Effectiveness of University Social Media Marketing (TikTok) in Improving Student Engagement

Abstract

This research investigates how TikTok-based social media marketing contributes to enhancing student engagement at Telkom University. The study is driven by the rapid growth of TikTok usage among young audiences and the increasing role of social media as a strategic communication and promotional channel for higher education institutions. The objectives are to evaluate the implementation of TikTok marketing activities, assess the level of student engagement, and determine the extent to which marketing effectiveness influences student involvement. Descriptive and verification techniques were used in a quantitative way. Data were obtained through questionnaires distributed to 100 active students who follow the @smbtelkom TikTok account. Validity testing, reliability testing, traditional assumption testing, simple linear regression, coefficient of determination analysis, and hypothesis testing with SPSS were among the statistical investigations. The findings reveal that TikTok marketing activities implemented by Telkom University are perceived positively, particularly in terms of awareness creation, audience interest, persuasive capability, and communication impact. Student engagement was also found to be at a high level across cognitive, emotional, and behavioral dimensions. Furthermore, the regression results demonstrate that the effectiveness of TikTok marketing significantly influences student engagement, accounting for 80.8% of the observed variation. The study provides both theoretical and practical contributions by expanding the discussion of digital marketing within higher education and offering recommendations for developing more engaging and interactive social media strategies.