JurnalPost.com - Residents of Sabah Balau Village, South Lampung, still face difficulties in finding information on village services and local businesses, while MSME owners have yet to optimize digital marketing to reach potential customers. An initial survey by students from the Sumatra Institute of Technology (ITERA) showed that only two out of four surveyed business owners had ever marketed their products online. To address this, ITERA Informatics Engineering students are building a village profile website and an MSME directory in October 2026.
The issue stems from the fact that information on local businesses is scattered across various platforms, while village data has not been digitally documented, forcing residents to search through multiple sources. The website will consist of two main sections: a profile of Sabah Balau Village containing the village government structure and village data, and an MSME directory. The MSME directory is a list of local businesses compiled digitally in one place, typically including the business name, products, photos, location, and contact information.
Limited Digital Presence for Marketing
An initial survey was conducted on October 21, 2026, involving four business owners in Sabah Balau Village via questionnaire. Because the sample size was small, the results do not yet represent all MSMEs in the village. The findings indicate that all four businesses already have some digital presence; they are listed on maps and have online catalogs, but the information is fragmented across different platforms rather than consolidated in a single village directory.
Nevertheless, only two of the four business owners have ever marketed their products online. Their comfort level with technology was rated at 3 out of 5, or moderate. Customer traffic is also uneven, with two business owners reporting slow sales while the other two reported high demand. In other words, while a digital presence exists, its use for marketing remains suboptimal.
Village and Local Business Information Remains Decentralized
This website is being developed by Group 1 of the RC class as a project for the Informatics Capita Selecta course, with the Sabah Balau Village Government as a partner. To understand the needs of the residents, the team conducted an initial survey of business owners and interviews with village officials, MSME players, and residents. Prior to this, the team officially requested a partnership through a formal letter.
The Secretary of Sabah Balau Village, Mr. Erfandi, revealed that there has been no official website-based information service available for either the village profile or the MSME catalog. Therefore, the proposal to build a village profile website and an MSME directory was welcomed by the village government. One business owner in Sabah Balau mentioned that they still struggle to utilize digital technology optimally to market products and reach more buyers.
Meanwhile, a resident noted that searching for information regarding local businesses or village services still requires checking multiple sources because the information is not yet centralized.
Facilitating Information Access Requires Commitment from the Village Government
The website consolidates the village profile and the list of local businesses in one place. This is expected to make it easier for residents to access village service information and help MSME owners reach more customers. However, these benefits have not yet been measured as the website implementation is still ongoing.
Furthermore, this website aligns with the Village SDGs Goal 16, which focuses on Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, consistent with the national SDG 16. The target indicator is 16.10.2.(a) in the Bappenas Metadata for Indonesia's TPB/SDGs, which concerns the availability of public bodies that fulfill their obligations as stipulated in Law Number 14 of 2008 on Public Information Openness. To date, data for Sabah Balau Village has not been digitally documented, making it difficult for residents to access; this website could serve as a tool for the village government to disseminate information periodically.
However, a website alone does not automatically ensure the village meets its public information disclosure obligations. The village still needs to appoint an Information and Documentation Management Officer (PPID) to manage public information, and village officials must commit to updating the data continuously.
Village Website Requires Routine Management and MSME Mentoring
Although it is expected to be helpful, the website still faces several challenges. Since Sabah Balau Village data is not yet documented, village officials must first collect and organize it before it can be displayed. Additionally, because the business owners' comfort with technology is moderate, the student team believes they will require mentoring to effectively utilize the directory. The next steps involve completing the website, discussing management with village officials, and re-evaluating its benefits once the website is actively used by residents and business owners.
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