Anteriad, in collaboration with Ascend2, has published its “2024 B2B Marketing Outlook for APAC: The Data Confidence Divide” report.
It offers detailed insights into the priorities, performance, and challenges faced by B2B marketers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. The report compares the APAC market with those in North America and Europe, shedding light on key trends, emerging opportunities, and the unique challenges in this fast-growing sector.
The report underscores the significance of APAC as a major growth region for B2B marketing, identifying data quality and technology integration as essential components for success. While the global outlook suggests varied expectations, the study highlights that APAC marketers are cautiously optimistic about 2024. Despite being less confident than their European counterparts, 38% of APAC B2B marketers foresee a significant increase in revenue in 2024, outperforming the United States. Furthermore, 31% of APAC marketers expect a notable increase in their marketing budgets, in contrast to only 16% of global marketers who reported the same in 2023.
A key finding from the report is that APAC marketers face different challenges compared to other regions. While global markets often cite data quality as a primary concern, 67% of APAC B2B marketers point to technology integration as their biggest obstacle. Additionally, 72% report difficulties in reaching the right audience, particularly as buying behaviours continue to evolve. Social media plays an increasingly important role in this transformation, with 71% of marketers noting its growing influence on their target audience’s research and decision-making processes.
Multichannel Campaigns and the Role of AI
As the digital landscape changes, APAC marketers are leveraging multiple channels to engage their audiences. The report reveals that 42% of APAC marketers now use four or more channels in a typical marketing campaign. This multichannel approach is proving beneficial, as marketers who adopt it report higher revenue and pipeline growth. Moreover, reaching audiences across different platforms allows for more tailored, authentic messaging—an increasingly important factor in the buying journey.
Generative AI is another area where APAC B2B marketers are showing interest. Sixty percent believe that AI can drive innovation and enhance the consistency of their marketing efforts. As AI tools become more sophisticated, they are expected to play a crucial role in improving personalisation and targeting across campaigns, giving marketers more confidence in their ability to engage the right audiences.
Data quality remains a shared priority across regions, with APAC B2B marketers aligning with their global counterparts in focusing on improving data accuracy and integration. Better data means more precise targeting, which is vital for expanding audience reach and exploring new demographics, an aim for 55% of APAC marketers in 2024.
B2B Marketing Segments in APAC: Authenticity and Pipeline Growth
The report categorises APAC B2B marketers into specific segments, including the “Authenticity Acrobats”, who place a high emphasis on brand authenticity, and the “Pipeline Powerhouses”, who are focused on significantly boosting their lead pipeline in 2024. These segments highlight the diversity of strategies employed by marketers in the region, with some focusing on brand-building efforts while others are more intent on driving measurable business outcomes.
Peter Larkin, Chief Revenue Officer at Anteriad, reflected on the optimistic outlook for APAC B2B marketing in 2024: “B2B marketers in APAC are more optimistic in 2024 than last year, with a higher number expecting revenue increases and budget increases. We are seeing similar themes of success at a global level, propelled by a universal focus on data quality as a top priority. Data is the foundation for many core B2B marketing strategies and Anteriad is a trusted partner for marketers across all major markets.”
Larkin also noted the growing success of multichannel campaigns and the importance of intent targeting, authenticity, and data-driven strategies for B2B marketers in APAC. These insights suggest that while the region faces unique challenges, it also presents new opportunities for growth and innovation.
Opportunities and Challenges for APAC B2B Marketers
The findings of the report emphasise that APAC B2B marketers are increasingly aligning their strategies with global best practices, but face distinct regional challenges. Integrating new technologies and improving audience targeting remain top concerns, particularly as the buying journey continues to evolve. With social media playing a larger role in decision-making, marketers will need to adapt their approaches to engage buyers across these platforms more effectively.
Generative AI and multichannel strategies are expected to be key drivers of success in 2024, offering APAC marketers new tools to optimise their campaigns and reach new audience segments. However, with many B2B marketers in the region still facing challenges related to technology integration, companies must focus on enhancing their internal systems to stay competitive.
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