Have you ever wondered how some businesses seem to know your thoughts? These businesses are B2B intent data providers, and they have become the talk of the town in B2B demand generation recently.
B2B intent data providers are companies that collect and analyze data to identify businesses actively researching specific products, solutions, or services.
This data — intent signals — helps B2B marketers and sales teams pinpoint prospects who are more likely to convert, allowing for more targeted and effective outreach.
How the intent data is sourced depends on each provider’s approach, but it usually leverages multiple sources like web searches, social media interactions, and content downloads.
With buyer intent data, businesses can tap into the desires and needs of their audience, making tasks like ABM lead generation and customer segmentation a breeze.
If you’re on the hunt for the best intent data providers or curious about amping up your lead generation campaigns, you’re in the right place. This article is your ultimate guide to understanding B2B intent data providers and the magic they bring to B2B marketing.
We’ll dive deep into B2B intent data essentials, explore B2B data sources, and even touch on B2B customer segmentation.
Our main goal? To give you a clear picture of the best buyer intent data tools out there, and shine a spotlight on the uniqueness of ViB’s Deal Intent, a lead intent solution that offers sales-ready leads, and all their project-based intent from the source. In other words, they tell us when they’re actively considering products and services in your market.
Discover everything you need to know about ViB Deal Intent, including how it works, the challenges it solves, and its success stories so far, through our comprehensive video walkthrough.
Understanding buyer intent data
Intent data is the secret sauce that gives marketers a (seemingly magical) peek into the minds of potential buyers.
From an ad on Facebook about the shoes you were talking about to an email offering a 25% off coupon to that restaurant you’ve been meaning to try – none of it is magic. It’s the art and science of collecting intent data and putting it to good use.
Let’s pull back the curtain:
Quick ABCs of B2B intent data providers
B2B intent data providers gather data by closely observing online user behavior and analyzing patterns.
So, the next time you feel like a business is doing some sort of voodoo magic, remember there’s a lot of data and insights working behind the scenes!
Collecting B2B intent data: 6 key sources and types
Now, there’s a huge variety when it comes to intent data. I talk about this in detail in my other blog, What is B2B Intent Data? But here’s the gist of things:
2 key types of B2B intent data:
- Explicit signals like form fills or direct inquiries, and
- Inexplicit ones like reading certain articles, email engagement, or keyword data.
Sources of B2B intent data:
- Zero-party (given directly by the consumer),
- First-party (collected by the organization),
- Second-party (shared between organizations), and
- Third-party (purchased from external sources).
To put things into perspective, some providers analyze search queries, others monitor website visits, and some even look at social media interactions.
Whether these searches are for the “most effective ABM email marketing strategies” or a deep dive search into “effective marketing with budget cuts” intent data providers are taking notes.
But here’s a twist: some providers, like ViB, have a unique approach. They tap into their community of one million and growing sales-ready leads who are actively considering a solution in your market. But more on that later!
What makes each B2B intent data provider different?
Accuracy. Recency. Compliance.
For B2B intent data providers, these three words are the holy grail.
Why? Because stale or inaccurate data can lead businesses astray. And non-compliant data? That’s a legal minefield.
The best intent data providers prioritize getting fresh, accurate, and compliant data. It’s all about ensuring businesses connect with prospects who genuinely intend to buy.
So let’s talk about the key players, especially when it comes to their data’s accuracy, recency, and compliance.
A deep dive into the best intent data providers in 2024
Here, I’ll break down some of the top intent data players, their key approaches, the type of data they specialize in, and how they stack up in terms of accuracy, recency, and compliance.
⬇️ Let’s find the best fit for your business needs!
1 – ViB Deal Intent
Where many intent data providers rely on a mix of first, second, and third-party data, ViB’s Deal Intent stands distinctively apart.
The core of ViB’s differentiation lies in the reliance on zero-party data. Unlike conventional intent data (often based on observed behaviors and educated guesses), ViB’s approach is rooted in direct input from prospects.
Specifically, every lead generated through ViB has self-verified their interest, ensuring they’re in an active project phase and seeking solutions within the next 6-12 months.
ViB’s standout feature(s):
The depth of deal intent ViB provides is unparalleled. It’s not just about knowing a lead’s intent; it’s about understanding their decision-making stage, recognizing the key stakeholders, discerning their goals, and even their budget.
This granular level of detail ensures businesses receive leads and actionable insights to enter mid-funnel conversations confidently.
Accuracy and reliability are guaranteed too. Deal intent insights are collected only upon request, along with each prospect’s consent to be contacted.
While other platforms might offer a glimpse into potential interest, ViB’s zero-party data approach provides a comprehensive, timely, and accurate understanding of a prospect’s needs, resulting in increased conversions.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Leverages zero-party data from the ViB Community, making it highly accurate.
- Recency: Real-time data collection that happens only upon request, ensuring up-to-date insights.
- Compliance: Explicit opt-in from community members ensures GDPR and CCPA compliance.
Cons:
- Limited scope: Primarily focuses on the high-tech sector, which may not be ideal for all businesses.
2 – Bombora intent data
Bombora is a leading provider in the B2B Intent data space, helping businesses identify and connect with potential customers actively seeking solutions.
This provider aggregates implicit intent data from various third-party B2B sources. That means they’re good for businesses wanting frequent updates but less concerned about compliance.
Their platform goes beyond traditional demographic targeting by focusing on actionable insights from prospects’ digital journeys across over 5,000 premium B2B websites. This approach allows businesses to understand what their prospects are in the market for, guiding them effectively toward their offerings.
Bombora’s standout feature(s):
A standout feature of Bombora is its unique Intent data Co-op, which ethically gathers data to provide insights that can shorten sales cycles, enhance engagement, and improve customer retention.
Bombora’s Company Surge® methodology has also been recognized as an industry standard for filtering out noise and delivering high-quality intent data.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Aggregates data from multiple sources for comprehensive insights.
- Recency: Updates frequently for timely action.
Cons:
- Compliance: Relies heavily on third-party data, raising potential compliance concerns.
Each provider has its strengths and weaknesses in terms of accuracy, recency, and compliance. Knowing your specific needs will help you choose the right one.
3 – 6sense intent data
6sense is a cutting-edge platform designed to revolutionize how businesses approach sales and marketing. They utilize AI to collect implicit intent data from multiple industries.
At its core, 6sense’s Revenue AI™ is engineered to predict and pinpoint accounts most likely to convert, eliminating the guesswork and optimizing revenue growth.
6sense is a go-to for real-time, accurate insights but may have compliance issues.
6sense standout feature(s):
One of the platform’s best features is its ability to delve into the “Dark Funnel™,” capturing digital buying signals that most traditional martech systems overlook.
By curating the most relevant B2B dataset, 6sense empowers revenue teams to engage with the right accounts using the right messages at the perfect time.
Furthermore, the platform boasts seamless integrations with popular sales and marketing tools such as Salesforce and HubSpot, ensuring that teams have access to 6sense’s insights right within their familiar workspaces.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Utilizes AI and big data for precise intent prediction.
- Recency: Offers real-time insights.
Cons:
- Compliance: Uses third-party data, which may have compliance issues.
4 – Lusha intent data
Lusha is a premier B2B prospecting platform designed to transform how businesses connect with potential clients and convert contacts into revenue.
They specialize in explicit B2B contact data, sourced from various online platforms. Ideal for quality contact info but may pose compliance risks.
With a focus on providing high-quality, unique premium data, Lusha stands out by offering insights from traditional databases and social networks, the web, Salesforce, and other platforms.
Lusha standout feature(s):
The platform’s primary strength lies in its ability to help users reach decision-makers directly, boasting impressive accuracy rates and an intuitive and efficient user experience. Many of Lusha’s customers have experienced significant increases in meetings, demos, and ROI, emphasizing its effectiveness in the B2B space.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Known for high-quality B2B contact data.
- Recency: Regularly updated databases.
Cons:
- Compliance: May have issues with GDPR compliance due to data scraping methods.
5 – Demandbase intent data
Demandbase stands as a frontrunner in account-based marketing and go-to-market solutions, aiming to redefine how businesses target and engage their B2B prospects.
This provider uses AI to gather implicit intent data across the B2B sector. This is especially helpful for marketers needing real-time insights but may compromise on compliance.
Their AI go-to-market platform, known as “Demandbase One,” helps to identify and engage accounts and buying groups that are most likely to convert, ensuring businesses are data-driven and action-oriented.
Demandbase standout feature(s):
A cornerstone of their offering is the “Account Intelligence” feature, which synergizes a company’s data with Demandbase’s extensive database and AI capabilities.
This fusion provides unparalleled insights, enabling businesses to spot opportunities earlier and orchestrate more intelligent sales and marketing strategies. Furthermore, Demandbase prides itself on its B2B advertising technology, transparency, and commitment to being a true partner to its clients, ensuring that its outreach is precise, relevant, and timely.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Uses AI to provide precise intent signals.
- Recency: Real-time updates for immediate action.
Cons:
- Compliance: Relies on third-party data, raising potential compliance issues.
6 – Apollo intent data
Apollo.io is a sales intelligence tool, emphasizing harnessing intent data to drive actionable insights.
Apollo provides explicit intent data like verified emails and direct dials, mainly for B2B sales. This allows businesses to discern real-time buying signals from potential clients, ensuring that outreach is timely and laser focused
We love that the data is updated regularly, though there may be transparency issues.
Standout Feature:
At the core of Apollo.io’s platform is their state-of-the-art “Sales Intelligence” tool, which provides access to a vast database of contacts and leverages AI to prioritize leads showing the strongest buying intent.
Their AI-driven “Lead Scoring” system is a standout feature, which dynamically ranks prospects based on their purchasing intent, ensuring that sales efforts are channeled toward the most promising opportunities.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Offers verified emails and direct dials.
- Recency: Constantly updated database
Cons:
- Compliance: Data collection methods may not be fully transparent, posing compliance risks.
7 – LinkedIn Intent Data
LinkedIn’s Sales Navigator is continuously evolving to empower sales professionals with sharper insights and tools. The platform collects explicit intent data directly from user interactions on LinkedIn.
It’s a solid choice for businesses prioritizing compliance and willing to trade-off on real-time data.
Central to their recent enhancements is the emphasis on intent data, which is pivotal in understanding a prospect’s buying journey and interests.
Standout Feature:
The standout feature in this realm is the “Account Hub,” a transformative tool designed to prioritize potential accounts based on growth potential, buyer intent, and risk alerts.
Once a user’s business portfolio is uploaded into Sales Navigator, Account Hub seamlessly ranks these accounts, providing invaluable insights and tools to engage with the right decision-makers.
This feature is further enhanced by integrating proprietary customer-level buyer intent data, enabling sales professionals to make data-driven decisions and focus on accounts exhibiting strong buying signals.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Directly sourced from user interactions on the platform.
- Compliance: High compliance due to user consent.
Cons:
- Recency: Data may not be as real-time compared to other providers.
8 – G2 intent data
G2, a leading platform for software reviews and business solutions, offers a unique “G2 Buyer Intent” product that stands out in sales intelligence.
They gather explicit intent data based on verified reviews in the software industry. While it offers real-time updates, G2 also comes with some compliance risks.
This product ensures timely and highly targeted outreach and is designed to provide marketing, sales, and customer success teams with essential insights into potential buyers’ intentions.
Standout Feature:
A standout feature of G2 Buyer Intent is the “Reveal prospect tech stack data” capability, which offers an inside look at the technologies potential buyers are using. By combining this tech stack data with real-time activity insights, businesses can achieve hyper-relevant targeting, ensuring that their outreach resonates with the right audience at the peak of their interest.
Pros:
- Accuracy: Based on verified reviews and product comparisons.
- Recency: Updated in real-time based on user interactions.
Cons:
- Compliance: May use cookies and tracking, posing some compliance risks.
Finding your perfect B2B intent data provider match
Finding the right B2B intent data provider can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. Here’s a handy guide to help you navigate and make an informed choice:
Know your needs: Before diving in, it’s crucial to understand your business’s specific needs. Are you looking for a large volume of intent signals to improve your cold emails and content, or for leads and all their deal intent data to improve your pipeline performance? Pinpointing your requirements will help you filter out providers that don’t align with your goals.
Prioritize accuracy: Accuracy is non-negotiable. Ensure your chosen provider prioritizes accurate data collection. After all, acting on outdated or incorrect data can lead your marketing and sales efforts astray.
Prioritize recency and freshness: Just like you wouldn’t want stale bread, stale data is a no-go. The recency of the data is crucial. The best intent data providers ensure their data is up-to-date, giving insights into current market trends and buyer behaviors.
Prioritize compliance: Data compliance is more critical than ever with more consumers distrusting third party cookies and giving up their personal information. Ensure your provider adheres to data protection regulations. Non-compliant data can land your business in legal hot water.
Methods matter: Understanding the methods of data collection is vital. Whether through web scraping, surveys, or direct interactions, knowing how your provider collects data can offer insights into its effectiveness. For instance, providers that use zero-party data, like ViB, offer direct insights from the source, ensuring higher accuracy and relevance.
Evaluate effectiveness: Dive deep into how the provider processes and analyzes the data. Do they offer insights into B2B customer segmentation? Can they help with intent data marketing strategies? The best buyer intent data tools collect data and provide actionable insights.
Choosing the right B2B intent data provider is a blend of understanding your needs, ensuring data quality, and evaluating the provider’s methods.
They’re all important! Remember, the goal is to gain insights that empower your business to connect with prospects effectively and efficiently.
Want a trial with one of the best B2B intent data providers?
Understanding buyer intent data is paramount today. It offers businesses a competitive edge, allowing them to tailor their strategies based on real-time insights.
And with many intent data providers out there, selecting the right one can be daunting. Prioritizing factors like data accuracy, recency, and compliance is crucial.
If there’s one thing to take away, it’s the potential of ViB’s Deal Intent.
ViB stands out with its unique approach to data collection. Their emphasis on zero-party data ensures reliable insights retrieved from the source, guaranteeing accuracy and relevance.
That’s a game-changer in the B2B landscape, offering businesses actionable insights directly from prospects.
Curious? Or need some guidance? Get more specs about ViB’s Deal Intent with the datasheet, or get a pressure-free walkthrough — we’re excited to talk all things intent data too!
