PERAN CITRA SEKOLAH DALAM MEMEDIASI PENGARUH KUALITAS PELAYANAN DAN PEMASARAN DIGITAL TERHADAP KEPUTUSAN ORANG TUA DALAM PEMILIHAN SDK HARAPAN BANGSA BALIKPAPAN

The increasing competition among private primary schools requires educational institutions to improve service quality, implement effective digital marketing strategies, and build a positive school image. Parents’ decisions in choosing a school are influenced not only by academic aspects but also by perceptions of service quality, digital communication, and school reputation. This study aims to analyze the effect of service quality and digital marketing on parents’ decisions, both directly and indirectly through school image as a mediating variable. This study employed a quantitative approach using a survey method involving 51 parents of Grade 1 students at SDK Harapan Bangsa Balikpapan in the 2025/2026 academic year using a saturated sampling technique. Data were collected through a Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Square–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that service quality and digital marketing have a positive and significant effect on school image. Service quality and digital marketing have a positive but insignificant effect on parents’ decisions. School image has a positive and significant effect on parents’ decisions and significantly mediates the effect of digital marketing on parents’ decisions, but does not mediate the effect of service quality on parents’ decisions. These findings highlight the strategic importance of school image in educational service marketing.