New research from LinkedIn indicates that marketing professionals across the Asia-Pacific region are facing difficulties in capturing and retaining audience attention, with a strong emphasis on the importance of video and influencer marketing strategies.

The findings from LinkedIn's '2025 B2B Marketer Sentiment Research' reveal that 91% of B2B marketers worldwide, and up to 94% in Singapore, identify the challenge of securing audience attention as their main concern in campaign execution. This sentiment is echoed across India and Australia, where at least 90% of marketers also share this worry.

A notable 66% of B2B marketers globally believe that failing to invest in video will put them at a disadvantage compared to competitors, with this statistic rising to 70% in Singapore, 62% in India, and 57% in Australia. As B2B purchasing journeys become longer and more complex, 80% of marketers worldwide, including 87% in Singapore, feel a greater need to invest in creative strategies to distinguish their brands.

Despite an expressed desire for creativity, marketers indicate that organisational risk aversion is holding back experimentation. The report finds that 68% of chief marketing officers and vice presidents globally view their company leadership as risk averse, a perception that rises to 79% in Singapore and 72% in India. This has reportedly resulted in a reliance on traditional and established tactics rather than exploring new approaches.

The increasing focus on video and influencer-led strategies is attributed to mounting pressures on marketers to do more with fewer resources while still demonstrating clear business impact. Among marketers globally, 96% consider video and 94% consider influencer marketing among the most effective methods to drive direct sales. In India, these numbers reach 97% for both approaches, while Singapore reports 95% for video and 97% for influencer marketing. Marketers in Australia closely follow, with 91% valuing video and 89% valuing influencer marketing for their sales impact.

Short-form video, in particular, has been identified as critical for building trust and engaging decision-makers, especially as younger, digital-first buyers are increasingly responsible for B2B purchasing decisions. In Singapore and India, more than 80% of marketers state that short-form video is effective in achieving both outcomes, with significant momentum also observed in Australia.

The research highlights the growing importance of influencer and creator partnerships in constructing credible brands, with 63% of B2B marketers globally indicating that their marketing strategy is incomplete without such collaborations. Of those surveyed, 82% express confidence that influencer marketing campaigns will directly contribute to sales by year-end, a view particularly strong in Singapore (89%), India (84%), and Australia (79%).

Younger B2B buyers, according to Forrester's 2025 B2B Marketing and Sales Predictions, are increasingly relying on external sources, including social media and peer networks, when making purchase decisions, consulting an average of ten or more sources per purchase cycle.

Matt Derella, Vice President of LinkedIn, commented on these shifts, stating, "Today's B2B buyers - 71% of whom are Gen Z or millennial - aren't swayed by the same old tactics. They're influenced by what they watch, who they follow, and what they trust. Video and creators are shaping the shortlist. If you want to win, you need to turn views into relationships - and relationships into revenue."

Insights from recent campaigns support these findings. Marianne Huvé-Allard, Head of Brand and Communications at BNP Paribas Asset Management, reflected on their experience: "With the 'Ripple Effect' campaign, our goal was to tell powerful stories through a four-episode documentary series, highlighting our unique approach to investing. LinkedIn provided a powerful platform to showcase our narrative, enabling us to visually engage audiences with our role as an investor. Two months after launch, the results speak for themselves: we've seen +82.5% completion rate on Sponsored Videos (vs. internal benchmark), and a 142% increase in engagement for our first video-based Thought Leader Ads campaign (vs. static format benchmark)."

Patricia Cilione, Department Manager Global Media and Digital Marketing at IWC Schaffhausen, also noted positive outcomes using LinkedIn's ad solutions, saying, "With LinkedIn's Reserved Ads, we were able to capture the attention of our most valued audiences in a premium, trusted, and highly visible environment. The results exceeded our expectations - a 57% increase in CTR on Reserved Ads compared to standard auction Video Ads — driving unprecedented engagement and visibility for IWC's Ingenieur collection, proving the power of bold storytelling in luxury marketing."

Responding to these market trends, LinkedIn has introduced several enhancements to its video advertising offerings. The new First Impression Ads provide a full-screen, vertical video format tailored for single-day campaigns intended to maximise visibility at key marketing moments. This format enables marketers to exclusively reserve the first ad impression for targeted professional audiences, such as small business owners or technology decision-makers.

For extended campaign impact beyond the initial day, LinkedIn now offers Reserved Ads, allowing brands to position their Sponsored Content as the first ad in a user's feed. This placement aims to provide campaign planners with greater confidence regarding brand visibility and share of voice.

LinkedIn has also expanded its connected TV (CTV) ad capabilities. Research indicates that, on average, CTV Ads running through LinkedIn are over four times more effective in reaching B2B target audiences compared to linear TV. New integrations with platforms such as Innovid and Sprinklr are intended to simplify campaign activation and management, making it easier for marketers to reach their target audiences.

Additionally, LinkedIn's CTV Select offering - formerly known as LinkedIn Premiere - now includes Paramount as a content partner in the United States, combining professional audience data with premium streaming inventory across the US. This is intended to enhance reach with fixed pricing for campaigns served exclusively through a single publisher's streaming portfolio.

CTV Ads are currently available for marketers wishing to target audiences in the US and Canada, while the new First Impression Ads and Reserved Ads are set to become available globally later in the year.