Guru Online

What Guru Online does

Guru Online (Holdings) Limited is a Hong Kong-headquartered, integrated digital marketing agency that has been listed on the Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited under stock code 8121 since May 2015. Founded in 2007 by Jeff Ng and co-founded by Chairman/CEO Alan Yip, the company delivers end-to-end digital marketing services to a base of 380+ clients, ranging from local start-ups to multinational corporations across industries such as automotive, luxury beauty, financial services, retail, tourism, and heavy equipment. Its service portfolio spans Social Media Marketing, Digital Performance Marketing, Influencer Marketing, China Marketing, Global Marketing, E-Commerce Management, Search Strategy Integration, Multimedia Creation, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger Chatbots, Facebook Augmented Reality, and Digital Activation Technology covering AR/VR, O2O kiosks/vending, and A.I. robotics.

The agency's underlying technology stack combines proprietary campaign assets (voice-recognition chatbots, real-time lip mapping, face and smile recognition, gamified face recognition, AR filters) with platform integrations including Facebook AR, WhatsApp Business API, and analytics tooling for cross-channel attribution and machine-learning customer journey visualization. Revenue is generated primarily through professional service fees on custom digital marketing campaigns under quote-based B2B pricing. Distribution is direct-to-enterprise via website contact forms and consultative sales, with regional offices supporting delivery in Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Beijing, and Taipei.

Recent corporate activity indicates a period of transition: the company completed a share placement under general mandate in September 2025, proposed a 2025 Share Option Scheme in December 2025, underwent multiple board and executive director changes through late 2025 and early 2026, and issued a profit warning for 2026, while concurrently expanding its service surface into e-commerce management and WhatsApp conversational commerce.

Name

Guru Online

Legal name

Guru Online (Holdings) Limited

Website

https://guruonline.com.hk

Company type

Public

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Guru Online is a Hong Kong-based, GEM-listed integrated digital marketing agency founded in 2007, serving 380+ enterprise and SME clients across Hong Kong, mainland China, and Taiwan with social media, AR/VR, chatbot, performance, e-commerce, and China-market entry services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing Services

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Marketing Consulting Services (541613)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Marketing Automation Platforms & Services (BPAFAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Data, Analytics & AI Consulting (BPAHAEAF)

Keywords

• Digital marketing services
• Social media marketing
• Performance marketing
• Chatbot marketing
• Influencer marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Hong Kong

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Digital Marketing Services: Full-service end-to-end digital marketing solutions including social media marketing, performance marketing, influencer marketing, AR/VR production, chatbot development, multimedia creation, and e-commerce management. Revenue is generated through professional service fees for custom digital marketing campaigns and solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Guru Online is an integrated digital marketing agency that plans, creates, and executes end-to-end digital marketing campaigns for brands, including social media marketing, digital performance marketing, influencer marketing, AR/VR campaigns, chatbot solutions, multimedia production, SEO, e-commerce management, and China-specific marketing. The agency combines creative talent with proprietary technology (AR, AI face/voice recognition, chatbots) to deliver campaigns for enterprise clients and regional brands across Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, and global markets.

Product overview

Guru Online is a listed 4A's digital marketing agency that operates as a service-based company offering an integrated suite of digital marketing services. The portfolio includes core offerings such as Social Media Marketing, Digital Performance Marketing, China Marketing, Influencer Marketing, E-Commerce Management, and Global Marketing, supported by specialized technology services including CHATBOT (conversational AI), Facebook Augmented Reality, Digital Activation Technology (AR/VR/A.I. Robotics), Multimedia Creation, WhatsApp Marketing, and Search Strategy Integration. The company leverages AI capabilities including voice recognition, face recognition, and real-time machine learning across campaigns for clients in Hong Kong, China, and global markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Social Media Marketing

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sector-leading FirmscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAs one of the leading 4A's digital marketing agencies, Guru Online partners with sector-leading firms to expand services, create new breakthroughs, and push standards of digital marketing to its limits. Working side by side with industrial giants, the company continuously enhances innovation, creativity, and technological insights.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hylink Digital Solution Group: Hylink is a China-rooted, internationally oriented digital marketing and ad-tech agency serving global brands entering China. Like Guru Online, it combines WeChat/Weibo expertise with global brand mandates, and operates as a comparable regional platform for cross-border campaigns.
• iClick Interactive Asia Group: iClick is a Hong Kong-headquartered, NASDAQ-listed digital marketing and ad-tech platform serving enterprise clients across Greater China and APAC. It overlaps Guru Online's enterprise digital-services, performance, and China-marketing stack and is a closely comparable HK-listed peer.
• BlueFocus Intelligent Communications Group: BlueFocus is a leading China-based digital and integrated marketing communications group serving multinational brands. It is the most direct scale competitor to Guru Online's China Marketing and influencer/KOL offering, with overlapping enterprise client rosters.
• Isobar (Dentsu): Isobar is Dentsu's digital-first global agency network with strong APAC and Greater China presence. It competes head-to-head with Guru Online for the same multinational digital marketing mandates and operates a similar full-service digital model.
• R/GA: R/GA is a globally recognized technology- and experience-led creative agency within IPG, with capabilities spanning AR/AI/chatbot-driven campaigns. It is the closest Western analog to Guru Online's AR, chatbot and digital activation technology positioning for enterprise clients.

Broad incumbents

• Dentsu Inc. Dentsu is one of the largest global advertising holding companies with deep Japan/APAC roots and a sizeable Greater China presence through Isobar and other networks. It competes with Guru Online for the same multinational account business but at far greater scale and across a much wider service portfolio.
• WPP plc: WPP is a top global advertising and communications holding group with extensive operations in Hong Kong and mainland China (GroupM, Ogilvy, VMLY&R). It pursues the same enterprise and China-market briefs as Guru Online, but operates at much larger scale across traditional, digital and media services.
• Publicis Groupe: Publicis is a global advertising holding group with strong APAC and Greater China agencies (Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Digitas). It overlaps Guru Online across creative, digital, performance marketing, and China-market services, competing for the same multinational brand budgets.
• Omnicom Group: Omnicom is a global advertising holding company with major agency networks (BBDO, DDB, TBWA) and digital shops active across Greater China. It is comparable to Guru Online as an enterprise and China marketing competitor, but with a global portfolio of network brands.

Regional players

• Hakuhodo DY Holdings: Hakuhodo is a Japan-rooted APAC-focused advertising and digital communications group with growing Greater China exposure. It is comparable to Guru Online as an integrated digital marketing services provider serving enterprise brands across Asian markets, though primarily Asia-Pacific rather than Mainland-China focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/timeline
• Instagraminstagram.com/guruonlinehk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guru-online

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Guru Online