The Meaning of Postgraduate Admission Content: A Semiotic Analysis of Instagram@Smbtelkom

Abstract

This study looks at how pictures and words in postgraduate admission posts on the official Instagram account @smbtelkom share information and shape how the institution is seen. The research uses a qualitative descriptive method and applies Roland Barthes’ idea of semiotics, which breaks down meaning into three parts: denotation, connotation, and myth. Four posts were carefully picked: the Direct Track Master’s Program, Open Selection Pathways, Master’s Program Batch 1, and the LPDP 2025 Scholarship Program. Each post was checked for its visual parts like layout, colors, and symbols, as well as the text parts like headlines, fonts, and captions. The results show that @smbtelkom posts do more than just share info they also help build the university’s brand, showing it as modern, welcoming, and competitive. The study found that having a consistent look, matching fonts, and using symbols that relate to the culture help make the content more engaging and improve how the institution is viewed. This research gives useful ideas on how semiotic analysis can be used in higher education marketing, especially in Indonesia, where there is growing competition for postgraduate students. It also adds to conversations about digital communication in academic branding and suggests more research into how audiences receive these messages and how different platforms compare to find better ways to promote academic programs online.