Digital Marketing as a Strategy to Enhance Islamic Financial Literacy and Inclusion among Generation Z

Abstract

This article examines how digital marketing supports the literacy-inclusion agenda of Islamic finance among young consumers in Indonesia. Although Islamic banking continues to develop, public understanding and actual participation in Sharia-based financial services remain uneven. Generation Z is a relevant group for this issue because its information behavior is closely linked to social media, mobile applications, and visual communication. This study employed a descriptive qualitative design involving students of the Faculty of Sharia and Law, UIN Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau. The data were generated through semi-structured interviews, online observation of digital materials issued by Islamic financial institutions, and review of supporting documents. The analysis involved selecting and organizing empirical material, presenting the findings thematically, and interpreting the relationship between digital exposure, literacy, and service use. The study finds that digital marketing helps students learn key Islamic finance concepts, including riba prohibition, Sharia contracts, and profit-sharing schemes, while also functioning as promotion and two-way communication. Digital exposure also makes students more prepared to use online Islamic financial services, especially Islamic mobile banking. These findings suggest that digital marketing can be used as an educational and access-oriented strategy to improve young consumers' understanding of Islamic finance and encourage their participation in Sharia-compliant financial services.