Singapore’s digital advertising scene is entering a more tempered phase. After years of aggressive growth, the market is showing signs of moderation. While digital remains the dominant advertising format, recent figures reveal a clear Singapore digital ads cooldown, a shift that’s nuanced rather than negative.
Platform-Level Changes Reflect a Mixed Digital Landscape
Signs of the cooldown are visible across platforms. Meta’s Messenger, for instance, saw its potential ad reach in Singapore fall by 5.1%—a drop of 100,000 users—between January 2024 and January 2025. Notably, its audience size remained flat in the final quarter of that period.
In contrast, Facebook recorded a 12.1% increase in potential ad reach (+400,000 users) at the start of 2024. These platform-level trends show that the Singapore digital ads cooldown is uneven. And while some platforms stall, others still show healthy growth.
Singapore Digital Ads Cooldown, But Still Outpace Traditional Media
Digital advertising in Singapore is projected to grow by 6.3% in 2025, which is a slower rate than in previous years. Meanwhile, overall ad spending is expected to rise by just 4%. This moderation signals a shift from the breakneck growth seen in earlier years, especially during the pandemic-led digital acceleration.
Traditional media, meanwhile, continues its decline. Print advertising is forecasted to shrink by 5.1% in 2025, reinforcing the long-term trend of advertisers pulling away from legacy formats. Even in a cooler environment, digital channels remain the main destination for ad dollars.
Selective Channels Still Heat Up
Despite the slowdown in overall growth, not all digital channels are cooling. Social media ad spending is projected to grow by 10.3% in 2025. This reflects how platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are now essential for retail discovery, news, and brand engagement.
Search advertising is also expected to perform strongly, growing by 7.9% to reach US$254 million. Video ads will see a 3.8% bump. These numbers show that advertisers are still willing to invest, just more strategically and across fewer, more high-performing formats.
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E-Commerce Platforms Buck the Cooling Trend
While broader digital ad growth moderates, e-commerce platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop are seeing sustained advertiser demand. In Singapore, retail media ad spending, where brands pay to promote products directly on e-commerce sites, is projected to grow 18% in 2025, far outpacing the overall digital ad market.
Out-of-Home Advertising Makes a Comeback
Interestingly, Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is also seeing a resurgence. In 2025, OOH spend is projected to grow by 10% to US$164 million (S$219 million). New technologies like dynamic digital signage and interactive formats are breathing new life into this traditional channel, helping keep overall media investment elevated, even as digital ad growth cools.
Singapore Digital Ads Cooldown: A Market in Transition, Not in Decline
What’s happening in Singapore is a digital decline and a recalibration. Advertisers are moving away from blanket digital spending to more targeted, value-driven strategies. With social, search, and OOH channels leading the way, the Singapore digital ads cooldown marks a shift in momentum, not relevance. As consumer habits continue evolving and platform dynamics shift, brands and agencies will need to remain agile. The message is clear: digital advertising isn’t slowing down, it’s just growing smarter.
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