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Digital marketing strategies took centre stage on the first day of the Digital Marketing World Forum (DMWF) Asia 2025, as industry leaders gathered on February 26 to address the transformative impact of AI integration and evolving consumer behaviours.
The well-attended opening sessions at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore provided valuable insights into how marketing professionals navigate the intersection of technological advancement and authentic human connection in today’s rapidly shifting digital landscape.
Tom Koh, CEO at TV channel MediaOne, addressed the impact of zero-click searches on SEO strategies, noting that while traffic volume may decrease, quality remains unaffected.
“60% of Google searches now result in zero clicks. How does this impact your organic traffic? Frankly speaking, we are not that concerned,” Koh told Marketing Tech on the sidelines of DMWF.
“People who are looking for a quick summary, they’re not serious buyers. People who are serious buyers will go deeper. So even though the traffic is less, you will probably get higher quality traffic.”
Koh emphasised that building brand authority has become crucial for visibility in AI-driven search results, suggesting marketers experiment with multimodal content approaches rather than relying on a single format.
“The trust factor is incredibly important. A lot of the searches are now moving to social media,” he explained, highlighting the growing influence of micro-influencers over macro-influencers. “Somebody I know looks like my neighbour – if he or she buys this, I’m more willing to do the same.”
Meanwhile, Sukanya Das Gupta, senior insights manager for APAC at advertising platform Blis, advocated for a fundamental shift in marketing approach, moving from micro-moments to macro-meaning in brand strategy development.
“We need to stop focusing on the micro-moment and start expanding into the macro meaning,” Das Gupta explained, sharing how a QSR brand in Malaysia successfully made this transition. “At some point, when we dug into the data, we realised if you’re doing the firefighting, it’s not going to be about the short term; it’s going to be about the long term aspect.”
This strategic pivot resulted in a 73% increase in exposure, though Das Gupta noted they eventually steadied their approach for more sustainable growth. “Instead of having a campaign once every quarter, we said, let’s try to keep it monthly. It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon.”
She also emphasised the importance of subtle, consistent brand touchpoints rather than overwhelming consumers with repetitive messaging.
“If you’re going to be loud, you’ll make noise. You need to be very, very soft,” Das Gupta explained. “Embed yourselves in these soft, subtle nudges. ROI takes time to see that, but so does anything good.”
Das Gupta further stressed the importance of understanding unique cultural nuances across APAC markets, particularly when adapting Western marketing strategies.
“Western brands come in, believing what’s worked in the US and the UK works beautifully in APAC. And I don’t think they could be more mistaken,” she noted. “You can’t take something that works elsewhere and fit it in APAC. It’s really that simple.”
Judy Tay, head of content at marketing agency First Page Digital, addressed the evolution of SEO from search engine optimisation to search experience optimisation and now to search everywhere optimisation. She stressed the importance of aligning SEO metrics with business goals.
“Understanding the business needs is number one. If the business wants to see revenue, I believe that should also be part of an SEO report,” Tay explained.
When discussing red flags for SEO agencies, Tay cautioned against inflexible approaches: “A red flag in an agency will push only solutions with no room to pivot or be flexible.”
She highlighted the changing relationship between SEO agencies and clients, noting that agencies often function as extensions of their clients’ marketing teams.
“We have some clients who get us to join their weekly stand-up – their entire marketing team, not just SEO specialists. This is more towards giving a more comprehensive strategy.”
The digital marketing experts collectively emphasised the importance of strategic, culturally relevant, and long-term approaches to marketing in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. As AI reshapes search behaviours and consumer expectations, successful digital marketing requires balancing technological innovation with an authentic human connection.
DMWF Asia 2025 continues tomorrow (February 27) with additional sessions focusing on influencer marketing, content strategies and further exploration of AI applications in digital marketing.
Interested in hearing leading global brands discuss subjects like this in person? Find out more about Digital Marketing World Forum (#DMWF) Europe, London, North America, and Singapore.
ai, digital marketing, dmwf
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