MANAGEMENT OF A PRIVATE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT AS A DIGITAL PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGY WITHIN A DEALER NETWORK: A CASE STUDY OF PT XYZ

Abstract

Background: Social media is increasingly used for corporate communication with business partners, yet research on private corporate accounts for business-to-business (B2B) communication as a digital public relations strategy remains limited. Purpose: This study analyzes how PT XYZ manages a private Instagram account for its dealer network through Luttrell's (2025) Circular Model of SOME (share, optimize, manage, engage) and how the account's private character reshapes each stage. Method: Descriptive qualitative single case study using participant observation (July–October 2026), interviews with six internal informants, and documentation; engagement rate was calculated on a views basis. Results: The stages remain circular but shift in orientation: share toward controlled community building, optimize toward accuracy-oriented curation, manage gains access control, and engage emphasizes interaction quality. Average ER was 5.15%; education content was lowest (2.75%). Conclusion: Applying SOME to private accounts is a limited, propositional conceptual extension. Implication: Trust and relationship quality remain untested from the dealers' side.

Keywords: B2B communication, Circular Model of SOME, dealer network, digital public relations, private Instagram