Digital Communication Strategy and Higher Education Reputation: Student and Community Perceptions

Abstract

In the current era of digital transformation, higher education institutions face increasing pressure to manage their reputation strategically through digital communication channels. This study investigates the relationship between digital communication strategies employed by higher education institutions and their perceived reputation among students and surrounding communities. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative survey with 320 respondents (220 students and 100 community members) and qualitative in-depth interviews with 18 informants from three universities in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, this research examines how social media management, website quality, digital content consistency, and online engagement practices influence institutional reputation. The findings reveal that digital communication strategy has a significant positive effect on higher education reputation (r = 0.724, p < 0.01), with social media engagement and content consistency emerging as the most influential dimensions. Community respondents demonstrated higher sensitivity to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) content compared to students, who prioritized academic information quality and responsiveness. This study contributes theoretically to the application of Agenda-Setting Theory and Stakeholder Theory in the digital context of higher education and provides practical recommendations for university communication offices in developing more effective digital strategies to build and maintain institutional reputation.