<![CDATA[The acceleration of digital transformation has repositioned social media from a supplementary promotional channel into a core determinant of survival for culinary micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in competitive urban food markets such as Malang City, Indonesia. Purpose: This study documents and evaluates a 35-day action-research mentorship program designed to assist a culinary MSME, Mie Ayam Djuwara, in operationalizing content marketing and paid social media advertising to increase brand visibility, while also developing an empirically grounded protocol for managing algorithmic disruptions. Methodology: Using an Action Research and Community Mentorship framework structured into six phases (diagnostic assessment, content calendar and KPI formulation, stakeholder alignment, 35-day execution, platform crisis resolution, and data analytics), the mentee's Instagram and TikTok accounts were developed through a combination of organic content and micro-budget paid advertising. Key Quantitative Findings: Against an agreed cumulative target of 60,000 video views (20,000 on Instagram; 40,000 on TikTok), the program achieved 108,800 cumulative views, an overall achievement rate of 181.3%. Instagram reached 32,100 views (160.5% of target) and TikTok reached 76,700 views (191.8% of target). Engagement rates substantially exceeded industry benchmarks on both platforms (Instagram: 9.1%–10.7% versus a 2.0%–5.0% benchmark; TikTok: 7.6%–8.0% versus a 0.5%–0.9% benchmark), while net follower growth remained modest (Instagram +43; TikTok +8). A micro-budget TikTok Ads allocation of IDR 98,000 yielded 48,100 views at a cost-per-view of approximately IDR 2.03, markedly more efficient than the short-burst Meta Ads strategy on Instagram (IDR 128,000 for 18,000 views). Shadowban Resolution: On Day 6, the TikTok account experienced an algorithmic shadowban following the publication of 12 short-form videos; a three-step resolution protocol content quarantine, formal appeal, and platform-confirmed restoration resolved the disruption within 48 hours (by Day 8), though it produced a temporary decoupling between high engagement/view metrics and follower acquisition. Conclusion: The mentorship demonstrates that disciplined content calendars, hyper-local micro-budget advertising, and a structured crisis-response protocol can generate engagement performance for culinary MSMEs that substantially exceeds industry norms, even under real-world algorithmic disruption, while highlighting follower growth rather than views or engagement as the more fragile metric under platform volatility.]]>
