Here are affordable performance-marketing options and concrete next steps for Malaysia — quick, actionable, and budget-aware.

Summary recommendations (what to choose)

• Small agency or specialist boutique: Best balance of cost and ROI for SMEs and e‑commerce (lower monthly retainer, hands-on). Examples: InsightOut, Emperikal, Shock Media. (InsightOut.com.my)
• Mid-size agency with full-stack capabilities: Good if you need multi-channel scaling (Google, Meta, TikTok, CRO, analytics). Examples: Newnormz, Locus‑T. (Newnormz.com.my)
• Freelancer / performance specialist: Cheapest monthly outlay for clearly scoped work (ad management, landing-page CRO, tagging). Typical freelance ranges noted below. (itrobes.com)

Typical pricing to expect (Malaysia market benchmarks)

• Freelancers / micro-agencies: ~RM1,000–RM5,000 / month (~USD 210–1,050). (itrobes.com)
• Mid-size agencies: ~RM5,000–RM15,000 / month (~USD 1,050–3,150) for multi-channel performance (strategy + execution + reporting). (itrobes.com)
• Large/enterprise agencies: RM15,000+ / month. Use only if you need enterprise-level tech, multi-market coordination. (itrobes.com)

Affordable, reputable agencies in Malaysia (short list to contact)

• InsightOut (Kuala Lumpur) — performance marketing, PPC, e‑commerce, ROAS focus. Good for data-driven SME campaigns. (InsightOut.com.my)
• Emperikal (Kuala Lumpur) — PPC & display specialists, testing and optimisation. Good for targeted paid-media work. (Emperikal.com)
• Shock Media Studio — boutique e‑commerce & SEM specialist (SME-friendly). (brandradar.org)
• Newnormz — award-winning paid media + SEO; full-funnel CRO emphasis. (Newnormz.com.my)
• Locus‑T / iMarketing (established regional players) — strong search credentials, Google Partner, good for scaling paid search. (blackrevo.com)

What to ask when you contact them (to compare costs and value)

• Ask for past ROAS / CPA examples for businesses like yours (specific numbers).
• Clarify scope: ad spend management vs. retainer for creative + optimisation. (Some agencies charge a % of ad spend + retainer.)
• Reporting cadence & KPIs (ROAS, CPA, conversion rate, LTV).
• Setup needs and tracking: will they implement server-side tagging, GA4 migration, conversion API? (Fixing tracking quickly saves wasted ad spend.)
• Minimum contract term and cancellation terms.

Low-cost ways to get started (if you want to keep spend minimal)

• Hire a Malaysian freelancer for campaign setup + 1–2 months of optimisation (RM1,000–3,000). (itrobes.com)
• Start with one channel (Google Search or Meta retargeting) and a single conversion goal — scale once CPA is stable. (Emperikal.com)
• Use agency audit / one-off performance audit first (many agencies offer a low-cost audit) to identify quick wins before committing to a monthly retainer. (InsightOut.com.my)

Suggested next steps (practical)

1. Pick 3 providers from the short list and request: a 30–60 minute discovery call + a one-page proposal with expected CPA/ROAS targets and pricing. Use identical briefs so proposals are comparable. (InsightOut.com.my)
2. Run a 3-month pilot: small retainer + clearly defined KPIs (CPA or ROAS). Pause if results don’t meet agreed thresholds. (itrobes.com)
3. Ensure tracking is set (GA4 + Conversion API + accurate event tagging) before ramping ad spend — this protects your budget. (InsightOut.com.my)

If you want, I can:

• Draft a short agency brief you can send to 3 agencies (includes your business, target CPA/ROAS, budget, and KPIs).
• Compare proposals if you paste them here.

Sources: market pages and local agency lists used to assemble recommendations and price ranges. (InsightOut.com.my)

Which of the two do you want now — (A) a ready-to-send agency brief tailored to your business, or (B) I pick 3 agencies and draft email templates to contact them?