5 Tips for Digital Marketing – Singaporean Style

Top 5 Singaporean digital marketing tips and strategies for businesses in this comprehensive guide from top marketers in Singapore

By Claudio Pires
Updated on April 8, 2024
5 Tips for Digital Marketing – Singaporean Style

As residents of one of the most expensive cities, Singaporeans are discerning when it comes to making their buying decisions. Digital Marketers (or any marketer, for that matter) in Singapore know that there are some nuances to marketing their products digitally. See the top 5 Singaporean digital marketing tips and strategies for businesses in this comprehensive guide from top marketers in Singapore.

Throw in the complications of COVID-19 and the post-pandemic economic conditions; marketers will need to be savvier than ever to run their digital marketing campaigns successfully.

In this article, we have put together five tips to do digital marketing – Singaporean style.

TIP#1 – Pick the Right Channels: Singaporean Digital Marketing Tips

A savvy marketer knows digital marketing is still marketing, with digital being the medium.  To that point, it is crucial to pick the proper channels on social media to market your campaign. Singaporeans are sophisticated digital consumers. We also have the advantage of being a highly urbanized nation – our description says we are a city-state.

So, we have to use social channels to amplify advertising – and it is essential to pick the right channels.  Although Twitter, Snapchat, WeChat, and Vine are popular, Facebook and Google are Singapore’s most popular social media channels.  Here are some of the reasons to pick Google and Facebook as channels for your digital marketing campaign:

Singaporean Digital Marketing Tips

  • Users: Facebook and Google register over 4 million users in Singapore.  Singapore has 5.8 million people, so almost every adult uses these platforms.  This type of reach is unparalleled!
  • The platform for Ads: Google and Facebook have very sophisticated advertising platforms compared to other social media channels. Facebook started its Ad platform in 2009, and since then, it has amped up its game in targeting and reaching the right audience. Better targeting = higher return on your advertising spend!
  • Scalability and Reliability: Your campaign may not need to reach all four million users in Singapore. Facebook and Google allow you to scale your campaign and content according to your target audience and goals. Their tried-and-tested algorithms are also very reliable.
  • Cost-Efficient: While a platform like Facebook can be costly for some marketers, their rates in Singapore are still relatively reasonable.  In the US, Facebook costs marketers $47 per click, while in Singapore, it can be anywhere from $2 to $17 per click. This makes these platforms attainable by the average marketing budget.  If you are spending anywhere from $1-$4k/month on advertising, you can access these platforms and harness their power to reach and target without breaking the bank.

TIP#2 – Rely on Facebook and Google targeting

Many of our digital marketing strategies involved spending much of our energy and time figuring out how to target our perfect audience to turn them into our customers.  The good news is Facebook and Google’s focus has become so sophisticated that they offer high-precision aiming that we digital marketers can depend on.

Our advice is to harness the strengths of these platforms and let them do the targeting.  Facebook will use your copy, its algorithm, and the massive data on its users to find your customers and send them to your sales funnels.  So, use it – this is part of the value proposition these channels offer! Top 5 Singaporean digital marketing tips and strategies for businesses in this comprehensive guide from top marketers in Singapore.

TIP#3 – Be Authentic in your Copy: Singaporean Digital Marketing Tips

The internet may seem to have no boundaries when making any claim, regardless of the truth.  However, Singaporeans – the public and the government – are highly sensitive to deceptive marketing practices.

Singapore is one of the first few countries clamping down on fake news and false claims on the internet.  The government has legislation against fake news and misleading advertising.  There are specific guidelines for regulated industries where the words “best” and “discount” are used in advertising for healthcare services. The population also has a very low tolerance for false claims.  Once the trust is broken, a brand can’t recover.

So, our advice will be to be authentic and truthful in your content.  There is nothing wrong with highlighting the benefits of your offerings, but keep it accurate. Singaporeans are a savvy and discerning bunch.  Appeal to that sentiment.

TIP#4 – The Uniquely Singaporean Offline Funnel

Typically, a digital marketing campaign will bring in leads and convert them into sales through an online funnel. That approach will not work in Singapore. Singaporean culture values interpersonal connections, and people prefer to do business face-to-face.

Perhaps the small population size and the strong sense of community of the city-state contribute to this need for in-person transactions. As a result, great Singaporean digital marketing tips.

Design your campaign to include an in-person interaction to maximize lead conversions. Instead of offering a digital transaction, provide a free consultation and watch the leads convert! Top 5 Singaporean digital marketing tips and strategies for businesses in this comprehensive guide from top marketers in Singapore.

TIP#5 – Offer Value and Don’t Ask for Commitment

Our final tip concerns the discerning and non-committal side of the Singaporean consumer. The telecom industry has some valuable lessons for marketers. When the first telecom companies, SingTel and Starhub, started rolling out mobile plans, consumers had to make a two-year commitment. Then came the other, more nimble smaller players, who offered mobile ideas without commitments. Their market share took off like wildfire at the expense of the commitment-oriented providers.

Singaporeans love value for money but will shy away from commitments.

So, offer value without commitment and watch the campaign increase clicks and leads.

Singaporean Digital Marketing Tips Final Thoughts

If you are marketing in Singapore, you have the advantage of marketing to a population with the highest social media penetration – a whopping 93%.  Almost all Singaporeans are users of Facebook and Google. Singaporeans are also tech-savvy deal seekers.  However, they like their in-person transactions and will not be too keen to commit.

Keep these traits of Singaporeans and utilize their channels to launch your digital marketing campaign.  Good luck, and go to Singaporean!

Claudio Pires

Claudio Pires is the co-founder of Visualmodo, a renowned company in web development and design. With over 15 years of experience, Claudio has honed his skills in content creation, web development support, and senior web designer. A trilingual expert fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, he brings a global perspective to his work. Beyond his professional endeavors, Claudio is an active YouTuber, sharing his insights and expertise with a broader audience. Based in Brazil, Claudio continues to push the boundaries of web design and digital content, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.