Multi-Channel Ad Strategy to Attract Korean Students

This case study showcases how InterAd achieved a 61% increase in Korean student applications, a 43% decrease in bounce rate, and more than a 150% increase in brand keywords’ volume for a global educational institution within 12 months. By combining Naver and Google ad platforms with culturally informed blog content and localized website translation, InterAd established a fresh image for this academy within the highly competitive market. 

This strategy applies to international universities, language academies, and private education providers aiming to expand their presence in the South Korean market.

Overview of the Problems and Objectives

The client was a globally recognized private university offering English-taught bachelor’s and master’s programs in Western Europe and Southeast Asia. While their academic reputation was strong internationally, they lacked the cultural insight necessary to resonate with Korean students and parents.

Key challenges included:

• Limited visibility on Korean platforms such as Naver, despite strong global branding;
• Lack of cultural localization: Korean students and their families have unique expectations, placing high value on trust-building content, such as alumni testimonials, formal language tone, and transparent FAQs. The client’s existing marketing efforts did not align with these cultural expectations;
• Low conversion rates due to the absence of structured, informative resources in Korean;
• Over-reliance on international student fairs, which failed to capture interest from students who preferred digital information;
• Poor targeting: The client had not segmented Korean users by income, academic standing, or geographical region. This led to the academy missing high-conversion groups such as: dual-income families, top-tier high school students, and students in private academies. 

InterAd’s objectives were:

• Increase Korean student inquiries by at least 20%;
• Develop culturally appropriate, high-trust content through Naver to provide the locals with accessible information;
• Target high-potential demographics based on income brackets, school performance, and location;
• Position the institution as a reliable and prestigious option within the South Korean competitive educational market.

Campaign Execution: Integral Strategy

Naver Search Ads

InterAd conducted an in-depth keyword research using short-tailed keywords and competitive keywords. After Q2 of the project, branded keywords were also implemented. 

After this, InterAd created a Powerlink campaign that:

• Integrated seasonal keyword shifts (after CSAT exams) to optimize ad performance and seize the surge of university searches;
• Launched several search ad campaigns on Naver with a 2% average CTR, which on average tripled around the aforementioned exam season.

Google Search and Display Ads

Due to the nature of the education industry, Google proved to be just as effective as Naver. In fact, it played a critical role in this project by attracting high-quality leads at a lower cost per conversion.

• Search Ads targeted high-intent keywords;
• Display Ads focused on banners that showcase program highlights, open house invitations, and alumni testimonials;
• The ads were customized to ensure relevance to both students and parents.

Using South Korean behavioral data, InterAd built ad sets targeting:

• Students attending the top 20 high schools in Seoul and Busan, as well as almost all private schools;
• Parents aged 40-54 with interests in education and international travel;
• University students looking to do an exchange programme or a master’s degree abroad; 

These groups had 2x higher conversion rates than the general ad audience.

Website Translation & UX Localization

Furthermore, InterAd recommended translating key website pages into Korean to reduce bounce rates. Since many prospective students and parents conduct their initial research in Korean, being redirected to English-only pages would lead to confusion and early exits. Localizing the content ensured a smoother user experience and increased engagement. The key pages included:

• Homepage;
• Program overview pages;
• Admissions and scholarship information;
• FAQ and contact forms.

This, in combination with the persona targeting, lowered the bounce rate by 43%. Moreover, the page retention of Korean pages is twice as long as that of English pages.

Naver Blog and Organic Content Strategy

South Korean audiences prefer detailed and trustworthy information, and InterAd leveraged this by establishing a Naver Blog that functioned as a localized information center.

• Published 3 blog posts per month, all in native Korean – some were created by the InterAd team (800+ words), others were provided in English by the institution and localized by InterAd (1000+ words); 
• Focused on Korean alumni stories, admissions walkthroughs, parent-focused FAQs, and lifestyle articles about studying abroad;
• Actively responded to user comments to create an engaging and friendly community, which led to the acquisition of more than 300 followers of the blog in 12 months. 

Results

Within 12 months of the launch, the following results were achieved:

• 61% increase in Korean student applications, compared to the same period the previous year;
• 150% increase in branded keyword searches on Naver, and a 166% increase on Google (South Korea);
• Reduction of bounce rates by 43%;
• Page retention of Korean pages is double that of English pages;
• The institution reduced reliance on third-party education agents, improving its revenue.

Most importantly, the campaign established the university as a credible and culturally aligned option for Korean families.

Conclusion

This case study illustrates how digital strategy alone is not enough – cultural knowledge is key when entering a market like South Korea. By integrating high-trust platforms like Naver Blog, optimizing ad copy for local nuances, enabling full Korean-language navigation, and targeting the right demographics, InterAd transformed this unknown academic institution into a household stable.

For educational institutions looking to expand into South Korea’s academically ambitious market, InterAd offers more than 23 years of experience and more than 100 client testimonials.