UNAIR NEWS – With social media, Ricky Indra Alfaray, a student of Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Airlangga suddenly became popular, thanks to 11 thousand followers in his Instagram account .
Ricky often speaks in various start campus events in high schools and educational institutions in Surabaya or other regions. Offers came in to endorse him from his followers, such as clothing, food, or shoes.
Long before he was popular, Ricky was a medical student who was active in organizations and repeatedly had the opportunity to present scientific papers at various events abroad.
The story began when Ricky won one of four awards at the ASEAN University Network (AUN) event, held in Thailand in November 2016. His moment of victory was then uploaded to his Instagram account ( @ rickyalfaray ). Unexpectedly, the photo was reposted by @masukkampus account which was followed by thousands of followers.
Since his name and profile as a student FK UNAIR displayed in Instagram @masukkampus account, instantly the number of his followers skyrocketed.
“Before the repost, the number of followers was 1200. After being appointed UNAIR ambassador, it increased about a thousand. After the repost of @masukkampus it increased to 6000 followers , “he said.
Every time he speaks at various start campus events in various high schools outside the city, the number of followers continues to grow about a thousand. Now, the number of followers reached 11.3 thousand. Ricky felt the acquisition of thousands of followers in a short time was a fortune he had never expected.
“The followers bring me a fortune,” he said.
Introducing FK UNAIR and RSUD Dr. Soetomo
In his Instagram account , this anime lover often uploads photos of his activities as a young doctor at Dr. Soetomo General Hospital as well as activities and various events at FK UNAIR.
“Every time I upload photos, I always include the location of the hospital and campus, so that followers are more familiar with FK UNAIR and RSUD Dr. Soetomo, ” he said.
Ricky promotes FK UNAIR because its popularity somewhat decreased. Ricky wants the students out there to be interested in medicine. By presenting it through open and interactive media, there is no limit for anyone to know and learn about FK UNAIR.
Ricky also took this opportunity to promote FK UNAIR to followers who are mostly high school students and freshmen from various regions of East Java and Jakarta.
Promotions are also inserted each time Ricky interacts with his followers via live instagram. On that occasion, Ricky try to answer the questions addressed to him.
“There are serious questions about lectures at Faculty of Medicine Universitas Airlangga, how to get a scholarship. There is also a question asked for my mobile number and called his name, ” he said.
His attractiveness also made the man from Pare, Kediri even more popular. Ricky had trouble avoiding the enthusiasm of some of his aggressive followers. For example, when Ricky has a birthday, many of the followers send a video, sending songs, and pictorial writing via email as a form of attention.
“Someone once desperately asked to meet. Coming in groups to hospital to find me, just to make a picture together. I was embarrassed because every doctor there was asked, ‘Do you know dr Ricky?’,” he said.
Ricky realized that all of them are consequences, the most important thing is to deal with everything wisely. The student with the third most points on Achievement Credit System (SKP) in FK UNAIR felt that promotion through social media is more effective.
“Promoting FK UNAIR this way is actually quite effective. Evidently, many freshmen FK UNAIR 2017 who finally chose to study at FK UNAIR were my followers in Instagram, ” he said.
The student from Class 2012 always sets a target. How many likes and comments to reach each time he upload photos or videos in his personal accounts.
“At least I get one hundred comments, two thousand likes, and two hundred followers,” he said.
Ricky has a strategy, to post photos, he stressed the importance of paying attention to Instagram feeds. Profile pictures and profile papers should be interesting and informative, in order to attract visitors.
“Try to upload photos so they can be reposted by accounts with more followers,” he said.
Ricky also reminded to upload photos in the right period where most teenagers spend their time stalking.
“Because my followers are mostly high school students, so I mostly upload photos when they are home from school, or around break time,” he said.
While on the weekend, Ricky often uploads his picture in the morning. “Nowadays people have new habit, when they wake up they first find their mobile phones. It is the tendency of teenagers. They immediately stalk when they just get up, while eating, even while chatting, “he said. (*)
Author: Sefya Hayu Istighfaricha
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
