Unlock Global Growth: Your Guide to the Trade Malta Digital Marketing Programme 2026

Going Global? Trade Malta Funds Your Digital Marketing

For ambitious Malta-based businesses, the international market isn’t just an opportunity; it’s the next horizon. But competing on a global scale means your brand needs to be visible not just in Sliema, but in Stockholm, Singapore, and Sydney.

This kind of international digital push requires a serious strategy and, let’s be honest, a significant investment.

That’s where the good news comes in.

Trade Malta has just launched its Digital Marketing Programme 2026, a dedicated financial aid scheme designed to help Maltese businesses like yours fund the very activities needed to break down geographical barriers and connect with a global audience.

As a marketing agency dedicated to driving growth, we at Keen see this as a game-changing opportunity for our clients. This isn’t just a grant; it’s a launchpad. Here’s what you need to know and how you can leverage this support to its fullest potential.

What is the Trade Malta Digital Marketing Programme 2026?

In short, it’s a financial incentive to help you pay for your international digital marketing campaigns.

The programme falls under Trade Malta’s broader “International Trade Promotion Incentive Scheme.” The core objective is simple: help evolving companies utilise digital tools to find and attract international clients.

The funding is part of an overall cap of €30,000 in maximum assistance that a single company can receive from Trade Malta in one calendar year. This means the Digital Marketing support can be a substantial part of your strategy, but it’s crucial to plan it wisely.

What Marketing Activities Are Eligible for Funding?

The scheme includes the high-impact services essential for any successful international marketing strategy.

Here are the eligible actions and how we at Keen approach them:

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): The scheme covers SEO costs to increase your visibility in specific target markets.

International SEO is far more complex than local SEO. You’re not just translating keywords; you’re understanding cultural search habits, localisation, competitors, and technical requirements. Our team builds strategies that make you the relevant answer for the local audience who is looking for your product.

2. Paid Advertising (PPC): This includes direct advertising on major search engines, such as Google Ads, and social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook.

This is the fastest way to get in front of new clients, but it’s also the fastest way to waste money without expertise. We are specialists in managing multi-market, multi-lingual ad campaigns. We ensure your budget – and Trade Malta’s contribution – is spent efficiently, targeting the right people in the right countries, driving qualified leads, not just ‘clicks’.

3. Industry-Specific Platform Advertising: The scheme is smart enough to know that your B2B clients might not be on Facebook. It also covers advertising on other industry-specific online platforms.

We help you discover the niche digital platforms where your perfect international clients are already active. Then, we launch a highly customised campaign that speaks directly to them on their most trusted channels.

4. Digital Design & Content: The programme covers the costs for creating the visuals, graphics, and content for the digital advertisement endeavours.

An ad is only as good as its creative. Our design and content team doesn’t just make things “look pretty.” We craft ad creative and landing page content that resonates with international audiences, respects cultural nuances, and is designed for a single purpose: conversion.

How to Apply: The “Strategy First” Approach

This is the most important part. You cannot simply spend money and ask for a rebate.

All costs must be approved by Trade Malta in advance.

What does this mean? It means you can’t apply for this fund without a plan. You need to submit an application that details:

1. What you want to do (e.g., “Run a LinkedIn ad campaign”).
2. Where you want to do it (e.g., “Targeting the manufacturing sector in the Netherlands”).
3. Why you’re doing it (e.g., “To generate B2B leads for our new product line”).
4. How much it will cost (a clear proposal and quote).

This is precisely where an agency partner becomes invaluable.

Navigating a funding application can be daunting, and successfully running an international marketing campaign is even harder. Fortunately, we specialise in simplifying both challenges. We go beyond just providing a quote; we believe in true partnership, working alongside you long before you finalise your application.

Here’s our process:

1. Free Strategy Session: You talk, we listen. What are your export goals? Which markets look promising? What have you tried before?
2. Custom Growth Plan: We’ll develop a clear, phased digital marketing strategy tailored to your goals. This plan will outline the exact activities (SEO, Google Ads, etc.), target markets, and expected outcomes.
3. Application-Ready Proposal: You will receive a detailed proposal from us, which you can use as the basis for your Trade Malta application. It will clearly itemise the eligible costs, giving Trade Malta’s adjudicators a clear, professional, and strategic plan to review.
4. Execute & Report: Once approved, our team gets to work. We execute the plan and provide you with detailed monthly reports, so you see exactly what your investment is achieving and have the documentation needed for your claim.

This opportunity is too good to waste on a vague plan. Let’s build a strategy that gets you funded and gets you to develop the international sphere to take your business to the next level. 

Applications for the 2026 programme are now open. Let’s talk today to arrange a free marketing consultation and get your Trade Malta strategy ready!