STRATEGIC DIGITAL COMMUNICATION AND PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT FOR COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES: A CASE STUDY OF KOH KRET, THAILAND

Abstract

The project objectives were to (1) develop a digital platform for product distribution, (2) identify successful digital marketing strategies for community-based organic agricultural enterprises in Ko Kret, Nonthaburi, and (3) determine users’ satisfaction with the platform. This mixed-methods research used a user survey, participant observation, and in-depth interviews and developed a web app. The site was built using an ongoing community engagement approach to ensure it was user-friendly and responsive across devices. The results indicated that local businesses that wish to succeed in digital marketing should focus on improving their use of technology, including using social media to build brand awareness around local stories and networking with other organizations to reach more people. The key components of the developed platform include mobile compatibility and chatbot integration. The production of custom content and the enhancement of the UX/UI app were driven by community participation in content development and usability testing. This is because community members can add contextual community data and acceptability. To assess the app's efficacy depending on content quality (mean = 4.33, SD = 0.51), system performance (mean = 4.32, SD = 0.53), and user experience (mean = 4.34, SD = 0.51), a sample of 400 respondents was surveyed; all three variables significantly affected the satisfaction with using the app.

The website features were visual appeal (Mean = 4.45) and mobile utility (Mean = 4.35). Real-world results show that educating stakeholders about technology, integrating them into the process, and continuous learning are important. New research should focus on big data analytics, mobile app development, and AI-driven customization to promote digital trade in the local area in the long run.