How B2B Marketers Are Using Intent Data – Research and Charts

Intent data. It is not merely an additional piece of jargon for you to include in your B2B dictionary. In point of fact, research conducted by Ascend2, RollWorks, and Bombora reveals that 97% of B2B marketers feel that intent data will provide brands with a competitive advantage in the year that lies ahead.

What is intent data?

Data indicating interest in a company category or certain items and services are considered to be “intent data.” Intent data are dynamic and account-level data.

The consumption of material by users anywhere on the internet (also known as third-party intent) is the source of intent data. Alternatively, intent data can be derived from users’ direct interactions with firm properties such as a website (also known as 1st party intent data or engagement data). It is possible to utilize it to identify prospects who are interested in a product or service and then contact them with messages that are contextually relevant and tailored.

In addition, you can use intent data to gain a deeper understanding of your open possibilities as well as your existing clients, which will help you drive those consumers farther along the conversion, retention, and growth funnel.

What strategies do B2B marketers use to make use of intent data?

B2B marketers have access to more information than they ever had before; the question is, how are they leveraging this knowledge to place their brand ahead of the competition?

Ascend2, in collaboration with Rollworks and Bombora, conducted a survey of 126 B2B marketing professionals. The following are many research insights and important takeaways from the study, titled The B2B Perspective on Using Intent Data (Open Link in new window).

1. The use of intent data by B2B marketers as a targeting tool for new accounts

Intention data is becoming increasingly popular among B2B marketers as a tool for use in prospecting efforts. 56% of B2B marketers say that identifying new accounts to target, 51% of B2B marketers say that synchronizing their sales and marketing activities, and 38% of B2B marketers say that prioritizing accounts for prospecting are at the top of their list of major goals, respectively.

Key Takeaway: Consider using an account-based strategy if increasing efficiency is one of your goals for martech. Account-based marketing, often known as ABM, involves taking a fit-first approach to business-to-business marketing. This includes ensuring that you are only targeting the accounts who have the highest possibility of making a purchase. According to research conducted, 94% of marketers believe that ABM helps them achieve their core goals successfully. You will be able to boost the efficiency of your overall programs to the extent that you become more targeted in the process of finding your ideal audience.

2. It Is Difficult to Acquire Accurate and Actionable Intent Data

When it comes to exploiting intent signals, data quality is a big barrier for 56% of B2B marketers, and 50% of those polled report having difficulty turning intent data into usable information. When marketers have a strategy in place to leverage on intent data, they are able to conduct focused content and advertising campaigns more successfully, as well as better assist the sales force and generate more revenue.

The most important thing to take away from this is that data on intent can be integrated smoothly into ABM platforms, which makes deployment very simple. Because of this, marketers are able to immediately act on insights and drive account growth at scale.

3. The importance of the data source and its quality cannot be overstated

Before adding an intent solution to a technological stack, it is essential for marketers to first assess their goals in order to more precisely specify what they require from the solution. This avoids a tech stack from becoming bloated and saves money on things that aren’t necessary. Over two-thirds (67%) of marketers indicate that the quality of the data that is being supplied from an intent data solution is their primary concern, while 44% of marketers report that the source of the data is of the utmost significance.

The most important thing to remember is that technology used for B2B marketing needs to be user-friendly and fully configurable. You should seek for tools that will enable you to develop and measure your programs in the manner that is most appropriate for your company so that you can get the most out of them. If you want to target specific accounts, the good news is that the technology to support your strategy is not exclusive to enterprise companies with large budgets. These days, small and medium-sized businesses have access to account-based tools that are quick, affordable, and customizable. If you want to target specific accounts, the bad news is that you will have to spend a lot of money.

4. B2B Marketers Are Applying Personalization and Targeting Strategies Based on Intent Data

The potential to exploit personalization across a variety of channels is made available to marketers via the use of intent data. 52% of B2B marketers say that the most practical method to use intent data is to supply customized advertising material, and 49% say that personalization initiatives are the most effective way to use intent data. Intent data may be used to fuel many different aspects of sales and marketing, including ad language, landing sites, and the subject line of sales outreach emails.

Key Takeaway: When you have a better understanding of what it is that your accounts want, it will be much simpler for you to reach out to them with the appropriate offer. In this context, intent data can assist influence the personalization of digital advertising for key accounts based on topics that are now growing in popularity.

You can also divide these accounts into subsets of audiences so that you can reach them with personalized advertisements that are tailored to the themes that they are currently discussing the most. Not only are you now able to locate accounts that have intent, but you can also communicate with them in the most effective way possible.