BLUEBERRY ADThree years of DataReportal snapshots and the latest MAGNA ad spend forecast, side by side. The numbers are each platform's own reporting, so we show where they move around and why that matters.Three years of platform data and the latest ad spend forecast, side by side.
Usage35.4MInternet users98% of Malaysians · up from 33.59M in 2024
Usage30.7MSocial media identities85% of the population
Ad spendRM9.54BAd market, 2025 (RM)+6.4% year on year · MAGNA forecast
Ad spend77%Of ad spend is digitalSocial 41% · search 24% (2024)
- 2024 (Jan 2024)
- 2025 (Jan 2025)
- 2026 (Oct 2025 data)
YouTube-2%
Facebook+3%
TikTok*+7%
Instagram+3%
LinkedIn*+28%
Ad reach is what each platform tells advertisers it can reach, not monthly active users. *TikTok counts adults 18+ only and its reported reach swings between years; LinkedIn counts registered members.Ad reach as reported by each platform. *TikTok: adults 18+. LinkedIn: members.
View as a table
| Platform | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | 2024→2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube | 24.1M | 25.1M | 23.6M | -2% |
| 22.35M | 23.1M | 23M | +3% | |
| TikTok (adults 18+ only; the platform's reported reach swings between years) | 28.68M | 19.3M | 30.7M | +7% |
| 15.7M | 15.5M | 16.1M | +3% | |
| LinkedIn (registered members, not active users) | 7.8M | 9.1M | 10M | +28% |
Beyond social: TV, print and search
Usage, audience reach and ad spend are different measures, so each figure is labelled and kept separate.Each figure is labelled by type.
OTT & streaming TV
Viewing is moving online.
Print advertising
Still shrinking, by every measure.
Two different trackers: Nielsen counts spend on tracked media at rate card; MAGNA estimates the whole market.
Google Search & YouTube
Search is where decisions get checked.
- Usage91.3%of search traffic in Malaysia goes to GoogleSep 2026 · StatCounter Global Stats ↗
- Usage93%of internet users search online for goods and services2024 · DOSM ↗
- Audience reach23.6MYouTube ad reach, down 6.0% from end-2024Oct 2025 · DataReportal ↗
View channel figures as a table
| Channel | Type | Figure | What it measures | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OTT & streaming TV | Usage | 94.3% | of internet users stream or download music, videos or games | 2024 | DOSM, ICT Use and Access by Individuals and Households 2024 (via Malay Mail, 24 Apr 2025) |
| OTT & streaming TV | Usage | 67.1% | of households have pay-TV, down from 77.0% in 2023 | 2024 | DOSM, ICT Use and Access by Individuals and Households 2024 (via Malay Mail, 24 Apr 2025) |
| Print advertising | Ad spend | -12% | print adex, year on year (Nielsen-tracked media) | CY2025 | Kenanga Research, Nielsen-tracked adex (via MARKETECH APAC, 29 Jan 2026) |
| Print advertising | Ad spend | -7% | print ad revenue, full-market forecast | 2025 | MAGNA forecast (via Marketing Magazine Asia, 7 Jan 2026) |
| Google Search & YouTube | Usage | 91.3% | of search traffic in Malaysia goes to Google | Sep 2026 | StatCounter Global Stats, search engine share, Malaysia, Sep 2026 |
| Google Search & YouTube | Usage | 93% | of internet users search online for goods and services | 2024 | DOSM, ICT Use and Access by Individuals and Households 2024 (via Malay Mail, 24 Apr 2025) |
| Google Search & YouTube | Audience reach | 23.6M | YouTube ad reach, down 6.0% from end-2024 | Oct 2025 | DataReportal, Digital 2026: Malaysia (Oct 2025 data) |
| Google Search & YouTube | Ad spend | +8% | search ad revenue growth, full-market forecast | 2025 | MAGNA forecast (via Marketing Magazine Asia, 7 Jan 2026) |
What changed
- Almost everyone is online. Internet users rose from 33.6M (97.4%) in January 2024 to 35.4M (98.0%) in DataReportal's October 2025 data.Almost everyone is online. 35.4M users (98.0%), up from 33.6M.
- LinkedIn grew fastest. Members went from 7.8M to 10.0M (+28%). Note that this counts registered members, not active users.LinkedIn grew fastest. 7.8M to 10.0M members (+28%).
- Facebook and YouTube stayed broad and steady. Each reaches 23M to 25M people in every snapshot.
- Instagram held steady at 15.5M to 16.1M.
- TikTok's numbers swing. Its reported adult reach moved from 28.7M to 19.3M and back to 30.7M. DataReportal warns that platform revisions make year-on-year comparisons unreliable.TikTok's numbers swing. 28.7M, then 19.3M, then 30.7M.
- Social media identities went from 28.7M to 25.1M to 30.7M (85% of the population), for the same reporting reasons.Social media identities now 30.7M (85% of people).
- Viewing is moving online. 94.3% of internet users stream or download music, videos or games, and pay-TV households fell from 77.0% (2023) to 67.1% (2024), according to DOSM.Viewing is moving online. Pay-TV homes fell from 77.0% to 67.1% (DOSM).
- Print keeps shrinking. Nielsen-tracked print adex fell 12% in 2025 (Kenanga Research), and MAGNA forecast a 7% decline in print ad revenue for 2025. The two use different methods, so the numbers differ.Print keeps shrinking. −12% tracked adex, −7% forecast revenue (2025).
- Google is still the front door. Google handled 91.3% of search traffic in Malaysia in September 2026 (StatCounter), and 93.0% of internet users search online for goods and services (DOSM, 2024). YouTube's ad reach was 23.6M in October 2025, 6.0% lower than at the end of 2024 (DataReportal).Google is still the front door. 91.3% of search traffic (Sep 2026).
- Money follows. Digital took about 77% of Malaysian ad spend in 2024 (social 41%, search 24%, other digital 12%). MAGNA forecast the 2025 market at RM9.54bn (+6.4%), led by social (+11%) and search (+8%), while TV (−3%), print (−7%) and radio (−6%) declined. Digital is forecast to reach 85% by 2029.Money follows. Digital took about 77% of ad spend in 2024.
What it means for your plan
This part is our view, not the data.
- Reach is easy. Choosing is hard. With five platforms each reaching 10M to 30M people, the job is picking the two or three that fit your customer, not being everywhere.Reach is easy. Choosing is hard. Pick the two or three that fit.
- Read platform numbers as ranges. When reported reach can move by 10M in a year, plan on trends and your own results, not one headline figure.Read platform numbers as ranges. Plan on trends.
- Give each channel a job. Social and search now carry most of the money. Plan them as one journey, and measure what each does for the business.Give each channel a job. Plan social and search as one journey.
Sources
- DataReportal, Digital 2024: Malaysia ↗
- DataReportal, Digital 2025: Malaysia ↗
- DataReportal, Digital 2026: Malaysia ↗
- Bernama: MAGNA via Kenanga Research, 6 Jan 2026 ↗
- Marketing Magazine Asia, 7 Jan 2026 ↗
- DOSM, ICT Use and Access by Individuals and Households 2024 (via Malay Mail, 24 Apr 2025) ↗
- Kenanga Research, Nielsen-tracked adex (via MARKETECH APAC, 29 Jan 2026) ↗
- StatCounter Global Stats, search engine share, Malaysia, Sep 2026 ↗
Advertising reach is the audience each platform says advertisers can reach. It is not monthly active users and may not be unique people. 2026 figures are DataReportal's Digital 2026 report, based on data available in October 2025.Ad reach is what platforms say advertisers can reach, not active users.