A comprehensive review on the influence of social media marketing in harnessing international students to Australia

Higher Education Institutions (HEI) across the globe are using social media platforms (such as Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram) to attract international students in an increasingly competitive market. International students are the third largest source of revenue for the Australian economy. However, a growing awareness of the positive outcomes from good social media relationships between real and potential students and HEI, measuring the effectiveness of social media in this rapidly changing landscape, has not been utilized effectively in academic research in the Australian context. The efforts of academic institutions are uncoordinated across the Australian landscape, and there is a competitive rather than a cooperative approach in Australian marketing. This research paper explores the gap in academic treatment of best practices for online social media marketing in Australia. It is found that research into lived experiences, emotions and behaviours and the meanings individuals attach to them have been systematically undermined in academic literature on this subject. In this study, by using secondary research literature will closely examine on student attitudes which provides a platform to identify the best practices in the HEI. Further the study brings what competitive behaviours by the HEI can support in creation of a digital framework that can benefit the Australian education institutions to attract and retain international students as the most desired destination for higher education.