Promotion Strategy Based on the Effectiveness of Social Media, Outdoor Media, and Event Marketing on Students’ Decisions in Choosing a Private Higher Education Institution

Budi Setiawan

Abstract


The higher education sector is becoming increasingly competitive, requiring universities to implement effective promotion strategies to attract prospective students. This study analyzes the effectiveness of promotion strategies implemented by the studied private higher education institution through social media marketing, outdoor advertising, and event marketing, and identifies the main factors influencing students’ decisions to enroll. A quantitative descriptive approach was used with survey data collected from 207 respondents representing more than 93 schools. The results show that Instagram and TikTok are the most frequently used platforms among students, with usage rates of 87 percent and 82 percent. However, the conversion rate of social media video advertisements is relatively low, ranging from 21 percent to 29 percent. Outdoor advertising through billboards on Surya Kencana Street shows higher effectiveness with a conversion rate of 76 percent. Event marketing activities such as school presentations demonstrate moderate effectiveness, while programs such as institutional academic competition program, open stands, and the “institution Mengajar” show lower awareness levels. The main factors influencing students’ decisions include campus location, study program relevance, employment prospects, accreditation, and tuition fees. The study highlights the need for integrated promotional strategies combining digital engagement, offline visibility, and experiential marketing to improve recruitment effectiveness in private higher education institutions.

Keywords


Promotion Strategy, Higher Education Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Event Marketing, Student Decision Making

Full Text:

PDF

References


Dwivedi, Y. K., Ismagilova, E., Hughes, D. L., Carlson, J., Filieri, R., Jacobson, J., Jain, V., Karjaluoto, H., Kefi, H., Krishen, A. S., Kumar, V., Rahman, M. M., Raman, R., Rauschnabel, P. A., Rowley, J., Salo, J., Tran, G. A., & Wang, Y. (2021). Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research propositions. International Journal of Information Management, 59, 102168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102168

Suarsa, S. H., & Munawar, M. M. (2020). Marketing strategy for higher education institution based on marketing stimuli (Case study at Politeknik Pos Indonesia). Kelola: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan, 7(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.24246/j.jk.2020.v7.i1.p25-32

Rajkumar, S. G., Joseph, C. S., & Sudhakar, J. C. (2021). Digital marketing communication strategies and its impact on student higher education decision making process: A review of relevant academic literature. Psychology and Education Journal, 58(2). https://doi.org/10.17762/pae.v58i2.2802

Kango, U., Kartiko, A., & Ma’arif, M. A. (2021). The effect of promotion on the decision to choose a higher education through the brand image of education. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 13(3), 1611–1621. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v13i3.852

Sintani, L., Fransisca, Y., Anjarini, A. D., & Mulyapradana, A. (2022). Identification of the effectiveness of higher education marketing strategies using social media. International Research Journal of Management, IT and Social Sciences, 9(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.21744/irjmis.v9n1.1994

Marques, H., Martins, O. M. D., & Canelas, C. (2021). Mapeando a escolha do estudante de marketing e comunicação no ensino superior: Um estudo em Portugal. European Journal of Applied Business Management, 7(4), 18–32.

Taylor, C. R., Franke, G. R., & Bang, H. K. (2021). Use and effectiveness of billboards: Perspectives from selective-perception theory and retail-gravity models. Journal of Advertising Research, 61(2), 145–158. https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2021-018

Isoraite, M. (2020). Event marketing as a tool of emotional branding. Sustainability, 12(1), 280. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010280

Sia, J. K. M. (2022). Factors influencing students’ choice of higher education institution: A systematic review. Education Sciences, 12(2), 114. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020114

Fitriani, D., & Wahyudi, A. (2023). The role of billboard advertising in strengthening university brand awareness among prospective students. Jurnal Manajemen Pemasaran, 18(1), 45–56.

Lee, J., & Kim, S. (2022). Experiential event marketing and brand image formation among youth participants. Procedia Computer Science, 196, 145–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2021.11.083

Luo, X., & Donthu, N. (2022). Visual attention and outdoor advertising effectiveness in urban environments. Future Internet, 9(2), 24. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi9020024

John, S. P., Walford, R., & Purayidathil, J. (2022). Factors affecting the adoption of social media in marketing of higher education: An empirical analysis. Global Business Review, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/23197145211072198

Maringe, F., & Gibbs, P. (2021). Marketing higher education: Theory and practice for promoting student choice. Journal of Marketing for Higher Education, 31(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841241.2021.1910062




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v58.1.8251

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Budi Setiawan

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.