Strategi Public Relation dalam Membangun Citra Sekolah pada Akun Instagram @smpdtbseco

Abstract

The emergence of social media is proof of the rapid development of communication technology. This forces every school to be able to utilize social media as a means of public relations (PR), with a public relations strategy as its basis. Having a good strategy will certainly help build a good image for a school. In this research, the Daarut Tauhiid Boarding School Boys' Instagram account, @smpdtbseco, is the focus of the study. This research aims to examine whether the PR activities carried out use a sound strategy, and to identify the obstacles and challenges faced. The method used is a qualitative descriptive approach, with interviews as the primary data source. The results show that the public relations team of SMP DTBS Putra applies public relations strategies well, following Cutlip's four-step model consisting of fact finding, planning, communication, and evaluation, even though obstacles and challenges remain, namely being unable to use paid advertising features and difficulty finding time to take pictures as content material. The use of public relations strategies as an effort to build the school's image, especially in managing its Instagram account, has had a fairly significant impact, reflected in the positive public response toward SMP DTBS Putra. It is hoped that this strategy can be implemented by public relations teams in other schools, especially those under Daarut Tauhiid.