Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Oct 2023

Content Strategy and Intercultural Communication: Analysis of International Websites of Chinese Universities

Yingying Tang Auburn University ; Huiling Ding North Carolina State University

Abstract

This study examines the content strategies of 12 Chinese universities’ international websites. Going beyond the Hofstede–Hall model, we explore a novel mixed-method study using both content strategy analysis and user research to investigate intercultural web-based communication strategies. Our study identifies the impacts of Chinese cultural and socio-political values on web content and the mismatch between such values and the information needs of globally distributed prospective students. We conclude that universities’ web content strategies should fully understand target audiences’ needs. Designers benefit from doing stakeholder interviews and competitor analysis to provide relevant, accurate, and accessible information to users from different cultures.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2023-10-01
DOI
10.1177/00472816231171982
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