In this era, digital has already developed rapidly, which certainly greatly affects the competitiveness of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (UMKM), which are highly dependent on innovation, branding, and digital marketing. To respond this situation, Diponegoro University (UNDIP) carries out Community Service Program (KKN) activities for their students to initiate a series of innovative programs to improve the competitiveness of UMKM in the village that will be selected. KKN-T Team 107 activities in Branjang Village, West Ungaran is one example of KKN activities that  had many positive impacts on UMKM owner of Aquascape, the art of arranging aquatic plants, rocks, and ornaments in an aquarium has growing market, both at domestically and internationally especially when the long holiday has arrived. However, many aquascape small businesses still face challenges related to marketing, digital skills and business strategy.
One of the main innovations introduced by the UNDIP KKN-T Team 107 students is digital branding. The KKN-T Team 107 will helps UMKM owners to have attractive and unique logos, product packaging, business accounts such as the creation of social media accounts, E-Commerce Shop, Website about Aquascape Products to build a stronger brand identity. KKN-T Team 107 students will create the digital branding with the uniqueness of ideas from each student who contributes to the success of the Small Business as well as the students train UMKM owners to create content that suits their target market. In addition, the KKN-T team 107 students also helped the UMKM owners created content in social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok with their ideas with trends that are currently going viral, which with this step it will provided training on how to manage these platforms and create engaging content. This initiative enables aquascape products to reach a wider audience, especially among millennial and Gen Z consumers who are active in the social media.
With the KKN-T Team 107 introducing the use of E-Commerce platforms such as Shopee, Tokopedia, and whatsapp business will increase sales of the UMKM products. In this case, KKN Team 107 students assisted business owners in creating product catalogs, writing SEO-optimized descriptions, and understanding how to handle online transactions securely. Also, legal and marketing guidance was provided, especially on how to register a business through OSS (Online Single Submission), obtain an NIB and create simple financial records. This legal formalization is crucial to increase business scalability and access to wider opportunities such as funding from the government or collaboration with larger companies.
This KKN project reflects the spirit of community empowerment and academic contribution toward real-world problems. It serves as a model for how higher education institutions can play an active role in strengthening local economies, particularly by combining academic knowledge. Through innovation, collaboration, and digital adaptation, UNDIP students have made a meaningful impact on the future of aquascape UMKM in the digital era.
Author: Nasywa Malva Olita A
Field Supervisor:
1. Gani Nur Pramudyo, M.Hum.
2. Muhammad Hamdan Mukafi, S.S., M.A.
3. Siti Komariya, S.S., M.A
Location: Branjang Village, West Ungaran, Central Java
