A DIGITAL MARKETING MODEL FOR COMMUNITY ENTERPRISES IN CHOENG DOI SUB-DISTRICT, DOI SAKET DISTRICT, CHIANG MAI PROVINCE

Abstract

The objectives of this research were (1) to study the marketing environment of community products, the business operations of community enterprises, the digital technology capabilities of community entrepreneurs, and the digital environment of community enterprises, and (2) to develop a digital marketing model for community businesses in Choeng Doi Subdistrict, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai Province. The research employed a participatory action research (PAR) approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Key informants were purposively selected based on their direct involvement, knowledge, and experience in digital marketing for community businesses, as well as their willingness to participate. The sample comprised 30 members from six active community enterprises, 14 local consumers of community products, and six related local officers, totaling 50 participants.

The findings revealed that most community enterprises still relied on offline marketing, with group members primarily being elderly individuals aged between 50 and 70 years. They possessed limited digital literacy and expressed concerns regarding potential errors, cybersecurity risks, and age-related physical limitations. The analysis of the digital environment indicated that only two community enterprises had adopted digital technologies and social media in their operations. Consequently, many lacked an online presence, missed opportunities to reach new target audiences, and suffered from low brand recognition.

This study led to the development of a digital marketing model tailored to the needs of community enterprises. The model comprises four key components: (1) developing an information system in the form of a web application, (2) producing digital media for public relations, (3) enhancing digital technology skills, and (4) planning content creation strategies for marketing communication. The implementation was carried out under the group name “Choengdoi Medee,” featuring the website www.choengdoimedee.com, a YouTube channel “Choengdoi Medee,” and infographic media distributed through multiple social media platforms of community enterprise. The model emphasizes promoting product visibility, strengthening brand identity and credibility among target customers, increasing online discoverability through search engines, and creating digital media content for dissemination across various online platforms.