Digital Strategy: Developed and executed a localized marketing plan to strengthen GMAT’s positioning in China.

 

Social Media Management: Handled GMAT’s WeChat and Weico presence to boost engagement and follower growth.

 

Localized Chinese Website: Created gmat.com.cn to provide tailored, practical content for Chinese candidates.

 

Multi-Channel Campaigns: Drove follower growth through WeChat, Zhihu, SEM, and other local platforms.

Empowering GMAC’s Growth
in China Through a Localized
Digital Strategy

As the administrator of the globally recognized GMAT exam, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) plays a pivotal role in guiding future business leaders toward advanced education. With the increasing competitiveness in the graduate management education (GME) landscape in China, GMAC sought a comprehensive digital partner to support its marketing and communication needs—aiming to increase brand visibility, engage local candidates, and differentiate itself from alternatives like the GRE.

The Challenges

GMAC faced several challenges when engaging Chinese candidates:

  • Low localized visibility compared to competing exams.
  • Limited awareness of the unique value proposition of the GMAT.
  • Mismatch between global content and the specific information needs of Chinese students.
  • Need to create a sustained funnel for lead acquisition across multiple touchpoints.

A nuanced, local-first approach was essential to address these challenges effectively.

Our Approach

Strategic Digital Planning

We began by aligning with GMAC’s global positioning while designing a China-specific digital marketing strategy. This included mapping the candidate journey, identifying key touchpoints, and understanding what motivates Chinese students to pursue graduate business education abroad.

 

The strategy emphasized consistent content delivery, platform-specific engagement, and performance-driven activities that aligned with recruitment goals.

To enhance GMAT’s visibility and trustworthiness, we took over the management of GMAC’s WeChat Official Account—the primary digital touchpoint for Chinese students. In parallel, we leveraged Zhihu, a trusted platform where candidates seek in-depth, unbiased information.

 

Key tactics included:

  • Creating Zhihu answers linked to the GMAT WeChat account.
  • Running targeted Zhihu Ads to drive both WeChat and Zhihu followers.
  • Publishing insightful, candidate-centric content designed to clarify GMAT’s value.

 

This approach not only fostered engagement but also positioned GMAT as an authority in graduate education discussions.

Recognizing the importance of local relevance, we designed and developed gmat.com.cn, a Chinese-language website tailored to local candidates’ needs. Unlike generic global content, this site provided:

  • Practical, locally relevant content on GME pathways.
  • In-depth information on programs, exam prep, and career outcomes.
  • Seamless UX via localized hosting in Simplified Chinese.

 

The website served as both a content hub and a bridge between social media engagement and lead conversion.

To maximize reach, we rolled out an integrated promotion campaigns using platforms like:

  • Weibo First Screen Takeover (FST)
  • Zhihu Ads
  • Youdao
  • Toutiao
  • iAccess DSP

 

The campaign focused on creating awareness for the newly launched Chinese site and driving qualified leads.

Results

The digital marketing campaign delivered impressive outcomes, exceeding all key performance indicators:

159% of the KPI on impressions

123% of the KPI on page viewes

321% of the KPI on unique visitors

108% of the KPI on lead generation

Conclusion

This project demonstrates the power of a well-executed, locally adapted digital strategy. By integrating platform-specific engagement, content localization, and data-driven promotion, GMAC was able to significantly expand its reach and relevance in China’s competitive graduate admissions landscape.

Digital Strategy:

Developed and executed a localized marketing plan to strengthen GMAT’s positioning in China.

Social Media Management:

Handled GMAT’s WeChat and Weico presence to boost engagement and follower growth.

Localized Chinese Website:

Created gmat.com.cn to provide tailored, practical content for Chinese candidates.

Multi-Channel Campaigns:

Drove follower growth through WeChat, Zhihu, SEM, and other local platforms.

Empowering GMAC’s Growth
in China Through a Localized
Digital Strategy

As the administrator of the globally recognized GMAT exam, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) plays a pivotal role in guiding future business leaders toward advanced education. With the increasing competitiveness in the graduate management education (GME) landscape in China, GMAC sought a comprehensive digital partner to support its marketing and communication needs—aiming to increase brand visibility, engage local candidates, and differentiate itself from alternatives like the GRE.

The Challenges

GMAC faced several challenges when engaging Chinese candidates:

  • Low localized visibility compared to competing exams.
  • Limited awareness of the unique value proposition of the GMAT.
  • Mismatch between global content and the specific information needs of Chinese students.
  • Need to create a sustained funnel for lead acquisition across multiple touchpoints.

A nuanced, local-first approach was essential to address these challenges effectively.

Our Approach

Strategic Digital Planning

We began by aligning with GMAC’s global positioning while designing a China-specific digital marketing strategy. This included mapping the candidate journey, identifying key touchpoints, and understanding what motivates Chinese students to pursue graduate business education abroad.

The strategy emphasized consistent content delivery, platform-specific engagement, and performance-driven activities that aligned with recruitment goals.

To enhance GMAT’s visibility and trustworthiness, we took over the management of GMAC’s WeChat Official Account—the primary digital touchpoint for Chinese students. In parallel, we leveraged Zhihu, a trusted platform where candidates seek in-depth, unbiased information.

Key tactics included:

  • Creating Zhihu answers linked to the GMAT WeChat account.
  • Running targeted Zhihu Ads to drive both WeChat and Zhihu followers.
  • Publishing insightful, candidate-centric content designed to clarify GMAT’s value.

This approach not only fostered engagement but also positioned GMAT as an authority in graduate education discussions.

Recognizing the importance of local relevance, we designed and developed gmat.com.cn, a Chinese-language website tailored to local candidates’ needs. Unlike generic global content, this site provided:

  • Practical, locally relevant content on GME pathways.
  • In-depth information on programs, exam prep, and career outcomes.
  • Seamless UX via localized hosting in Simplified Chinese.

The website served as both a content hub and a bridge between social media engagement and lead conversion.

To maximize reach, we rolled out an integrated promotion campaigns using platforms like:

  • Weibo First Screen Takeover (FST)
  • Zhihu Ads
  • Youdao
  • Toutiao
  • iAccess DSP

 

The campaign focused on creating awareness for the newly launched Chinese site and driving qualified leads.

Results

The digital marketing campaign delivered impressive outcomes, exceeding all key performance indicators:

159% of the KPI on impressions

123% of the KPI on page viewes

321% of the KPI on unique visitors

108% of the KPI on lead generation

Conclusion

This project demonstrates the power of a well-executed, locally adapted digital strategy. By integrating platform-specific engagement, content localization, and data-driven promotion, GMAC was able to significantly expand its reach and relevance in China’s competitive graduate admissions landscape.

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