Belungguk Point Promotion Strategy by the Bengkulu City Tourism Office on Instagram @Dinaspariwisatakotabengkulu

Abstract

The development of information and communication technology in the digital era has changed promotional patterns, including in the tourism sector. Social media, particularly Instagram, has become an effective medium for delivering information, building image, and attracting tourists widely, quickly, and interactively. This study aims to analyze the promotional strategy of Belungguk Point carried out by the Bengkulu City Tourism Office through the Instagram account @dinaspariwisatakotabengkulu. The method used in this study is descriptive qualitative research, with data collected through observation, interviews, and documentation. The informants were selected using purposive sampling, consisting of the Head of Destination and Industry Division, the Instagram administrator, and creative economy staff. The analysis uses Chris Heuer’s Social Media Marketing theory, which includes four aspects: Context, Communication, Collaboration, and Connection. The results of the study show that in the context aspect, the language and posting time have been adjusted to the characteristics of the audience; however, the visual quality of the content needs to be strengthened to build more consistent branding. In the communication aspect, two-way interaction has not been optimal because responses to audience comments are still limited. In the collaboration aspect, the Tourism Office has involved communities, schools, organizations, and local influencers. In the connection aspect, the use of Instagram features is still limited to feed and reels, and Instagram Insight and Ads have not been optimally utilized. It can be concluded that the promotional strategy of Belungguk Point through Instagram has been implemented, but it has not yet been optimal in the four aspects.