How AI-driven personalisation is reshaping account-based marketing strategies

B2B marketers are increasingly leveraging AI and intent data to refine ABM tactics, with personalised content and continuous engagement redefining the buyer journey amid rising digital research and self-serve preferences.

Account-based marketing (ABM) continues to promise B2B marketers a more targeted and efficient route to success by focusing efforts on the most relevant businesses and decision-makers from the outset. The core idea behind ABM is that b...

y concentrating on high-value accounts, companies can avoid the scattergun approach of chasing broadly cast leads, thereby saving time and resources. However, while ABM offers significant strategic advantages, it is no panacea for all marketing challenges. Even seasoned marketers engaging in ABM face concerns about the precision of their targeting, the relevance of their outreach, and the effectiveness of their engagement methods.

At the GO London summit hosted by DemandBase, industry leaders shared insights into how they unlock the full potential of ABM by leveraging content, intent data, and personalised outreach. Dara Such, VP of customer strategy and enablement at Informa TechTarget, captured a vital trend: the shift toward a self-serve B2B buyer journey. With increasing reliance on online research and the rise of AI-powered search tools, buyers now often prefer to consume detailed content independently rather than interacting with sales representatives initially. Such emphasised that content must now serve a “sales-like” function—acting as the best salesperson in an organisation by being always available to educate and guide prospects during their research phase. This role of content is crucial as it creates sustained visibility and nurtures interest until buyers reach a point where they are ready for direct engagement.

Echoing this view, Avishai Sharon, CEO of Trendemon, noted the importance of staying constantly present in buyers’ awareness through continuous, high-value content. This ‘always-on’ approach is key for nurturing relationships over time and positioning marketing content as a trusted consultant parallel to sales engagements.

Personalisation remains at the heart of successful ABM strategy, though tailoring content and messaging in B2B contexts often requires nuanced, scalable tactics. Zoe Colver, marketing manager at Xero, revealed practical approaches such as embedding company names into creative materials targeted at high-intent prospects or key existing clients, substantially boosting engagement rates. Colver anticipates that artificial intelligence advancements will soon allow for even more sophisticated personalisation at scale—extending beyond creative assets to personalised landing pages tailored to individual accounts.

Moreover, personalisation doesn’t always demand complex technological solutions. Sometimes, straightforward messaging that explicitly speaks to a target audience—for example, addressing content directly to accountants and bookkeepers—can markedly improve relevance and engagement when deployed at scale.

However, capturing genuine buyer intent remains challenging amid the vast volumes of digital activity. Katie Penner of Sendoso advised looking beyond simple content consumption cues, recognising that true intent is better identified when digital signals are reinforced by human interactions, such as event attendance or direct mail responses. She likened intent signals to a traffic light system where content engagement might be a ‘yellow light’, turning green when supplemented by these human-level actions.

Sam Stead, head of paid media at The Access Group, stressed the need for depth in understanding buyer behaviour, noting that different products within a portfolio attract varying interest levels. Detailed insights into which specific products or pages prospects are engaging with enable sales teams to personalise conversations and prioritise leads effectively.

For marketers beginning their ABM journey, defining a clear ideal customer profile (ICP) is paramount. Without a well-articulated vision of who to target, efforts risk failure at inception. Collaborative communication between sales and marketing teams is critical, ensuring continuous feedback, optimisation, and shared learning. Sophie Rasuch of Randstad Enterprise emphasised the value of becoming an ABM expert through ongoing education and strategic insight, positioning oneself as a key influencer in both technology and strategy discussions.

Underpinning all these practices is the broader understanding from industry research and best practices. Experts highlight that successful ABM integrates granular customer insights, including intent data, to inform prioritisation and personalisation efforts. Gartner analysis reveals a four-step method involving account prioritisation, insight gathering, pinpointing effective personalisation levers, and scaling pilots, all contributing to more targeted and efficient resource allocation.

Further, multi-layered personalisation strategies—such as progressive personalisation and customizing content for various stakeholders within an account—are increasingly necessary to meet diverse buyer needs while maintaining consistent messaging. This requires marketing to adopt a unified approach across channels and touchpoints, humanising interactions while leveraging technology to personalise at scale. Building a robust ABM technology stack and content frameworks enhances marketers’ ability to deliver dynamic, relevant experiences both efficiently and effectively.

In essence, while ABM remains a powerful strategy for B2B marketers, its success hinges on sophisticated use of personalised content, intent-driven insights, continual alignment between marketing and sales, and emphasis on education and expertise. As AI and data technologies evolve, marketers who harness these tools to deepen their understanding of buyers and tailor their engagement accordingly will be best placed to fulfil the promise of ABM.

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Source: Noah Wire Services