The majority of APAC marketers are failing to identify and reach key audiences effectively, according to new research released by Pipeline360 today.
The “2025 State of B2B Pipeline Growth” report reveals 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%).
The survey, which uncovers the biggest challenges facing B2B marketers globally, highlights the need for better customer insights in the market, which is home to diverse cultural norms, languages and consumer behaviours.
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. However, Maryel Roman, Head of Digital Demand at Adobe APAC, noted: “Our journeys are not linear. The inbound model that once drove results for marketers – ebook, form fill, SDR outreach – has become an outdated model in today’s buyer-driven world.”
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.
“APAC is known for its massive buyer diversity, meaning its marketers face a unique set of challenges,” commented Joseph McCarthy, Senior Account Director at Pipeline360. “Differing cultural norms, varying levels of technology adoption and a vast array of languages create a complex market requiring a nuanced approach.”
“Where companies lack rich internal data and are not taking advantage of tools to complement CRM and sales insights, they may struggle to understand and therefore connect with their customer. Marketers should consider leveraging all possible options to identify buying groups, be that manual research, outside data enrichment platforms, or ABX and ABM tools.”
Teams in APAC (57%), the UK and Europe (56%) were also more likely than peers in the US (47%), to cite content personalization as a tactic with promise to improve lead nurturing, further demonstrating challenges in tailoring content across diverse regions. Maryel Roman added: “You’re getting asked to scale up for more personalized relevance across all stages of the buyer journey. You have to do everything and be everywhere.”
Insights from the survey highlight AI’s increasing role in delivering these personalized 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 personalized engagements (31%), while AI would help them to optimize content personalization and audience segmentation (39%).
Pipeline360’s Vice President of Marketing, Matt Hummel, 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.”
“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 personalization can be used to scale relevance and enhance reach across these groups.”
For more insights from the 2025 State of B2B Pipeline Growth Report, visit Pipeline360’s blog or download the full report. The company will also sponsor and host a panel to discuss its findings at the B2B Marketing Leaders Forum APAC 2025 in Sydney, Australia in May.
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