Branding Strategies For Islamic Educational Institutions: The Use Of Digital Marketing And Influencer Marketing To Attract Gen Z Prospective Students To Islamic-Based Schools

Abstract

Islamic educational institutions in Indonesia currently face a complex epistemological and strategic dilemma, situated at the crossroads between maintaining sacred normative traditions and responding to technological disruption in the Society 5.0 era. Generation Z, as the demographic group constituting the largest market share for educational institutions today, displays information consumption behavioral patterns that demand authenticity, transparency, and symmetrical two-way communication interactions. This comprehensive scientific report explores and deeply analyzes the branding strategies of Islamic educational institutions, focusing on the utilization of digital marketing and influencer marketing to attract prospective students from Generation Z. Using a qualitative approach with a multicultural case study method and phenomenological analysis of various educational institutions (such as Aqobah International School, SMPI Al-Azhaar, IAIN Kerinci, and Phatnawitya School), this research deconstructs conventional marketing frameworks. The analysis results indicate that the transformation of the Marketing Mix (7Ps) into the digital ecosystem is an absolute necessity. Furthermore, this report finds that the Islamic Brand Personality model—centered on sharia compliance, sincerity, and transparency—plays a crucial role in mitigating the risk of the commercialization of religion. Through platform comparison, it was found that TikTok, with an average engagement rate of 1.42%, is highly effective for the awareness phase, while Instagram, with an engagement rate of 5.47%, is superior in building community loyalty. The utilization of moderate Muslim influencers has proven capable of amplifying Electronic Word of Mouth (e-WOM) and aligning the institution's image with the halal lifestyle of Generation Z. This article concludes that the effectiveness of future Islamic education branding strategies requires a synergy between data-driven technological innovations, including Artificial Intelligence (AI) governance, and the preservation of tarbiyah values and maqasid sharia to ensure institutional sustainability without compromising the integrity of da'wah.