Intent data is behavioral information that signals when a potential buyer, or an entire company, is actively researching topics, products, or services online. B2B marketing helps identify which organizations are showing early signs of interest, often before they fill out a lead form or request a demo.
This data gives marketers visibility into anonymous buyer activity happening across the web, allowing them to prioritize "in-market" accounts and better time their outreach. Instead of casting a wide net, intent data enables focused, relevant, and proactive marketing strategies.
What are the different types of intent data?
Intent data comes in a few flavors, each with its advantages. Here's a breakdown:
First-party intent data
This is data you collect directly from your own channels, such as your website, emails, webinars, and social media interactions.
Examples include:
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A visitor viewing your pricing page
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Downloading a whitepaper or guide
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Spending time on case studies or product-related blog posts
Third-party intent data
This data is gathered from outside your owned digital properties. It's often sourced from publisher networks, content hubs, or data providers who monitor buyer activity across various sites.
Examples include:
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Researching "B2B marketing software" on review sites like G2
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Reading related articles on the publisher's websites
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Comparing tools across analyst platforms
Second-party intent data
Less commonly used, this involves direct sharing of audience activity between trusted partners.
Examples include:
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Co-hosted webinar attendee data
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Event registrant lists are shared between media partners.
How is intent data collected from buyer behavior signals?
Intent data is built on real digital actions- signs buyers leave behind while researching online. These signals are aggregated and anonymised (especially at the company level) and mapped to known organisations.
Here are the common types of signals and intent data tracks:
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Web page visits: Spending time on specific topic pages (e.g., "B2B employee advocacy strategies")
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Keyword searches: Repeatedly searching for terms like "LinkedIn social selling tools"
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Content engagement: Downloading resources, signing up for newsletters, watching product videos
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Product comparisons: Looking at vendor reviews or head-to-head product evaluations on review sites or competitor websites
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Topic spikes: A sudden rise in content consumption on specific themes from users within the same company
Data vendors typically combine these signals to create an "intent score" or a heatmap showing a company's interest in a topic.
How can B2B marketers use intent data to identify high-quality leads early?
Intent data flips traditional lead generation on its head. Instead of waiting for someone to fill out a form, marketers can spot interest earlier in the journey.
Here's how that works:
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If multiple people from the same company are researching related topics (e.g., "best B2B social media platforms"), it's a strong buying signal.
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If your CRM shows a dormant lead, but third-party data shows they're actively researching your category again, it may be time to re-engage.
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You can proactively reach out to accounts that never converted but are now showing intent across external channels.
What tools and platforms help marketers activate intent data effectively?
You don't need to be a data scientist to use intent data. Several accessible platforms make it simple to bring this intelligence into your workflow:
Popular tools marketers use:
- Sales intelligence platforms- like ZoomInfo, Bombora, or G2 Buyer Intent
These tools identify which companies are researching topics and alert your team with actionable insights.
- Marketing automation tools- like HubSpot, Marketo, Eloqua or Pardot
These platforms let you trigger campaigns or score leads based on intent behaviors like webinar attendance or repeat visits.
- Social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, when paired with tools like Oktopost
Enable precise targeting of high-intent accounts using content that speaks to their current interests.
- CRM integrations
Most modern platforms now intend data to flow into your CRM so sales and marketing teams can coordinate outreach.
What are common use cases of intent data in the B2B marketing funnel?
Intent data has real-world, tactical uses throughout the marketing funnel. Here's how you can apply it:
Top of funnel:
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Discover new companies researching your product category.
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Build more innovative account-based marketing (ABM) lists based on buyer activity.
Middle of funnel:
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Personalize email nurtures based on specific topics a lead is researching.
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Route high-intent leads into fast-track workflows for quicker follow-up.
Bottom of funnel:
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Send sales alerts when target accounts increase research activity.
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Prioritize outbound outreach to those closest to making a decision
How does intent data impact lead scoring, segmentation, and personalization?
Intent data gives your marketing engine more context beyond job titles or industry types. It lets you treat leads as people on a journey, not just names in a database.
How it helps:
- Lead scoring:
You can assign higher scores to leads or companies actively researching relevant topics, making your scoring model more predictive and timely.
- Segmentation:
Break your audience into segments based on their interests. For instance, a segment of companies researching "LinkedIn thought leadership" can receive content specifically on that topic.
- Personalization:
Adjust your messaging to match what buyers care about right now. If a prospect is exploring "social media analytics tools," you can tailor your email, ad, or social message to highlight those capabilities.
Final thoughts
Leading vendors who base their product on intent data are many times considered Account based marketing platforms (ABM) famous brand include Demand base, 6Sense , Influ2, Terminus and HubSpot.
Intent data has become critical in the modern B2B marketer's toolbox. It gives you early visibility into who's in-market, allowing your team to prioritise resources, tailor campaigns, and have more meaningful conversations with prospects.
For marketing and social media managers, it's not just about capturing leads-it's about capturing attention at the right time, with the right message. Intent data helps bridge the gap between anonymous research and authentic engagement, putting your brand in front of buyers before your competitors.