B2B Buyers Journey
The 2024 B2B Buyer Experience Report offers a data-rich exploration of B2B purchasing across North America, EMEA, and APAC, revealing important regional differences in the length of buying cycles, team dynamics, and the ways buyers interact with vendors. As B2B buyers increasingly control the purchase journey through self-guided research, it is critical for digital marketers to understand these regional distinctions and adapt strategies accordingly. This article explores key insights from the report and presents actionable tactics for digital marketers to reach and influence buyers in each region.
1. Buying Cycle Lengths and Key Influences by Region
APAC: With an average cycle length of 13.2 months, APAC has the longest buying journey of the three regions. Buyers here take a more thorough approach, typically evaluating 5.2 vendors and engaging in around 1,300 interactions with vendors.
North America: The average buying cycle in North America is 11.2 months. Buyers here tend to be more decisive, evaluating an average of 4.5 vendors and having about 845 interactions throughout the journey.
EMEA: EMEA has the shortest cycle at 10.2 months, with buyers evaluating 4.1 vendors on average and engaging in approximately 620 interactions. Buyers in this region show a preference for streamlined decision-making and fewer interactions.
Digital Marketing Strategy:
- APAC: Content should support longer research periods. Consider a steady stream of white papers, case studies, and regional reports to keep potential buyers engaged.
- North America: Invest in mid-funnel content like demos and webinars to speed up the decision-making process.
- EMEA: Focus on concise, high-impact content to capture attention and support quick decision-making, such as summaries, infographics, and interactive content.
2. Buyer-Initiated Contact Patterns and Timing
A significant trend across all regions is that buyers are more proactive than sellers in initiating contact:
| Metric | APAC | North America | EMEA |
| Buyers Initiate First Contact (%) | 77.7% | 82.9% | 80.9% |
| Average Buying Journey Stage at First Contact | 72.4% | 68.2% | 67.4% |
APAC buyers reach out to sellers at the latest stage in their buying journey, typically 72.4% of the way through, meaning that most of their research and shortlisting have already been completed independently. This buyer-driven contact is a strong indication that digital marketing must focus on early-stage brand visibility to capture buyer interest before they make contact.
Digital Marketing Strategy:
- APAC: Implement a robust SEO and content marketing strategy to increase visibility early in the buyer’s journey. Focus on providing easily accessible, comprehensive information.
- North America: Use social media and industry publications to increase brand presence, positioning your company as a preferred vendor early in the buyer’s research.
- EMEA: Prioritize targeted ads and retargeting campaigns to keep your brand top of mind as buyers progress through their research and approach the decision-making stage.
3. Buying Group Sizes and Dynamics
APAC stands out with the largest buying groups, averaging 12.8 members. This contrasts with North America’s 10.7 members and EMEA’s 9.8 members, indicating a more collaborative and multifaceted decision-making process in APAC. Larger groups in APAC may require more tailored content to address each stakeholder’s specific needs.
Digital Marketing Strategy:
- APAC: Create role-specific content, such as technical briefs for IT leaders and ROI calculators for finance teams, to address diverse stakeholder concerns within large buying groups.
- North America: Emphasize case studies and solution overviews that appeal to a broad audience but also consider creating content tailored to specific roles, such as technical specs or financial benefits.
- EMEA: Focus on concise, high-impact content that covers key selling points for all stakeholders, as smaller groups may value efficiency and concise information.
4. Preference for External Advisors
A notable 77% of APAC buyers rely on external consultants or analysts, compared to 70% in North America and 65.6% in EMEA. External advisors tend to increase buying cycle length and complexity, signalling that these buyers are focused on making high-stakes decisions that require expert guidance.
Digital Marketing Strategy:
- APAC: Develop content that positions your company as an industry thought leader, such as in-depth industry reports and strategic partnerships with analysts.
- North America: Engage advisors with thought leadership content that showcases proven results and ROI, including case studies and customer testimonials.
- EMEA: Emphasize concise thought-leadership pieces that advisors can use to recommend your brand to decision-makers, focusing on practical insights.
5. Key Decision Drivers and Content Preferences
The report highlights that, buyers across all regions value direct, person-to-person interactions. However, there are nuances in how these interactions unfold and are rated by buyers:
Top Preferred Interactions | North America | EMEA | APAC |
Virtual Meetings | Highly preferred | Moderate preference | Highly preferred |
In-Person Meetings | Moderate preference | Highly preferred | Highly preferred |
Engagement with Analyst Reports | Moderate preference | Moderate preference | Highly preferred |
Internal Meetings with Buying Teams | High volume | Moderate volume | High volume |
Vendor-Sponsored Events | Moderate preference | Moderate preference | High preference |
Digital Marketing Strategy:
- APAC: Invest in organizing and promoting vendor-sponsored events, and leverage analyst reports as trusted resources in the sales process.
- North America: Focus on virtual engagement strategies, such as webinars and live product demos, to meet buyer expectations.
- EMEA: Combine in-person events with easy-to-consume digital content, such as on-demand product demos and targeted email outreach.
6. Purchase Complexity and Vendor Evaluation
The complexity of the buying process, influenced by the number of vendors evaluated and purchase cost, varies by region:
- APAC buyers tend to evaluate more vendors and make larger purchases, driving longer cycles and greater purchase complexity.
- North America buyers lean toward a moderate approach, balancing a manageable vendor count with focused, high-value purchases.
- EMEA buyers prefer fewer vendors and shorter cycles, often making decisions with streamlined evaluations.
Digital Marketing Strategy:
- APAC: Prepare for longer engagements by developing a nurturing campaign that keeps your brand top-of-mind over a prolonged evaluation period.
- North America: Focus on differentiating your brand early with value-driven content that quickly establishes why your solution is superior.
- EMEA: Simplify the decision-making process with content that clearly compares and contrasts your offerings against competitors to support quicker evaluations.
Conclusion: Regionalized Digital Marketing Tactics for B2B Success in 2024
Each region has distinct buying behaviours that should inform your digital marketing approach. In APAC, the emphasis should be on in-depth, long-term engagement, establishing trust through high-value content and expert consultations. For North America, prioritize a faster, results-oriented approach that positions your brand as a trusted choice. In EMEA, focus on providing clear, concise information to streamline the buying process.
By aligning with these regional differences, digital marketers can effectively support each stage of the B2B buyer’s journey, building brand preference and capturing opportunities to engage and convert prospects in meaningful ways.