08/09/2025

BIZ & FINANCE MONDAY | SEPT 8, 2025

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M’sia’s digital marketing gap: Why 83% of teams lag behind

MOST businesses in the country are currently grappling with the widening digital skills gap. According to data, an alarming 83% of the Malaysian workforce has minimal digital skills. Because of this skills gap, SMEs struggle to fully utilise digital marketing, a key driver of growth in today’s competitive landscape. This gap is regarding existing approaches to training that are relevant, practical and aligned with real business needs. Many Malaysian SMEs have invested time and money into training, yet results remain underwhelming. A key reason lies in a global phenomenon: 73% of workplace learning never gets applied on the job, according to a report by Harvard Business Review. Uptake in Malaysia stands strong where HRD Corp is giving subsidies to training in the amount of RM8,000 per employee; however, the practical impact has not been consistent. The problem with training programmes lies in that many of them try to teach with the same modules that are too rigid or stagnant, and are now not at all flexible to the fast changes of digital marketing. Traditional classroom models may not treat different variables on the new platform, fresh algorithms or new cognisance arising in directions of consumer behaviour. As a result, professionals may end up with theoretical knowledge that doesn’t translate into real-world outcomes. This gap can somehow justify that the learning process ought to be adaptive and practical in line with the industry’s rapid evolution. practical, evolving skills Digital marketing today makes the day-to-day tasks far beyond just managing social media accounts or launching a simple ad. It now encompasses performance marketing, setting up conversion tracking, analytics, SEO and KUALA LUMPUR: Scammed! For many, despite the numerous reports and news, it is usually the case of “this is something that happens to others.” Until it happens to you. Despite having strong confidence in spotting scams, many Malaysians still fall victim, revealing a troubling gap between awareness and prevention. According to the newly released 2025 State of Scams in Malaysia report by Gogolook and the Global Anti Scam Alliance (Gasa), 85% of Malaysian respondents encountered a scam in the past year, and 73% were actually scammed. This is despite three-quarters of Malaysian adults feeling confident in their ability to recognise scams, with 14% claiming they can “always” spot one. Another interesting finding is that 82% of those most likely to have experienced scams possess a high level of education with 78% of them being millennials. “Scams have become so embedded into our digital landscape that even those who are digitally savvy, educated and confident are falling for them. That overconfidence gap is dangerous, and the data shows it clearly. Even though 94% of Malaysian respondents say they take steps to check if an offer is legitimate, many are relying on less effective methods like checking grammar errors or whether a company is active on social media. What this tells us is that awareness alone is not enough. Digital marketing demands

growing shift towards scams delivered through messaging apps, which now account for 56% of scam attempts. Among the most commonly used channels were WhatsApp, Telegram and Facebook. Other notable findings: 0 Children are not spared: 21% of Malaysian parents with children aged 7 to 17 say their child has been scam med at least once. 0 Where scams get reported: Scams were equally likely to be reported to social platforms and authorities (44% each), with the police (27%) and social media platforms (25%) being the most common destinations. 0 Barriers to reporting remain high: 23% of scam victims did not report the incident. Top reasons include being unsure who to report to (35%) and believing their report would not make a difference (34%). 0 Malaysians expect more from public institutions: Malaysians place the greatest responsibility for scam protec tion on public service organisations, mainly the government, but perceive consumer protection organisations as most effective in tackling scams. These organisations were rated highest for scam education (65%), ease of report ing (64%) and victim support (58%). These findings are based on a nationally representative online survey of 1,000 Malaysian adults, conducted between Feb 26 and March 14, as part of the 2025 Gasa State of Scams in Malaysia Report. towards tech-led and context-based learning is part of a larger change in how upskilling is being viewed in businesses. By incorporating real world tools and data into training, organisations are making sure that new skills are immediately put into practice in order to foster quicker results and long-term capacity building. With digital talent in high demand, such experiential models can grow with companies as scalable solutions, independent of conventional education and training. Upskilling must break through the classroom and into the campaign dashboard. Business owners and HR leads should ask: Does our training translate to better campaign results? Are we using our HRD Corp grants to build skills that directly impact our growth targets? The digital marketing gap in Malaysia is a reflection of outdated training models that don’t match the speed or specificity of today’s business needs. With 83% of the workforce still struggling with basic digital skills, organisations must take a more strategic approach to capability building. This article is contributed by OpenAcademy co-founder and managing director Celine Ting ( pix ).

campaigns into the learning process, making training immediately relevant and effective. Rethinking training for a digital first economy Any move m e n t

discussion away from training volume towards training effectiveness. Metrics should henceforth include the downstream effects of campaign performance, sales growth or rate of skills application rather than being restricted to the count of employees trained or training hours delivered. This shift would help SMEs maximise their digital investments and also enhance workforce resilience as Malaysia transitions into a knowledge-based economy. A kind of collaboration between tech enabled training providers with government-linked agencies may equitably open the doors to quality upskilling for those businesses in tier-2 or non urban markets who are even scarcer in having digital marketing skills. Private institutions like OpenAcademy are stepping in to close this gap.

optimisation of ads specific to platforms. These tasks demand technical expertise and strategic thinking, evolving constantly in response to algorithm changes, consumer behaviour or data policies. Many trainers still adhere to old curricula or theoretical instruction. For SMEs that often operate within limited teams, this is a big limitation. Without accessible upskilling aligned to business goals, marketing risks stagnation or loss of effectiveness. This can hinder their ability to adapt to changing market conditions and technologies, ultimately impacting their competitive position. Based on the same survey by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), only 48% of Malaysian workers feel confident in handling advanced digital tasks. This means the majority of workers are not adequately supported to harness basic digital marketing tools, let alone optimise for performance. This lack of confidence may hinder the country’s progress towards becoming a successful digital economy. Upskilling the workforce is therefore a necessity for companies to ensure that the current workforce is well equipped with the new-age skills to excel in the digital world. players There is clearly an opportunity for ecosystem enablers including HRD Corp, SME Corp, MDEC and even industrial associations to steer the Opportunities for ecosystem

Rather than relying solely on static m o d u l e s , OpenAcademy uses data and technology to tailor training to c o m p a n y - specific goals. Its p l a t f o r m

integrates real w o r l d marketing tools and

Malaysians think they can outsmart scammers but 73% still fall victim

screenshots. Tech solutions like this are critical in closing the preparedness gap,” he added. Investment scams emerged as the top scam in Malaysia, with phone calls remaining the top channel used by scammers. The report also highlights a

As the only anti-scam app in Malaysia officially approved by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Whoscall uses AI technology not only to detect suspicious calls and messages but also to analyse scam links and images, including those captured via

We need better tools, smarter prevention, and platforms that support early detection and action,” said Manwoo Joo, chief operating officer of Gogolook, the company behind Whoscall. “That is where Whoscall comes in.