REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesian Islamic banking (IB) finds new tools to promote their business: Twitter and facebook. Then those who are very attached to the social media can easily find some information on Islamic banking by simple "click".   

“We use social media to promote and build community to support our business,” President Director of BNI Syariah, Rizqullah, said on Thursday. 

BNI Syariah started using the social media a year ago, intended to educate its prospective consumers on Islamic banking. In fact, the bank gains a number of new costumers from Twitter and facebook. Promotion through social media is also considered cost-efficient.    

BNI Syariah’s account on Twitter has 700 followers in April 2011. The number jumps to 2,857 followers this month. The bank’s account on facebook now connects to 3,000 accounts of facebookers. Yet, the use of social media in BNI Syariah is still limited to promotion and education on Islamic banking, as no product to be sold online. 

Social media also help the bank's promotion to social media users from outside Indonesia. “They may be potential investor some day,” Rizqullah added.

Another bank, Bank Syariah Bukopin (BSB) also uses social media to promote its products and to gain public trust. “We started using social media since BSB was still an Islamic Business Unit (UUS),” Director of Business in BSB, Harry Harmono Busiri, said.

“Public prefer instant information, then we must make the content much attractive,” he said.

Similar strategic is also applied by Bank Muamalat. Yet, Director of Business Andi Buchori admitted, the bank needed to explore various use of social media, for example to handle customer claims and promote its banking products to younger generation. 

“They are our potential costumers in the future,” he said. 

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