WhatsApp Business as an Entry Point for Digital Marketing Transformation among Rural MSMEs: Training and Mentoring for Business Actors in Sidaharja Village

Abstract

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in rural areas still face obstacles in expanding their marketing reach due to low digital literacy, limited online promotion skills, and strong dependence on conventional sales patterns. This condition was also found among MSME actors in Sidaharja Village, Suradadi District, Tegal Regency, most of whom had not yet used digital media in a structured manner for their business activities. This community service program aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of MSME actors in using WhatsApp Business as a simple, affordable, and contextually appropriate entry point for digital marketing transformation. The implementation method used a community empowerment approach through observation, socialization, training, mentoring, and evaluation stages. The program targeted 20 MSME actors engaged in processed food, fishery products, traditional snacks, and other household-based businesses. The evaluation results showed that the participants’ average knowledge score increased from 43.6 in the pre-test to 81.2 in the post-test. A total of 18 participants, or 90%, successfully created WhatsApp Business accounts and developed digital product catalogues, while 13 participants, or 65%, began receiving orders through digital media within two weeks after mentoring. These findings indicate initial outcomes in the form of improved digital literacy, promotional skills, and early adoption of digital marketing. However, these achievements cannot yet be concluded as long-term economic impacts because turnover, customer growth, and transaction sustainability were not measured. This program is recommended to be continued through periodic mentoring, strengthening of promotional content, and the formation of local facilitators to support the sustainability of digital adoption among rural MSMEs.