Transforming Asian higher education through digital marketing: insights from Vietnamese universities’ Facebook strategies

Purpose This study aims to examine how Vietnamese universities use Facebook to engage with students through identity-theme content. Drawing on social identity theory and self-determination theory, the research analyses how different content strategies affect student engagement metrics. The study provides empirical evidence for effective social media practices in the context of Vietnamese higher education. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a mixed-method approach, combining qualitative content analysis and quantitative analysis. The study examined 5,825 Facebook posts from 155 Vietnamese universities over 36 days. The content was categorised into three identity-theme types: university identity, functional identity and student-role identity. Negative binomial regression analysis was used to determine how these content types and post characteristics influenced student engagement metrics (reactions, comments and shares). Findings The results reveal that different identity-theme content types generate varying engagement patterns. University identity content received strong emotional reactions, while functional identity content generated fewer reactions but more comments and shares. Unexpectedly, student-role identity content performed poorly across all engagement metrics, contradicting findings from Western contexts. Post characteristics, including media format, posting day and time significantly influenced engagement, with visual content and afternoon/evening posts performing best. Research limitations/implications The study’s limitations include its focus on a single country, the relatively short data collection period and its concentration on one social media platform. Despite these constraints, the research extends social identity theory to digital platforms in an Asian higher education context, revealing how cultural factors shape online engagement behaviours among Vietnamese students. Practical implications The study offers practical advice for universities to enhance their social media strategies. It suggests balancing informational content with identity-reinforcing messages that align with cultural values. Universities should rethink their approach to presenting student life online, emphasise visual formats and schedule posts during afternoon and evening hours when engagement peaks. These insights can help institutions build stronger relationships with students and make better use of social media effectiveness. Originality/value This research uniquely applies social identity theory and self-determination theory to university social media engagement in Vietnam, revealing how cultural factors influence digital communication effectiveness. The findings provide exclusive insights into engagement patterns within an emerging market context, challenging Western-centric assumptions regarding student engagement and offering valuable guidance for higher education institutions in similar cultural contexts.