Intent Data Decoded: How to Choose and Use Third-Party Intent Providers
Not all intent data is equal. Learn how to evaluate providers and actually turn intent signals into pipeline.
Intent data promises to show you which accounts are researching solutions like yours. The reality? Quality varies wildly between providers, and most teams don't know how to use intent data effectively.
What Intent Data Actually Is
Intent data captures digital signals suggesting buying interest: - Topic research: Articles, whitepapers, webinars consumed - Product reviews: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius activity - Comparison searches: "Outreach vs Salesloft" type queries - Website visits: Anonymous traffic from target accounts
Evaluating Intent Providers
Data Source Quality - Where do they get signals? - How fresh is the data? - What's the coverage of your target market?
Signal Fidelity - How accurate are account-level signals? - Can they identify specific contacts? - Do they filter noise from real intent?
Actionability - How quickly can you act on signals? - Does it integrate with your workflow? - Can you prioritize across signals?
Top Intent Data Use Cases
1. Prioritize Outreach Focus on accounts showing active research in your category right now.
2. Personalize Messaging Reference specific topics they're researching.
3. Time Campaigns Launch targeted campaigns when accounts enter buying cycles.
4. Identify Competitors Know when accounts are evaluating your competitors.
Intent Data Pitfalls
- Stale data: Last month's intent signal is often worthless
- False positives: Not all research indicates buying intent
- Lack of integration: Intent data in silos doesn't help
- Over-reliance: Intent is one signal among many
The Prospectory Approach
We aggregate intent signals from multiple sources and combine them with first-party engagement data for a complete picture of buying readiness.
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