Communicating Indonesias Digital Transformation: Strategic Government Communication on Instagram Nur Laila Lubis
Ministry of Law
Abstract
Digital transformation has become a strategic priority for the Indonesian government to improve governance, public service delivery, and citizen engagement. As governments increasingly rely on social media to communicate policies and digital innovations, strategic communication plays a vital role in enhancing public understanding, fostering citizen engagement, and strengthening public trust. Although previous studies have examined government social media, public engagement, transparency, and institutional trust, limited attention has been paid to how government ministries strategically communicate Indonesias digital transformation agenda through social media. This study aims to examine how Indonesian government ministries construct strategic communication narratives related to digital transformation through their official Instagram accounts. Employing a Qualitative Content Analysis (QCA) approach, the study analyzes purposively selected Instagram posts published by three Indonesian ministries whose institutional mandates are closely associated with Indonesia^s digital transformation agenda. Digital transformation is operationalized through government communication concerning digital government initiatives, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE), GovTech, integrated digital platforms, and digital public services. The analysis is guided by an analytical framework synthesizing strategic communication, government communication, dialogic communication, digital government, and public trust literature through four analytical categories: Informing, Educating, Engaging, and Building Trust. The study seeks to explain how strategic communication narratives are constructed in government Instagram content to communicate Indonesia^s digital transformation agenda. The findings are expected to contribute to the growing literature on strategic government communication and provide practical insights for developing more citizen-centered digital communication that supports public trust in the digital era.
Keywords: Digital Transformation- Government Communication- Instagram- Public Trust- Qualitative Content Analysis.
Topic: Strategic Communication in the Digital Sphere: Cultivating Civic Trust through Data-Driven Approaches (Digital Communication- Public Communication Strategy- Civic Trust)
