What is intent data?
Intent data shows who is researching what you sell right now. It lets you reach people while they're still deciding, instead of after they've picked someone else.
Intent data, defined
Intent data is information about who is actively researching a topic online. When many people read about "roof replacement" or "CRM software" this week, that research is a signal they may be close to buying. Intent data turns those signals into audiences you can contact or advertise to.
The types of intent data
First-party intent
Behavior on your own website: which pages a visitor read, how often they came back, whether they looked at pricing. Website visitor identification turns this into named people.
Third-party intent
Research activity across the wider web, on sites you don't own. This is how you find people who are in the market but haven't found you yet.
Account-level vs people-level
Many B2B providers report intent by company: "Acme Corp is researching CRM software." That helps account-based teams, but you still have to find the right person. People-level intent gives you the individuals researching the topic, with contact details.
B2B vs consumer intent
Most intent data providers only cover business topics. Consumer businesses, like home services, lending and local services, need consumer topics such as roof replacement, refinancing or kitchen remodels. Intent On Demand covers 45,000+ B2B and B2C topics.
How sales and marketing teams use intent data
- Prospecting: build a call or email list of people researching your category this week.
- Prioritizing: work high-intent, recent researchers first.
- Advertising: show ads only to people in the market, instead of a broad demographic.
- Timing: reach people while they're comparing options, not after they've signed.
How to build an intent audience in Intent On Demand
- Search an intent topic, such as roofing, refinancing or payroll software.
- Set intent strength (high, medium, low) and how recently they researched.
- Add filters like location, homeowner status or a verified phone, and leave out numbers on the do-not-call list.
- Preview the audience for free: the count, data coverage and a masked sample.
- Pull it into your workspace, keep it refreshed on a schedule, and send it to your CRM or your ads.
What to look for in an intent data provider
- People, not just companies, if you want someone to call.
- Topic coverage that includes your market, B2B or consumer.
- A free preview so you see the audience before you pay for records.
- Compliance data, like do-not-call status on phone numbers.
- Activation: CRM push, exports and ad audiences, so the data turns into outreach.
- Pricing you can see, without an annual contract to find out.
Compare the main options in the best intent data providers.
Questions
What is intent data?
Intent data shows who is researching a topic right now, based on their online behavior. Sales and marketing teams use it to find people who are in the market for what they sell before those people fill in a form or call a competitor.
What is buyer intent data?
Buyer intent data is intent data about purchase research: people reading about a product, a service or a problem your business solves. It's a signal that someone may be close to buying.
What is B2B intent data?
B2B intent data tracks research by people at businesses, usually rolled up to the company level so account-based teams can see which accounts are surging on a topic. Intent On Demand covers B2B topics and also consumer topics like roof replacement or refinancing.
What's the difference between intent data and website visitor identification?
Intent data finds people researching a topic anywhere online, including people who have never heard of you. Website visitor identification names the people who have already visited your site. Intent On Demand does both in one workspace.
How do sales teams use intent data?
They build a list of people researching their category, prioritize by intent strength and recency, then reach out by phone, email or ads while interest is high. The best results come from acting fast, which is why Intent On Demand can refresh an audience daily, weekly or monthly.
How much does intent data cost?
Enterprise intent platforms are usually sold on annual contracts after a sales call. Intent On Demand's Starter plan is $500 a month with monthly billing, and previewing an audience is free.