemanysocialnetworkingsitesthatUniversityorAgentscanu s e to attracttheirprospertivestudentsasauthormentionabove,andeachsitehasdifferentch aracteristicofdoingmarketing,marketingmustunderstandthesepointst o maketheright contentsandstategy,carefullybeforepostinganytopictoincreaset h e spillovereffectsan dtopicalfeatures.Bythisway,theycaneasierpromotetheirb r a n d nameandmarketing, advertisementsneverberedundant,justneedtoknowh o w t o chooset h e r i g h t target ,r i g h t channela n d rightt o p i c o f interest,t h e y willdefinitelybecomefamous.

Mostpreviousresearchshowedvalueofmarketingonsocialnetwork,butaf e w st udiesfocused onbenefititwouldtakeinHighereducationrecruitment.Social networkwillsupportEducationagenciesachieveinternationalizationbasedons t u d e n t supportandfaculty.Therefore,Institutionsnowaretryingtoseektheinternationalizati onthroughsocialnetworkingsites.

Choudaha(2013)pointedo ut therea rea t least4 benefitst ha tsoc ia l networking canmakearerelevance,speed,cost, personalization.

 Relevance:establishinganaccessible,effectiveandeasytousesocialnetworking channelswithfuturestudentswill certainlycontributetoresourceefficiencya n d c o s t effectiveness.Socialnetworkw i l l a d a p t tos t u d e n t ’ s prefere nce demand.

 Speed:p r o v i d e s authenticinformationa n d fastp a c e s t o meetstudent’se xpectation,decisionandperception.

 Cost:Socialnetworkw i l l h e l p Educationagencieseasyt o reacha hugeresourc eo f s t u d e n t s a n d spreado u t t h e i r promotioninformationwithoutusingtoo muchmoneyastraditional marketinglikeevents,exhibition,…

 Personalization:Studentcang o throughsocialn e t w o r k t o readandviewinfor mationintheirlocalnativelanguage.

Students are often recognized as digital natives, spending much of their lives in digital environments (Thompson, 2007) Joly (2007) referred to them as the Generation of Social Networking, and research by Schoeder and Greenbowe (2009) shows that these students actively engage in social networking activities Statistics from Junco and Cole (2008) reveal that 72% of students are interested in directly interacting with counselors, while 62% prefer reading school profiles or blogs from current students Additionally, students utilize social networking sites to gather information that aids in their school selection process (Morris, 2012) Social networks offer powerful tools and opportunities to enhance marketing strategies and recruitment processes for higher education institutions, adapting to the evolving trends and decision-making preferences of future students Consequently, many education agencies are leveraging social networks to promote their services to prospective students, proving to be a successful and effective marketing tool for the modern young generation (Reddy, 2014).

Authorisgoingtofollowtheconceptofstudentchoice,tofindwhatarethemostfa ctort h a t canb e s t u d e n t ’smotivationt o studyabroadandwhichstudentchoicemodelt h a t authorcanb e u s e d a s t h e b a s i c o n e andapplyt o h e r currentthesis.Nextsection willshow allthoseissues.

Understanding students' mobility and their desires is crucial for agents seeking to stimulate curiosity and determination to study abroad By gaining insights into students' expectations, education companies can uncover passive business opportunities An effective strategy for attracting and marketing to students involves analyzing push and pull factors (Reddy, 2014) Recognizing what students want and their preferred destinations will guide education consultants in designing and growing their businesses International universities are attracting students globally by leveraging innovative techniques, including social networks (Choudaha and Chang, 2012) The influence of social networks on students' decision-making processes is significant, as they rely on these platforms to gather information about potential institutions.

Nowadays,thetrendofoverseasstudyisdevelopinginmanycountriesintheworld,e speciallyamongyounggenerationindevelopingcountrieswhowanttogot o developedc ountriest o experiencea n d t o studyi n anbettereducation environment.SowhydoVietnamesestudentsstudyabroadwhilecostisexpensive,includi ngtuitionandlivingexpensesinforeigncountries?

Despite numerous reforms and innovations in educational content across all levels, the impact remains minimal, with a heavy focus on theoretical knowledge that lacks relevance to job training objectives Vietnamese universities struggle to align their curricula with international education standards, making it challenging for students to transfer or change majors Employers express dissatisfaction with graduates, citing deficiencies in practical skills, foreign language proficiency, and professional conduct According to the Vietnam Labor Market Report No 16, published by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs in Q4 2017, these issues highlight the disconnect between education and labor market needs.

( 2 0 1 8 ) s h o w s thatt h e r e h a v e 251,3thousandunemploymenta r e universitygra duatesor higherleveland78,8 thousandofcollegestudents.

Given the alarming state of university education in Vietnam, studying abroad has emerged as the best option for students Graduates from developed countries are more likely to be recruited by international corporations, providing them with a wealth of opportunities, whether they choose to stay abroad or return home Studying overseas is viewed as an investment in the future, enhancing career prospects and offering higher salary options in international companies Additionally, it allows students to immerse themselves in a multicultural environment and gain valuable experience The demand for overseas study is rapidly increasing in Vietnam, leading many students and parents to seek assistance from education agents, which has made the consultancy market highly competitive This surge has resulted in numerous education centers operating in major cities, some of which lack proper licensing, complicating the decision-making process for parents and creating challenges for reputable education consultancies.

Withthewaveofoverseasstudyontheportofcooling,theeducationconsultancyser vicei s lookingfornewdirectionsf o r t h e i r marketingstrategies.Accordingt o informa tiongainedb y theauthorincurrenttrendsi n thefieldo f studyingabroad,peoplea r e attrac tedb y videoclips,p i c t u r e s o f reallifeforeigncountries,schools.Thisisthenewelement ofSocialnetworkmarketinginthefieldo f overseasstudy,helpingcompaniesinthefield ofeducationconsultantcieshavemoreopportunitiestoreachtheircustomers.

Decisionmakingisaverycomplicatedprocessoftenundertakenbystudentsw h o haveplantostudyhighereducation(MaringeandCarter,2007).Knowingthefactorst h a t i n f l u e n c e s t u d e n t ’ s decisionmakingi s v e r y importantf o r Education consultantmarketers.A s researcho f MazzarolandSoutar(2002),t h e educationchoiceb ehaviourstagedasdecisionmakingprocessandfactorsimpactonchoice.O t h e r stud iesindicatedthewaysthatstudentschoosetostudyinforeigncountryinsomesituations:i nsteado f studyinginhomec o u n t r y , studentschoosetostudyabroad,thisisthefirstsitu ation;thenextisdestinationandthelastoneisspecificinstitution(MazzarolandSoutar,2 002;Chen,2007).PushandPullfactorwasusedi n researchofMazzarolandSoutar(200 2)toknowhowitinfluencesonstudent’schoice.

As competition among higher education institutions intensifies and budgets tighten, universities are increasingly focusing on recruitment and marketing strategies In the past, students often relied on financial aid, scholarships, and government exchange programs to study abroad; however, many are now funded by their families (Choudaha and Chang, 2012) According to the Wealth Report (2017), Vietnam is one of the fastest-growing super-rich countries in the world, with the number of millionaires rising to 13,400 by the end of 2016, an increase of 2,200 from 2015 (Knight Frank, 2017) This economic growth has led to a higher demand for studying abroad, as more families can afford to support their children's education Consequently, students face the critical challenge of selecting the right university, as their choice will significantly impact their financial, emotional, and philosophical well-being for the rest of their lives.

Methodologyofresearch

Overviewof thetrendofstudyingabroad