PERSUASIVE PUBLIC RELATION COMMUNICATION STRATEGY OF UIN RADEN MAS SAID SURAKARTA AND UIN SAIFUDDIN ZUHRI IN SOCIAL MEDIA FOR INCREASING THE IMAGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION Fathan* Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta Toto Suharto Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta Abdul Matin Bin Salman Universitas Islam Negeri Raden Mas Said Surakarta Keywords: college; persuasive communication; public relations; the image of the institution http://ejournal.uinsaid.ac.id/index.php/al-balagh/index. Correspondence: e-mail: *askha69@gmail.com Abstract Image is an important element for the institution as a reflection of the institution's quality in the eyes of the community. Part of the institution that functions to form an image is public relations (PR). This study aims to explain the role of public relations in improving the image of Islamic universities in Central Java. The two universities selected as research objects are UIN (Universitas Islam Negeri) Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto. The two institutions transformed IAIN (Institut Agama Islam Negeri) into UIN in 2021. The research approach used was qualitative. This study resulted that the two universities functioned in public relations to improve the institution's image. In addition, public relations also performed as a means of da'wah, considering that both universities are Islamic religious colleges. Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) 342 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) Abstrak Citra merupakan unsur penting bagi lembaga sebagai cerminan dari kualitas lembaga di mata masyarakat. Bagian dari lembaga yang berfungsi untuk membentuk citra adalah hubungan masyarakat (humas). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menjelaskan peran humas dalam meningkatkan citra perguruan tinggi keislaman di Jawa Tengah. Dua perguruan tinggi yang dipilih sebagai objek penelitian adalah UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta dan UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto. Kedua lembaga tersebut mengalami transformasi dari IAIN menuju UIN pada tahun 2021. Pendekatan penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif. Penelitian ini menghasilkan bahwa kedua perguruan tinggi tersebut memfungsikan humas untuk meningkatkan citra lembaga. Selain itu, humas juga difungsikan sebagai sarana dakwah, mengingat kedua perguruan tinggi tersebut merupakan perguruan tinggi keagamaan Islam. Kata kunci: perguruan tinggi; komunikasi persuasif; humas; citra lembaga How to cite this (APA 7th Edition): Fathan, Suharto, T., & Salman, A. M. B. (2022). Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy Of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta And UIN Saifuddin Zuhri In Social Media For Increasing The Image Of Higher Education. Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah Dan Komunikasi, 7(2), 341-372, https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v7i2.5900 INTRODUCTION Educational institutions are essential in shaping people’s future and business advancement (Gonda, 2014). Another duty of educational institutions is to form the youth or the next generation’s identity to enhance nationalism (Idris, Hassan, Ya’acob, Gill, & Awal, 2012). The next task of educational institutions is to foster entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in the community (Zafar, Iraqi, & Mustafa, 2017). Furthermore, academic institutions assist people in obtaining future employment (Yetiska, 2019). Educational institutions teach these entrepreneurial skills and attitudes 343Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) so that people can grow their work abilities and create jobs. The more self-employed persons there are, the more jobs will be produced. If the number of jobs began to rise, unemployment might fall (Iro-Idoro & Jimoh, 2017). In the following stage, educational institutions will support the country in carrying out sustainable development (Ekene & Oluoch- Suleh, 2015). Educational institutions, on the other hand, help shape national identity (Kamaruddin, 2012) and promote emancipation and gender equality (Teague, 2015). These varied functions can be fulfilled provided educational institutions provide high-quality services (Al-Dulaimi, 2016). On the other hand, the proliferation of universities in various forms encourages universities to compete with one another (Muhtaram, Sutarsih, & Rosalin, 2012). There are 4,670 postsecondary institutions in the country, according to data from the Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (2018), including universities, institutes, high schools, academies, and polytechnics. As a result, every tertiary institution is scrambling to achieve public prominence. Public recognition for the quality of tertiary institutions can be obtained when the quality of tertiary institutions is appropriately published and communicated to the public. This is related to image formation in communication science. According to Kotler & Keller (2016), An image is a collection of perceptions, beliefs, and impressions about particular objects produced by individuals or groups of people. While Muchtar & Herdiana (2016) wrote that the image could be appropriately created if a suitable message transfer is used. Thus, if the tertiary institution delivers its information to the public with message content and in a decent manner, the image of the tertiary institution will be developed positively. According to Huddlestone (Ratnasari, 2016), academic reputation, campus appearance, tuition fees, college guarantees for graduate careers, higher education social activities towards the surrounding community, and 344 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) study programs and program quality, are all aspects of higher education that contribute to image formation. The research Furthermore, according to Mujahidin, Zuhriah, & Khoirianingrum (2018) and Setiyawan (2016), the image of a tertiary institution is influenced by the tertiary institution’s services to students and the community, as well as the tertiary institution’s facilities. The public relations department, typically abbreviated as PR (public relation/ hubungan masyarakat), is a division of the institution that helps shape and improve its image. According to Niswaty, Wulandari, Saleh, & Rizal S (2019), the primary function of public relations is to grow and develop positive relationships between universities and the general public. Furthermore, good ties must be formed internally and externally, that is, between the higher education institution’s elements and the community. Finally, society can build a favorable picture of institutions or universities. Public relations can help to create a positive image by employing persuasive communication strategies. In general, persuasive communication can be defined as any activity that includes components of persuasion or solicitation. Advertising and marketing, propaganda, public relations, organizational communications, information/influence campaigns, psychological operations, and strategic communications are examples of such activities (Bakir, Herring, Miller, & Robinson, 2019). Furthermore, persuasive communication can be defined as a method aimed to affect individual and group awareness through the use of auditory and visual media in order to modify people’s and groups’ beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and behavior (Andrade et al., 2017; Perloff, 2010). Persuasive communication has the advantage of having multiple channels of communication (Perloff, 2010) and reciprocal or reciprocated (Warren, Becken, & Coghlan, 2016). The hallmark of persuasive communication, as previously said, is reciprocity. Social media is one medium that public relations can employ to 345Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) implement persuasive communication. This is because social media allows for community discourse, such as in the comments section. Because of the advancement of internet technology, social media has become prevalent. Social media was developed as a means of communication that transcends geography and time. This is due to the fact that every social media user at that time and location will read every post that occurs on social media at a specific time. This social media encompasses new media or media that differs from traditional media, such as television, newspapers, and radio. This is because social media provides interactivity and digitalization (Watie, 2016). In other words, social media allows interaction between people constructing an image and the general public or society. Social media can be viewed as a community communication tool used to carry out social activities. Social media can be viewed as a community communication tool used to carry out social activities (Mulawarman & Nurfitri, 2017). Furthermore, according to Boyd (Nasrullah, 2017), social media can be defined as a collection of software that allows individuals and communities to gather, share, interact, and, in some situations, cooperate or play with one another. The strength of social media is user-generated content (UGC), created by users rather than editors, as in traditional mass media institutions. Social media enables public relations professionals to communicate, cooperate, and interact (Puntoadi, 2011). Sharing means that public relations can share higher education-related news and information on social media. Collaboration entails working with other parties to improve the image of higher education disseminated on social media. Furthermore, when a public relations party seeks to improve the image of a university, the public relations party must collaborate closely with every institution component to develop positive content. Connectedness implies that social media allows public relations to engage in two-way exchanges with the community to foster a sense of community between universities and the 346 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) community. The presence of this two-way interaction is what distinguishes social media from traditional media. Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Path are examples of this social media. These many forms of social media allow users to publish something about themselves while allowing other parties to comment. It doesn’t stop there; users can also respond to other people’s comments. This type of mechanism is then referred to as a two-way interaction, resulting in a connection between the user and the community. In the context of tertiary institutions, if the public relations party in charge of establishing the image of higher education can carry out good interactions through persuasive communication on social media, the community’s assumption of the institution will be more positive. In fact, the institution’s public image is improving. However, if the public relations party is unable to engage in positive social media conversations, the institution’s image will suffer (Beqiri, 2014). In the context of tertiary institutions, if the public relations party in charge of establishing the image of higher education can carry out good interactions through persuasive communication on social media, the community’s assumption of the institution will be more positive. Finally, the institution’s public image is improving. However, if the public relations party is unable to engage in positive social media conversations, the institution’s image would suffer (Beqiri, 2014). Because public relations parties have facilities that are not limited by geography and time, social media can lead to effective public relations performance (OGBU, 2019). At that time, the public relations interaction will be disclosed. As a result, Inya (2017) advises that universities teach public relations and social media management skills. When public relations markets universities to the general public or the community, it also constructs the institution’s image (Ogbu, 2019). The public relations interaction will be disclosed at that time. As a result, Inya (2017) advises that universities teach public relations and social 347Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) media management skills. Furthermore, social media can be utilized to sell higher education(Motta & Barbosa, 2018). When public relations markets universities to the general public or the community, it also constructs the institution’s image. At the moment, all universities’ public relations departments use social media to conduct persuasive communication. For example, the Public Relations of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta (formerly named IAIN Surakarta) and UIN Prof. Dr. Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto (formerly named IAIN Purwokerto). The two universities are included in the type of State Islamic Religious Higher Education (PTKIN/Perguruan Tinggi Keagamaan Islam Negeri) under the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia. The development of the two tertiary institutions is relatively the same, one of which is marked by the two transforming institutes into universities in 2021. In addition, the two also have the same role, which is to stem the development of radicalism in the name of religion (Suharto & Assagaf, 2014). Thus, both universities become important in gaining the high trust of the community. Both universities have social media, for example, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter. Based on the data collected, the social media of the two universities are classified as deserted activities. During August 2022, Facebook UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta Fans Page only uploaded five times with the following details: uploads on August 5, 2022, related to the video that introduced the names of students who participated in the Pesona (National Arts and Sports Week) event held by the Ministry of Religion; Upload on August 12, 2022, related to congratulations to students of the Islamic Communication and Broadcasting Study Program UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta who won first place in the charm Pesona competition; Uploaded on August 23, 2022, which invited students to contribute to UKM Fire in 2022. 348 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) In September 2022, UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta’s Facebook account posted three times: on September 10, 2022, and September 11 concerning the Announcement of Cultural Recitation in the Framework of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta’s 30th Anniversary; and on September 18, 2022, concerning condolences for the death of Prof. Dr. H. Azyumardi Azra, M.Phil., M.A., CBE. On the notice of cultural recitation uploaded on September 10, 2022, one user responded and questioned about the location of the cultural recitation with the comment, “Ten Pundi?” However, the administrator of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta’s Facebook page did not respond. In fact, by addressing the such question, the administration and public relations of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta may carry out convincing communication. Figure 1. Facebook Upload Screenshots Fans Page UIN Raden Mas Said On September 10, 2022, There Are Questions That Are Not Answered. 349Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) Regarding uploads in the UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta Facebook group, only two content were uploaded during September 2022, namely content about the 30th Anniversary of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta's 30th event on September 1, 2022, and content on cultural recitation in the framework of the UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta 30 on September 11, 2022. Meanwhile, on October 2, 2022, just one upload in October conveyed condolences for the death of the head of Rabithah Ma'ahid Islamiyah (RMI) Nahdlatul Executive Board Ulama (PBNU), Drs. KH. Dian Nafi', M.Pd. Conditions that are not significantly different can also be obtained on the official Twitter account of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta. The upload is similar to the Facebook account since it uses the same upload technique and is distributed on Twitter and other social media accounts. UIN Prof. Dr. Saifuddin Zuhri (UIN SAIZU) Purwokerto has a Facebook page called UIN SAIZU. The account's most recent upload was on August 25, 2022, and it featured information about community service through the Banyumas Babad Story Telling workshop. The previous upload was on August 22, 2022, and it reported on the visit of the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, to the Introduction to Academic Culture and Student Affairs (PBAK); August 17, 2022, and it reported on the 77th removal of the Republic of Indonesia; August 12, 2022, and it reported on the news of UIN SAIZU Student National Champion Rock Climbing in Pesona 1 State Religious Higher Education (PTKN) in 2022; and August 10, 2022, and it reported other news. UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto are emerging universities, particularly in their transformation into State Islamic Universities (UIN). There are many SWOT: strengths, shortcomings (weaknesses), opportunities, and threats. The quality of instructors and academic activities are the strengths of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto. This is due to the 350 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) fact that one of the conditions for becoming a UIN is the number of professors, as well as the quality of lectures and academic activities. The two universities' vulnerabilities are the management of websites and social media, which require quality development, particularly the persuasive communication plan section, to improve the two universities' image. In terms of opportunities, UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto have the opportunity to increase the number of registered students. This is due to an increase in the number of high school graduates or equivalents year after year. Meanwhile, several other state religious higher institutions attempting to transition into UIN pose a challenge to the two universities. As a result, many universities are also attempting to improve their public image. Furthermore, the number of public universities in the same area or district as IAIN Surakarta and IAIN Purwokerto has steadily increased. Based on numerous searches and early data finds, it can be presumed that the two universities public relations departments attempted to examine social media. However, the employment of persuasive communication tactics is still considered lacking. In reality, using persuasive communication brings colleges closer to the community, resulting in a more positive image. Furthermore, the major objective of public relations is to develop the image of higher education among external parties, one of which is the community and social media users. A SWOT study of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto further supported this. Every problem found through SWOT analysis can be addressed through a variety of approaches, one of which is the persuasive communication strategy of Higher Education Public Relations on Social Media in an effort to improve higher education's image. Suppose the public relations party can upload various advancements in the transformation process to social media utilizing persuasive communication tactics. In that case, the strength of 351Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) the two universities that are heading to IAIN transformation to UIN will be well reported. Similarly, the general public will be aware of the quality of lecturers and academic activities that promote the transformation process. The community will improve its trust if it can be published by Public Relations using persuasive communication tactics. Threats from various universities, both state Islamic religious tertiary institutions and public universities, can be mitigated if UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto use persuasive communication tactics to promote the quality of institutions and their images. The opportunity to become an increasingly competitive tertiary institution will be enhanced by optimizing public relations through the use of persuasive communication tactics on social media. Thus, the purpose of this study is to describe the compelling communication carried out by the public relations departments of the two institutions in order to improve the image of higher education. Research related to persuasive communication, the role of public relations, and the image of higher education has been carried out by previous researchers, including as follows. First, research by Derin, Nursafira, Yudar, Gowasa, & Hamuddin (2020); Warren et al. (2016); Ruth & Rumble (2017); Teng, Khong, & Goh (2015); Bakir et al. (2019); Abas, Ahmad, & Sianturi (2020); Andrade et al. (2017); Lozano, Balonas, & Ruão (2020); Nagami et al. (2020); Lee & Cho (2017); Kim, Jun, Park, & Lee (2018); Sung & Yang (2008); Singh & Pandey (2017); Alhadid & Qaddomi (2016); Sulistyaningtyas (2007); Wiwitan & Yulianita (2017); Mohammed (2014); Rini, Rusmiwari, & Widodo (2017); Niswaty et al. (2019); Luqman (2013); Musyarrofah (2018); Rachmad (2015); Muchtar & Herdiana (2016); Setyanto, Anggarina, & Valentina (2017); and Pienrasmi (2015). This research has similarities and differences with these previous studies. In the theme aspect, this research has similarities with several previous studies. This is because this study took the theme of public relations persuasive communication. Similarly, research by Derin, Nursafira, 352 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) Yudar, Gowasa, & Hamuddin (2020); Warren et al. (2016); Ruth & Rumble (2017); Teng, Khong, & Goh (2015); Bakir et al. (2019); Abas, Ahmad, & Sianturi (2020); Andrade et al. (2017) also take the theme of persuasive communication. Nevertheless, this research has differences in the side of the research field. Warren research et al. (2016) is in the hospitality field; Ruth & Rumble (2017researching in the area of genetic engineering food; Abas, Ahmad, & Sianturi (2020) examined the field of Entrepreneurship Education, Andrade et al. (2017) focus on the health sector. The research wants to explore the communication strategy used by the Public Relations of Higher Education through social media. The research location is also a differentiator between this study and other studies. Public Relations UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto participated in this study. The two universities have never been investigated in terms of public relations persuasive communication on social media. In the case of IAIN Surakarta, research Fathan and Saifuddin have looked into the function of public relations in boosting the institution’s image (2019). METHODS The qualitative approach and case study research methods are used in this work. Case studies were chosen because this study was unique in that it examined the role of public relations in higher religious institutions of states that underwent a transformation from the form of an institute to the form of a university, namely UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta (formerly known as IAIN Surakarta) and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto (before named IAIN Purwokerto). Techniques for gathering data include interviews, observation, and documentation. Interviews were performed using semi-structured interview approaches, i.e. interview techniques that use interview standards but allow researchers to generate questions to get in-depth data. Interviews 353Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) were held with representatives from higher education, students, and lecturers. The non-participant observation was used in this study, which is an indirect observation technique for public relations. Researchers observe the performance of Higher Education Public Relations when they accomplish their duties. Meanwhile, the documentation includes news and information posted on the college’s official website and social media (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter). Documentation is also employed to discover the profiles of the two colleges, public relations structures, public relations job descriptions, public relations job programs, and social media uploads. This study employs a qualitative approach and case study research methods. Case studies were chosen because this study was unique in the form of examining the role of public relations in religious institutions of states that underwent a transformation, from the form of the institute to the form of a university, namely UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta (formerly named IAIN Surakarta) and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto (before named IAIN Purwokerto). Data collection methods include interviews, observation, and documenting. Interviews were performed using semi-structured interview approaches, i.e. interview techniques that use interview standards but allow researchers to construct questions to get in-depth data. Interviews were done with representatives from Higher Education Public Relations, students, and lecturers. The non-participant observation was used in this study, which is an indirect observation approach used in public relations. Researchers observe the performance of Higher Education Public Relations when they carry out their roles. Meanwhile, news and information posted on the college’s official website and official social media are used as documentation (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter). Furthermore, documentation is employed to reveal the profiles of the two colleges, public relations structures, job descriptions, public relations work programs, and social media uploads. 354 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Brief History Of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta And UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto The history of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta is inextricably linked to that of IAIN Walisongo Semarang. In 1992, H. Munawwir Syadzali, M.A., Minister of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia, wanted to create IAIN, one of which is IAIN Walisongo Semarang. The Faculty of Ushuluddin Kudus and the Pekalongan Sharia Faculty were relocated to Surakarta as part of the development. The opening of the two colleges began on September 12, 1992, with the first lecture delivered directly by H. Munawwir Syadzali at Surakarta City Hall. Over time, on July 1, 1997, all IAIN faculties outside the parent campus were renamed the State Islamic High School (STAIN/ Sekolah Tinggi Agama Islam Negeri). Due to this circumstance, the Faculty of Ushuluddin and the Sharia Faculty of IAIN Walisongo Semarang in Surakarta were separated from IAIN Walisongo Semarang and are now operating independently. As a result, the two faculties were renamed STAIN Surakarta on that date. Change does not end there. STAIN Surakarta then grew and became an institute of IAIN Surakarta under Presidential Regulation No. 1 of 2011. As a result, STAIN Surakarta officially became IAIN Surakarta that year. The transition was complemented by adding professors, resulting in four faculties and graduates at IAIN Surakarta. The four faculties are the Sharia Faculty, the Usuluddin Faculty, the Tarbiyah and Teacher Training Faculty, and the Usuluddin and Da’wah Faculty, which opened the Opportunities for Strata-1 (S1) courses. The postgraduate program serves as the gateway to the Masters (S2) and Doctoral (S3) programs. Changes in the form of faculty growth continue to occur. The Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, as well as the Faculty of Usuluddin and Da’wah, would be affected by the division. However, the extension of the 355Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training into the Faculty of Tarbiyah Sciences and the Faculty of Adab and Culture was a success in 2019. The Faculty of Usuluddin and Da’wah are still on their way to the division. At the end of 2019, IAIN Surakarta was given the opportunity to become a State Islamic University through the transition of IAIN Surakarta (UIN). The government considers IAIN Surakarta to meet the standards for changing to UIN (university institution scale). These needs include the availability of eight professors, but the regulations only call for five professors, 72 doctors, and 11 authorized study programs (Ihsan, 2020). When IAIN Surakarta becomes UIN in early 2020, it will use the name Raden Mas Said. Meanwhile, by the end of 2020, the number of approved study programs had expanded to two, for a total of 13 A. When IAIN Surakarta became UIN, it picked the name Raden Mas Said. Along with IAIN Surakarta, who was changed into UIN, 10 other IAINs escaped to UIN, one of whom was IAIN Purwokerto (Larasati, 2019). IAIN Purwokerto initially pushed into IAIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. IAIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta was founded on November 10, 1962. Furthermore, in 1993, IAIN Purwokerto had the opportunity to create a Walisongo Semarang IAIN under the name IAIN Walisongo Purwokerto. When there was a policy that all faculties outside the campus had to stand alone as a college in 1997, Purwokerto State Islamic High School replaced IAIN Walisongo Purwokerto as a separate high school (STAIN). STAIN Purwokerto was renamed IAIN Purwokerto in accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 139 of 2014. When he became IAIN Purwokerto, the university had five faculties and postgraduate programs: the Tarbiyah Faculty, the Economics and Business Faculty, the Sharia Faculty, the Usuluddin, Adab, and Humanities Faculty, and the Da’wah Faculty. The postgraduate program serves as the gateway to the Masters (S2) and Doctoral (S3) programs. 356 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) In 2020, IAIN Purwokerto passed the assessment to transform into the State Islamic University (UIN). The minimum value needed is 300, while IAIN Purwokerto managed to reach a value of 325.8. In addition, the name chosen when transformed was UIN Saifuddin Zuhri. Saifuddin Zuhri is a Laskar Hizbullah figure from Sokaraja, Central Java and later became the Minister of Religion in 1962 (Matanasi, 2020; Widiyatno, 2019). Persuasive Communication As A Public Relations Method For Improving The University's Image Public Relations (Community Relations) are essential to every institution, particularly universities. Universities must be able to establish and communicate their image to the community in order for the community to have faith in the institution. PR is a party that conducts community involvement activities in an organized, structured, and enduring manner. This public relations effort aims to build and disseminate positive pictures of the organization or institution to the community (Jefkins, 2009). At the same time, an image means a collection of beliefs, ideas, and impressions the individual or audience contains towards an object (Kotler, 2007; Kotler & Keller, 2007). Public Relations may promote the image of higher education in numerous ways, including by utilizing social media. In addition, social media is currently a source of information for some individuals. Social media offers various advantages. For instance, information or events may be transmitted at that time (real-time). New media are included in this social media. According to Nasrullah (2017), new media possess various features or attributes. Initially, network The network’s primary function is to connect one computer to another. However, as New Media evolves, the network becomes integral to this evolution. In New Media, networks facilitate limitless connections between persons in diverse regions of the 357Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) world. In the context of higher education, public relations can utilize New Media to disseminate information, particularly vital information on academic activity. When many students and professors participate in the social media of higher education, they become connected to the network so that information may be transmitted rapidly. Secondly, details (information). Users of New Media communicate with one another based on this information, whether it is information created by the user based on their own state or information created by the user or other parties in relation to particular occurrences. One of the media users subsequently uploaded, swapped, and published the information, which was then remarked on by other social media users. The information pertaining to higher institutions is of numerous types—for instance, UKT (tution fee/ Uang Kuliah Tunggal) payment information and campus activity announcements. Lastly, interaction (interactivity), new media permits cyberspace interaction between two users at this time. There are several varieties of these interactions. For instance, New Media users interact by giving one another “likes. In addition, New Media users can also leave comments in the available columns, to which the uploader will respond. On the other side, New Media also offers a type of engagement in the form of providing or sharing emotions with certain New Media symbols. New media also enable a user to share and promote certain information to other users on his friend list, allowing the information to be broadly disseminated. This type of engagement facilitates two-way communication between users as well as between public relations and users. At this time, persuasive communication can be effective if it can influence users of social media or new media. Persuasive communication is a communication process carried out by persons with the intention of influencing the behavior of others or groups of people through the transmission of a few messages (Bettinghaus 358 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) & Cody, 1994). Persuasive communication may also be defined as a sophisticated communication process that occurs when individuals or groups intentionally or unintentionally expose and express messages through verbal and nonverbal means to elicit specific responses from other individuals or organizations. (Applbaum & Anatol, 1974). According to Stiff & Mongeau (2016) persuasive communication is the action of delivering messages from individuals or groups orally or nonverbally, intentionally or unconsciously, to influence the beliefs, intentions, attitudes, thoughts, perceptions, and behavior of individuals and other groups. According to Perloff (2010), persuasive communication can be understood as a symbolic process in which the communicator attempts to persuade others to modify their attitudes or behavior regarding a problem through the transmission of messages in a non-coercive environment. While, Littlejohn & Foss (2009) assumed that persuasive communication is communication that seeks to modify or influence an individual’s ideas, attitudes, and behavior so that they act as the communicator expects. Based on the definition of persuasive communication, it can be understood that persuasive communication is a method of delivering messages, both verbally and nonverbally, by communicators to communicants in order to influence and alter the communicant’s perception and confidence regarding certain objects. When a communicator actively communicates with other parties, persuasive communication occurs. Persuasive communication has four components: persuaders, messages, communication, and persuadee (Hendri, 2019). In the context of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta, the persuader is the party responsible for persuasive communication tasks, namely the public relations and public relations employees. It is possible to communicate persuasively both online and offline. Online persuasive communication is conducted via social media. Before engaging in persuasive communication 359Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) on social media, the Public Relations staff produces visuals in accordance with the character of the Channel, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and the website. The findings of the graphic design are then shown to Pranata. Public Relations and Public Relations Staff are required to present on the design. The institution of public relations then provided a feasibility assessment of the content to be uploaded. Thirdly, the agreed- upon content is uploaded to social networking platforms. Persuaders must possess credibility. The ability of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta to successfully hold the 20th Annual International Conference on Islamic Studies (AICIS) in 2021 demonstrates the institution’s legitimacy as a Persuader. In this instance, UIN Public Relations Raden Mas Said Surakarta aired the AICIS event on YouTube via IAIN Surakarta’s YouTube page. Public Relations UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta also published 32 pieces of information incorporating AICIS. UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto, like UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta, utilized public relations personnel and public relations institutions as persuaders. The message is the second component of persuasive communication. This message contains the form of messages, the messages, and the message’s meaning (Hendri, 2019). Messages displayed by the Public Relations Team of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta are predominantly linguistic in nature. The message was created on purpose to project the picture of a reputable institution. Web and social media UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta contain intentional spoken messages in the form of press releases, films, and social media postings. This is where public relations typically upload information regarding campus activities. The UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta Public Relations Team member uses language familiar to the community, particularly prospective students. The majority of visual displays include formal and informative language. But occasionally also employ the languages that are popular at the time (slang). UIN Raden 360 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) Mas Said Surakarta is attempting to market his university through the message published on social media. In addition, the message conveying the institution’s quality and reputation to the outside world is extremely confusing. The institution’s message conveys meaning and broadens the reader’s perspective of the institution. As for the form of the message given by UIN Saifuddin Zuhri, the majority of the kinds of communications employed by UIN Saifuddin Zuhri are verbal messages intended to transmit persuasive communication from the academic community of the campus to the public. On the website and social media platforms of UIN Saifuddin Zuhri, where public relations typically uploads news releases, videos, and social media posts regarding significant campus events, one may observe the dissemination of intentional verbal messages. In terms of vocabulary, the language utilized by UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto is formal, as observed through his social media posts. The majority of the message disseminated by the Public Relations Team of UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto is compelling. In addition to delivering information, the message also served to bring the audience’s attention to UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto. The third element of persuasive communication is the mode of transmission. Both UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto use social media to communicate. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are examples. The public has responded to various social media through the comments that exist on each of these social media. This situation suggests that UIN Public Relations Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri engaged in persuasive communication, albeit not optimally. This is because the administration of both schools rarely discusses netizens’ social media criticisms. 361Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) Influencing Factors Of Persuasive Public Relations Communication Through Social Media Several elements can influence the persuasiveness of public relations communication through social media. First, the communicator’s credibility. In the social responsibility framework, public relations is the party with the most opportunity to interact with the public. Therefore, while carrying out their responsibilities, public relations professionals must also adhere to the Public Relations Code of Ethics. The Public Relations Code of Ethics requires, among other things, that public relations professionals operate correctly, fairly, and honestly. At the same time, the obligation is to provide equitable services and strive for excellence in serving the public. PR is also burdened with a societal obligation to retain public trust, as public trust will eventually impact the organization’s success. The concept of social responsibility entails that practitioners must pay attention to and serve the public interest, be honest and responsible, and not undermine the public interest (Stanić & Barišić, 2019). Regarding the communicator’s credibility, UIN Public Relations Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto have carried out their responsibilities per the description of his work. This is illustrated by public relations’ efforts to present information via social media and websites. Due to the fact that these two institutions were both transitioning from IAIN to UIN in 2021, the message’s credibility suffered. UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta demonstrated a superior rate of adaptation from IAIN to UIN, including updating social media, so that when the transformation took place, UIN Public Relations Raden Mas Said Surakarta was able to continue performing its duties by updating social media and website features. This is demonstrated by the monthly mailings. On the other side, UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta is still adjusting to the transformation of the campus, since numerous social media accounts still 362 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) refer to UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta after the public relations party has updated social media features. If left unchecked, this can cause social media users to be confused about the primary account. In contrast, UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto lost some information during the transition from IAIN to UIN. This is evident from the lack of social media posts. UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto did not upload a single video to YouTube during June and July. UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto ceased uploading Potingan to Facebook between August and December 2021. In addition, UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto had not utilized Twitter to disseminate information to the general population. UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto suffered the same issue in relation to the existence of unofficial accounts that arose when they were still IAIN but before they became UIN. This can result in a loss of credibility for the communicator. Second, statement structure. The effectiveness of persuasive messaging in altering one’s behavior and habits is demonstrable (Oyibo, 2021; Sousa, Almeida, Gouveia, Freire, & Oliveira, 2021). In this instance, the responsibility of public relations is to aggressively promote and spread messages using a variety of models and techniques (Nmere, Okolo, Abugu, Alio, & Anetoh, 2020). The two types of persuasive communication are consensual and non-consensual. Typically, conservation communication involves dialogical, consensual dialogue and strategic, consensual persuasion (one direction). While non-consensual persuasive communication can take the form of fraud, incentives, coercion, and fraud with coercion, it can also take the form of fraud with coercion (Riswanti, Arif, & Indradin, 2021). In order for persuasive communication to be effective, it is required to pay close attention to the specific message or for a competent communicator to be able to change individual views or, at the very least, influence their behavior. Effective persuasive communication must also 363Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) be specific, such as addressing the issues of strengths and weaknesses, positive and negative consequences, and demonstrating the benefits of the proposed activity. Additionally, public confidence in communicators substantially impacts persuasive communication effectiveness (Negash et al., 2021). Creative social media has a substantial impact on the success of message delivery. This is because the more creatively the social media are presented, the greater the user’s delight v(Zaid, Fedtke, Shin, El Kadoussi, & Ibahrine, 2022). Thus they will be more interested in exploring social media (Almansa-Martínez & Fernández-Souto, 2020). The two institutions disseminate the message via social media in various formats, including photos, posters, infographics, and movies. When observed through the UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta post, the majority of community members responded positively to positive messages. This is consistent with Grbea’s assertion that positive invitations tend to lower the likelihood of negative comments (Grbeša, 2020). A YouTube upload on the documentary film “Mbah Cinde Mbah Siladan” from DWP (Dharma Wanita Persatuan) IAIN Surakarta was one of the positive comments that drew favorable responses. The power of the post is in the message creator’s originality, which distinguishes it from YouTube videos, which typically consist of video graphics or conventional recording. In addition, the exhibited posts take the form of lecturers’ work, thereby promoting both the academics involved and the institution as a whole. Posts connected to campus tactics and administration, such as PPDB (New Student Acceptance), Hergromstration, and KRS Schedule (Study Plan Card), also generate frequent reactions. However, the administrator hardly responds to questions concerning it. This may be because the administrator lacks the power to respond to campus administration matters, in contrast to posts regarding the deployment of AICIS, which, despite being a significant and respected event, receive less attention from 364 Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) the community because they tend to be repetitive. This is evidenced by the quantity of likes, shares, and low comments, however no unfavorable remarks were discovered. Then, this position falls inside the typical middle level. During the Pandemic, the Public Relations of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta disseminated news concerning the UKT (single tuition) payment policy in a format that generated many reactions. The majority of responses came from students themselves, both active students and alumni. Student protests and opposition to university regulations dominated the response. UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto also attempted to convey convincing information to the people. The format of the message is virtually identical to that of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta, including student accomplishments, words from Peajabad and the academic community on national holidays, campus events such as seminars and conferences, cooperation, PPDB, AksReditation, and others. Messages concerning campus administration information also receive the most replies. However, as with UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta, UIN Saifuddin Zuhri Purwokerto’s Public Relations personnel could not answer all of the issues posed since they fell beyond their scope of responsibilities. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION Conclusion The higher education institutes that transitioned from IAIN to UIN include UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri. The image of higher education becomes essential during the change process. Building compelling communication on social media might help develop one of the higher institutions' images. Regarding each area, the two universities have used persuasive communication. As an example, consider the word persuader. The Public Relations division at both colleges is in charge of creating social media content. In terms of message form, the 365Persuasive Public Relation Communication Strategy of UIN Raden Mas Said Surakarta and UIN Saifuddin Zuhri in Social Media for Increasing the Image of Higher Education Fathan, Toto Suharto, Abdul Matin Bin Salman Al-Balagh: Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, Vol. 7, No. 2, July – December 2022, pp. 341 - 372, DOI: https://doi.org/10.22515/al-balagh.v6i2.3511 ISSN: 2527-5704 (P) ISSN: 2527-5682 (E) form of the message produced by the two universities is related to the lecture process and news of campus events. The language employed adapts to the audience or message. In terms of channels, both colleges already use various forms of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Nonetheless, persuasive communication is not perfect because both colleges frequently do not respond to netizen comments about uploads that require answers. 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