Singapore – The majority of APAC marketers are failing to identify and reach key audiences effectively, according to new research released by B2B marketing solutions Pipeline360.
According to the data, two-thirds (68%) of marketers in the region lack an effective process for identifying buying groups or committees, while only 36% were confident in their company’s ability to reach its target audience. This compares with almost half in the US (46%) and UK and Europe (47%).
Moreover, respondents in APAC were currently the most likely to rely on internal sources of intelligence such as CRM data (62% vs. 49% in US and 53% in UK/Europe) and sales team insights (44% vs. 33% in US and 37% in UK/Europe) to identify individual buyers.
The data also noted that almost two-thirds (60%) believed that implementing robust methods to deepen their understanding of customers, such as surveys and focus groups, would strengthen efforts to reach target audiences. Over half said that improving audience segmentation strategies (52%) would be key.
Teams in APAC (57%), the UK and Europe (56%) were also more likely than peers in the US (47%), to cite content personalisation as a tactic with promise to improve lead nurturing, further demonstrating challenges in tailoring content across diverse regions.
Lastly, the data highlighted AI’s increasing role in delivering these personalised experiences to engage buying groups. Around one-third of APAC marketers said machine learning would be valuable in deepening their understanding of customer data and driving personalised engagements (31%), while AI would help them to optimise content personalisation and audience segmentation (39%).
Matt Hummel, vice president of marketing at Pipeline360, remarked, “Investing in areas like audience engagement and technology integration will be crucial for businesses looking to gain control over diverse audiences and adapt to rapidly shifting economic conditions and buyer contexts.”
He added, “There are clear opportunities for marketers to use AI to identify their highest-value audience segments, enabling them to develop more tailored engagement plans. At the same time, data- and AI-driven personalisation can be used to scale relevance and enhance reach across these groups.”
Meanwhile, Joseph McCarthy, senior account director at Pipeline360, commented, “APAC is known for its massive buyer diversity, meaning its marketers face a unique set of challenges. Differing cultural norms, varying levels of technology adoption and a vast array of languages create a complex market requiring a nuanced approach.”
