Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) can build two-way communication or engagement on social media by strengthening meaningful relationships with customers by posting quality, relevant, informative, and engaging content and information.
Syaifa Tania, a lecturer in the Department of Communication Science, UGM Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), conveyed this during a discussion titled Strengthening MSME Business Networks at the UGM Directorate of Community Service on Tuesday (Oct. 1).
According to Tania, strong social media engagement can increase brand awareness for MSMEs. It can also provide space for direct customer interaction, enhancing long-term loyalty.
“The impact will be an increase in sales, as loyal customers will also recommend the product to other consumers, thereby expanding insight into customer preferences and needs,” she explained.
Equally important, she added, is that MSME entrepreneurs familiar with social media are expected to respond quickly and politely and encourage conversations by fostering interactive discussions on relevant topics.
“It’s also important to track post performance using analytics tools. This will allow us to identify successes and areas that need improvement,” Tania explained.
She added that social media platforms can serve as a medium for promoting MSME products.
This is because social media can reach a vast audience. Marketing can be done through social media by building branding, using endorsements, and creating engaging content.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Genta Mahardhika, a lecturer from the Department of Economics and Business at UGM Vocational College (SV UGM), revealed that marketing is a crucial part of the MSME business process. Franchise businesses are one of the popular business schemes in Indonesia.
According to Mahardhika, the franchise business scheme has several advantages.
In addition to rapid business development, franchise businesses do not need to engage in branding or promotion, as they have experienced and professional business partners and serve as a learning platform to gain useful knowledge and skills in the future.
“However, running a franchise business does not entirely free license buyers from risks. If not managed carefully, we may suffer a loss,” he explained.
The Director of Community Service, Dr. Rustamaji, stated in his speech that social media has become essential and is needed by all sectors.
Therefore, he noted that it must be well-managed to provide benefits for improving society’s economy.
“The Directorate of Community Service sees the need to hold this event to increase participants’ literacy on basic concepts, the importance of values, selecting partners, and business strategies related to franchise marketing schemes,” he said.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Photo: UGM Directorate of Community Service
Post-editor: Afif