Now available in Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, the Philippines and Vietnam to streamline the marketing journey of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) on the Grab platform.

The rise of a mobile-first culture in South-east Asia saw smartphone users in Southeast Asia in 2023 forecasted to grow by 4% year on year to reach 342.1 million, with penetration reaching 88.9% among internet users.

Merchants, mirroring the habits of their consumers, are increasingly utilising mobile platforms for business operations, especially among micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) teams.

To streamline the marketing journey of MSMEs on the Grab platform to boost sales, GrabAds – the advertising arm of Southeast Asian (SEA) superapp Grab – has made Marketing Manager available on mobile.

Designed for merchants seeking straightforward and swift mobile campaigns, Marketing Manager on mobile enables time-strapped MSMEs to create ads and promote their latest offerings right from their pockets, anywhere and anytime. In addition, merchants can also look forward to more cost-efficiency, as they only need to pay for successful orders on a Cost-per-order (CPO) basis, as well as readily access real-time performance reports.

Marketing Manager has also introduced the all-new “spotlight campaigns” feature, exclusively for mobile, where Grab curates specially designed campaigns – often only for a limited time – to assist merchants in maximising visibility and enhancing sales conversions. This feature allows merchants to strategically reserve high-visibility spaces for their stores, exclusively within Grab-hosted campaigns, increasing exposure and driving sales with a single, impactful campaign. For businesses in need of more advanced tools, the web-based Marketing Manager Pro offers more comprehensive features suited for digitally savvy merchants seeking greater customisation for their ad campaigns.

New enhanced features

MSME merchants on Grab can also use Marketing Manager’s newly enhanced features to drive more sales:

    • Quick and easy campaign set-up: With just a few taps, merchants on the Grab platform can easily create ads based on their target audience requirements and sales goals.
    • Simple-to-understand performance reports: Real-time reports help merchants readily gain insights into how successful their campaigns are. They can pause campaigns or adjust their duration or budgets according to their needs.
    • Cost-efficient campaigns: Merchants only need to pay for successful orders on a Cost-per-order (CPO) basis. This approach ensures that their advertising spend is geared towards tangible results, making it a cost-effective way to drive sales.

“MSME merchants juggle various roles – from chef to bookkeeper, accountant and marketer – which necessitates their need for an easy-to-use, flexible yet effective marketing tool. When we conducted our own survey among our merchants, nearly half the merchants said that they prioritise conversion and cost when selecting an ad platform, which is why the latest features on Marketing Manager on mobile address the everyday challenges that our MSME merchants face,” said Ken Mandel, Regional Head of GrabAds & Brand Insights.