Samenvatting

This final paper analyzes the reasons why the client, IHS, The Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, faced decreasing numbers in the Latin American students in the past few years. The scope of the research is to determine the internal and external factors causing this problem and to find the right path that the client needs to take in order to overcome this issue.
From the beginning of the research the cause has been concluded: the low visibility on the online marketing platforms in Latin America of IHS. The target has been clearly established as well: the post graduate Latin American students with an urban or architectural background.
As the overall internal analysis shows, IHS is actively making use of several popular online marketing channels and platforms, being present on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Study Portals, Blogs, websites, but promoting the general international context of IHS in the same manner to all the undifferentiated target groups, rather than focusing on each segment.
Moreover, the external analysis and interviews show how favorable the international study environment is for the Latin American students. There is an expanded demand coming from the target area to follow studies abroad. Moreover, there are a number of available funds and scholarships given over to Latin Americans, as well as governmental support for international co-operation. In addition, the technological developments are also in favor of digitalization. Therefore it is a flourishing marketing, advertising and promotional activity in the online sphere that has been developed by the recruiting marketers.
Online promotion in the Latin American market is seen as a very successful strategy, social media being the best channel to promote a study program, develop customer relationships and attract Latin American students. Their interest is directed towards Facebook, Lifestyle Blogs and Articles, Scholarship informative websites and, because they favor personal contact, there is a high interest in Webinars, which offer the particular individual needs via the internet.
Therefore the comprehensive analysis demonstrates that the lack of applied marketing methods to the specific segment is the main reason why there has been lower amount of students coming from the target market as well as a lower online presence of IHS in the Latin American market.
Overall it was concluded that in order for my client to increase its online visibility in the target market and further on to reach the desired goal of having more Latin American presence among students coming at IHS, a number of online marketing strategies should be implemented. These consist of two Facebook campaigns, designed with Spanish content marketing, the implementation of Webinars and Facebook Live Streaming videos, the application of the remarketing strategy in the target market and the publication of blogs and articles focusing on different lifestyle themes describing life in The Netherlands.