How B2B marketers are using intent data

Intent data. It's not just another jargon to add to your B2B dictionary. In fact, according to research from Ascend2 , RollWorks and Bombora 97% of B2B marketers believe intent data will give brands a competitive edge over the next year.

What is intent data?

Intent data is dynamic, account-level data that signals interest in a particular category of business or products and services.

Intent data is based on a user's content consumption on the web (also known as 3rd party intent) or can be based on direct interaction with company products such as a website (also known as a website). known as first-party intent data or interaction data). It can be used to identify interested leads and reach them with contextual and personalized messaging.

Intent data can also be used to better understand your existing open opportunities or customers and move them through the funnel of conversion, retention, and expansion.

How do B2B marketers use intent data?

B2B marketers have more information than ever before, but how are they using intent data? data now to position their brand ahead of the competition?

Ascend2, in partnership with Rollworks and Bombora, surveyed 126 B2B marketing professionals and here are a few insights into the study and key takeaways from it, B2B perspective on using intent data .

Insight #1: B2B Marketers Are Using Intent Data To Target New Accounts

B2B marketers are applying the use of data intent to lead generation efforts. Identifying new accounts to target, aligning their sales and marketing efforts, and prioritizing accounts to generate leads are at the top of the list of key goals by 56% , 51%, and 38% respectively of B2B marketers.

Bar chart that shows the goals for using intent data

Defining new target accounts and adjusting sales and marketing are the top targets for using intent data.

Key draw: If your martech goal is efficiency, consider an account-based approach. Account-based marketing (ABM) means taking a fit-first approach to B2B marketing, making sure you're targeting only the accounts most likely to buy. Research shows that 94% of marketers find ABM to be successful in achieving their key goals. The more targeted you are in defining your best audience, the more effective you can improve your overall programs.

Insight #2: Accurate and actionable intent data is a challenge

For 56% of B2B marketers, data quality is a major challenge when using intent signals, and half of those surveyed reported having trouble making intent data possible. actionable. Having a strategy in place that leverages intent data allows marketers to more successfully run targeted content and advertising campaigns, better support the sales team, and increase revenue.

Bar chart that shows the top challenges B2B marketers face when using intent data.

Data quality, making intent data actionable, and data security are the top 3 challenges B2B marketers face when using intent data.

Key: Intent data can be seamlessly injected into the ABM platform, allowing for easy deployment. This enables marketers to quickly take action on insights and drive account growth at scale.

Insight #3: Data Quality and Sources Are Key

When adding an intent solution to a technology stack , it's important for marketers to first evaluate goals to better define what they need. This prevents filling up a bunch of tech and paying for unnecessary tools. More than two-thirds (67%) of marketers are mostly concerned with the quality of data delivered from the intended data solution, while 44% report that the data source is critically important.

Bar chart that describes the most important attributes of an intent data solution or vendor.

Data quality, data source, and ease of implementation are the top 3 important attributes B2B marketers look for when choosing an intent data provider.

Key lessons learned: Above all, B2B marketing technology needs to be user-friendly and customizable. You'll want to look for tools that allow you to build and measure your programs in a way that works best for your business. If you want to target specific accounts, the good news is that the technology that powers your strategy isn't just reserved for enterprise companies with large budgets — now SMEs can access to fast, affordable, and customizable account-based tools.

Insight #4: B2B marketers are using intent data for personalization and targeting

Intent data gives marketers the ability to leverage personalization across a variety of channels. About half of B2B marketers report that targeted ad content delivery (52%) and personalized efforts (49%) are the most useful ways to use intent data. From ad copy to landing pages to subject lines in sales outreach, intent data can drive many areas of sales and marketing.

Bar chart that describes the most actionable ways B2B marketers are using intent data.

Delivering targeted advertising content, personalized advertising, and account-based initiatives are the top 3 ways B2B marketers are leveraging data intent.

Key draw: The more you know about what your account is looking for, the easier it is to reach them with service permissions. That's where intent data can help inform digital ad personalization for key accounts based on the topics they're developing.

You can also segment these accounts into audience subsets to reach them with personalized advertising that caters to their growing topics. Not only can you find purported accounts, but you can now talk to them accordingly.

You can download the whole B2B perspective on using intent data for more data, tips, and strategies for planning, implementing, and optimizing your intent data plans this year.