Staged institutions, lived experiences: A netnographic and phenomenological inquiry into digital branding and student engagement in UK higher education

Digital branding is a strategic priority for UK higher education institutions (HEIs) facing intense competition. However, the link between university digital branding and actual student engagement remains theoretically underdeveloped. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study using an innovative multi-layered approach to netnography, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), and visual elicitation to examine the influence of digital branding that shapes, mediates, and sometimes disrupts student engagement in a UK university. The dramaturgical theory is the main theoretical prism, and the communities of practice and the liquid modernity are used as the supporting frameworks. Based on these, we construct and empirically test the construct of digital brand congruence the extent of conformity between the digital image of an institution and student perceived sense of belonging and engagement. Analysis reveals four core themes: idealised institutional staging, the authenticity paradox in digital content, platform-specific engagement dynamics, and the marginalisation of non-traditional voices. The paper offers a conceptual model and practical insights for HE marketing practitioners to better align their digital identity with student belonging.