Bridging Digital Gaps: Optimizing Marketing Strategies and Branding for Sustainable Growth in Farmers' Household Businesses

Farmers’ household enterprises in developing economies often operate under structural constraints such as limited digital literacy, scarce resources, and entrenched socio-cultural norms—factors that collectively hinder market access and brand development. This study investigates the interplay between entrepreneurial traits, digital marketing practices, socio-cultural context, and branding strategies in shaping business sustainability and competitiveness. Drawing on data from 98 rural enterprises in West Kalimantan, Indonesia—where internet access lags behind the national average and cultural identities of Dayak and Malay communities influence business behavior—a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining surveys with qualitative interviews to capture both patterns and lived realities. The findings reveal that while traits like age, gender, and digital platform preferences guide strategic decisions, adoption is often constrained by low digital proficiency, outdated technologies, and vague performance indicators; yet, these businesses persist with resilience, underscoring the urgent need for culturally attuned marketing, digital infrastructure investment, and targeted capacity-building initiatives.