Content Marketing Strategy of the Instagram Account '@inlife.surabaya' in Increasing Follower Engagement Based on Islamic Values

Abstract

The advent of technology has propelled civilization into the era of globalization, requiring humans to adapt to digital transformations, such as utilizing social media platforms, particularly Instagram, for marketing purposes in order to reach a wider audience. This research aims to analyze the content marketing strategy implemented by the Instagram account @inlife.surabaya in efforts to maintain and enhance follower engagement. The study adopts a qualitative approach with a systematic and objective concept, conducted over the period of August to December 2024, analyzing 63 content posts. The research methodology builds upon the identification framework of Tasya Aulia Sakti and Iva Fikrani Deslia (2024), with a focus on the theoretical framework of Elizabeth Meilyana in Ausra et al. (2016). The findings of the study identify two types of marketing content: interactive and informative. Despite employing an engagement strategy through consistent use of hashtags and content variation, the engagement rate declined from 3.2% to 2.37%. The study also highlights seven elements in Ausra et al. (2016) for optimizing the marketing approach, including: 1) relevance, 2) informativeness, 3) reliability, 4) value, 5) uniqueness, 6) emotions, and 7) intelligence. The results indicate that the content marketing strategy applied by @inlife.surabaya has not been effective in increasing follower engagement. These findings provide a valuable reference for @inlife.surabaya to optimize future content marketing strategies to enhance follower engagement. From an Islamic perspective, marketing should also adhere to values of truthfulness, transparency, and providing beneficial content, ensuring that the communication aligns with the ethical principles of honesty and service to the community.