Strengthening the Village Economy through Financial Literacy and Digital Marketing in Bediwetan Village

Abstract

This community empowerment article examines a strengthening model for the village economy through financial literacy and digital marketing assistance in Bediwetan Village, Bungkal District, Ponorogo Regency, East Java. Bediwetan has been described as a village seeking to build a resilient local economy based on village potential, particularly trade, industry, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). The program responds to two interconnected needs: the capacity to manage business finances systematically and the ability to promote products through digital channels. A participatory community empowerment approach was designed through preliminary observation, needs assessment, financial-literacy training, digital-marketing training, hands-on practice, mentoring, and evaluation. Financial-literacy activities focus on separating business and household money, recording transactions, calculating costs and profit, preparing simple cash-flow records, planning working capital, and making informed financing decisions. Digital-marketing assistance covers product positioning, branding, smartphone-based content creation, social-media management, marketplace utilization, and customer communication. The article synthesizes local contextual evidence and recent research showing that financial literacy can support financial management and MSME performance, while digital marketing can expand visibility, customer interaction, and market access. The proposed empowerment model integrates financial discipline with digital promotion so that increased sales opportunities are accompanied by better financial control. Sustainability depends on repeated mentoring, village institutional support, and the ability of local entrepreneurs to independently maintain financial records and digital marketing routines..