From start-up to search powerhouse: LOCUS-T wins gold and Local Hero at AOTY 2025

This post is sponsored by LOCUS-T.

LOCUS-T is officially one of Malaysia’s top digital marketing agencies. The company secured both the gold and Local Hero titles in the Search Agency of the Year category at the Agency of the Year Awards 2025, a recognition that cements its status as an industry leader in performance-driven search marketing and SEO Malaysia.

But these accolades didn’t come out of nowhere. Today, LOCUS-T manages more than 5,000 keywords ranked on Google’s first page; runs 1,471 active paid ad campaigns across platforms such as Google and Meta; and generates over 5.7 million organic visits annually for its clients. These aren’t just impressive statistics, they represent real growth and real revenue for businesses seeking results from SEO in Malaysia.

Serving over 7,000 companies across 50 industries, LOCUS-T has consistently delivered digital outcomes for businesses of all sizes – from agile start-ups to well-established names such as 7-Eleven, Senheng, HELP International School, CGC Digital, Dking, and AutoCount. Its campaigns are rooted in one mission: turning visibility into action and traffic into measurable business results.

One case in point is Eduwis, a well-known preschool and franchise network in Malaysia. Faced with stalled growth, the brand needed a strategy that could reignite momentum.

LOCUS-T launched a comprehensive two-year SEO and SEM campaign in Malaysia from 2023 to 2025. By the end of the campaign, conversions had increased by 97.12%, the cost-per-lead had dropped by 10.6%, and there was a 265% rise in top 10 keyword rankings.

These weren’t just wins on paper. The performance translated into more student enrolments, more franchise leads, and renewed business momentum.

This is what sets LOCUS-T apart. The agency doesn’t just optimise websites and manage ad budgets. It builds strategies grounded in business goals and executes them with technical precision and creative insights. Clients don’t just get clicks, they get growth powered by SEO strategies that create real results in Malaysia.

"I strongly emphasise our core elements which are focused on digital marketing by providing warm and personalised services, conducting insightful data analysis, and ultimately thriving together with our clients."

Deric Wong, co-founder and managing director, LOCUS-T.

The company’s success is rooted in an approach that blends structure with adaptability. LOCUS-T invests heavily in real-time data tracking, A/B testing, and conversion-focused targeting, ensuring every campaign evolves with audience behaviour and platform changes. Rather than jumping on every new digital trend, the team builds resilient frameworks that scale and adapt over time.

This approach is especially critical in a fast-changing landscape where AI, automation, and predictive analytics are redefining digital marketing. LOCUS-T doesn’t just keep up, it integrates these innovations into its processes early, using them to improve precision, optimise spend, and unlock deeper insights without losing the human touch that keeps clients coming back.

Clients often praise the agency’s responsiveness, clarity, and transparency. LOCUS-T doesn’t disappear behind dashboards or bury clients in jargon. It provides clear, data-backed recommendations, and walks with clients through each phase of a campaign. That kind of partnership is what transforms a vendor into a strategic ally.

Behind all of this is a story that began with nothing more than a bold idea. In the early 2000s, before digital marketing was mainstream in Southeast Asia, LOCUS-T was founded in Malaysia with one goal: help businesses grow online in a way that actually works.

Back then, search marketing was barely a conversation. LOCUS-T helped make it one and even became one of the pioneers in SEO Malaysia. Starting with a small team and limited resources, the company focused on building trust, solving problems, and providing value client by client, brand by brand.

That vision has never wavered. Twenty-five years later, LOCUS-T has grown into one of Malaysia’s most respected digital marketing agencies, earning status as a Google Premier Partner and Meta Business Partner along the way.

But even with all the accolades and partnerships, the company still operates with the same core values it started with: transparency, effectiveness, and a commitment to long-term success for every client.

What’s also worth noting is the agency’s deep understanding of local market dynamics. While many international agencies try to apply cookie-cutter strategies across markets, LOCUS-T develops campaigns based on what works for Malaysian businesses.

Whether it’s understanding the customer journey in different regions, adapting messaging to local preferences or fine-tuning ad spend based on economic conditions, the team brings a sharp local perspective that delivers an edge in SEO Malaysia.

This local-first approach, combined with international-level execution, is a big reason why LOCUS-T stands out in the crowded digital marketing space. The agency understands the business realities that clients face and knows how to turn those realities into opportunities.

The dual win at the Agency of the Year Awards 2025 isn’t just a nice headline, it’s a reflection of years of consistent execution, constant learning, and relentless client focus. It’s also a signal that LOCUS-T is not slowing down.

The team is already exploring new areas of innovation, including machine learning models for smarter targeting, privacy-first analytics solutions, and advanced lead attribution systems that connect the dots from click to customer.

As LOCUS-T steps into its next chapter, the mission remains clear: help businesses grow online ethically, efficiently, and at scale. That means smarter strategies, stronger partnerships, and higher benchmarks in everything it does.

LOCUS-T isn’t just a digital and SEO agency in Malaysia. It’s a growth partner that delivers visibility, clarity, and business impact.

Ready to thrive together? Let’s talk.