ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-ASSISTED DIGITAL MARKETING CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT FOR A TEMPE CONTONG MICROENTERPRISE IN CILACAP

Abstract

This community engagement program sought to strengthen the digital marketing capability of Tempe Contong, a microenterprise in Sidamulya Village, Sidareja District, Cilacap Regency. Conducted on July 22-23, 2026, the program involved the business owner as the principal partner. A Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach was combined with learning by doing through a cycle of problem identification, action planning, implementation, observation, reflection, and revision. ChatGPT supported the development of content ideas, product descriptions, promotional captions, customer-response templates, and a content calendar, while Canva was used to convert the resulting concepts into visual materials. Evidence was collected through initial observation, reflective interviews, assessment of practical outputs, and documentation of the digital poster, and was analyzed qualitatively. The program moved the partner from having no prior exposure to AI toward being able to formulate basic prompts, assess and revise AI-generated outputs, and prepare promotional materials that reflected the product's distinctive attributes. Key outputs included product descriptions, promotional captions, a digital poster, video ideas, a content calendar, and a concise AI-use guide. Unstable internet access, limited devices, and low familiarity with digital applications were addressed through reusable prompt examples, repeated practice, joint editing, and simplified workflows. The experience indicates that AI can lower the entry barriers to digital marketing for microenterprises when its use is contextual, incremental, and governed by the business owner.