Most APAC marketers struggle to reach key audiences, says Pipeline360 research.
The 2025 B2B Pipeline Growth report shows 68% of APAC marketers lack an effective process for identifying buying groups.
Only 36% are confident in reaching their target audience, compared to 46% in the US and 47% in the UK/Europe.
The survey highlights the need for better customer insights in a market with diverse cultural norms, languages and behaviours.
Adapting to non-linear journeys
Respondents in APAC are the most likely to rely on internal sources of intelligence to identify individual buyers.
62% of them use CRM data, compared to 49% in the US and 53% in the UK/Europe.
Meanwhile, 44% rely on sales team insights, versus 33% in the US and 37% in the UK/Europe.
However, Maryel Roman, Adobe APAC’s head of digital demand explains that customer journeys are no longer linear. The inbound model – ebook, form fill and SDR outreach – is no longer effective in today’s buyer-driven world.
Nearly two-thirds (60%) believe using methods like surveys and focus groups would strengthen efforts to understand and reach target audiences.
Over half say that improving audience segmentation strategies (52%) would be key.
Challenges of a diverse market
“APAC is known for its massive buyer diversity, meaning its marketers face a unique set of challenges,” says Pipeline360’s senior account director Joseph McCarthy.
“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 customers.”
Marketers should use all available options to identify buying groups – from manual research to data enrichment platforms and ABX/ABM tools, McCarthy adds.
Teams in APAC (57%) and the UK/Europe (56%) are also more likely than peers in the US (47%) to view content personalisation as key to improving lead nurturing. This highlights the challenges of tailoring content across diverse regions.
AI fuels engagement
Survey insights also show AI’s growing role in delivering personalised experiences to engage buying groups.
Around one-third of APAC marketers (31%) see machine learning as valuable for understanding customer data and driving personalised engagement.
Meanwhile, 39% believe AI would help them optimise content personalisation and audience segmentation.
Pipeline360’s vice president of marketing Matt Hummel says: “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 personalisation can be used to scale relevance and enhance reach across these groups.”
