SALES
What Is an Indirect Competitor and Why Should You Care?
Understand what is an indirect competitor with B2B examples. Learn why these hidden rivals are a major blind spot and how to beat them.
Discover the top intent data providers for 2026. This guide reviews the 12 best platforms to help you find timely, actionable B2B buyer signals.
Selling to the right company at the wrong time is a recipe for a stalled pipeline. Your ideal customers are constantly signaling they're ready to buy, but these signals are scattered across the web. The key to predictable revenue isn't just knowing who to target, but when and why. This is the problem B2B intent data providers solve. By tracking online research, content consumption, and review site activity, these platforms help you find accounts actively looking for solutions like yours.
This guide gives you a practical, no-fluff comparison of the top intent data providers. We cut through the noise to help you find the right fit, whether you're a fast-moving sales team or running a strategic ABM program. To truly understand the 'why now' behind a purchase, you need to act on Voice of Customer (VoC) data, and a good intent provider can surface these insights before your competitors do. For a deeper dive on this, you can learn more about understanding the Voice of Customer (VoC).
Here’s what you’ll find inside:
- Signal Types & Sources: Where their data comes from and what it actually means.
- Strengths & Weaknesses: An honest look at what each platform does best and where it falls short.
- Best-Fit Use Cases: Practical scenarios for AEs, sales leaders, and marketers.
- Pricing Cues & Integrations: What to expect for your budget and how it fits into your tech stack.
Our goal is simple: give you the information you need to make a confident decision and start prioritizing accounts that are ready to talk.
1. Salesmotion
Salesmotion focuses on "account intelligence" rather than just intent signals. It's an AI-powered platform for B2B revenue teams that need to know precisely when, why, and how to engage target accounts. Instead of just listing companies with topical interest, Salesmotion monitors over 1,000 public sources—news, SEC filings, hiring data, investor activity—to detect real-world trigger events.
The platform then turns these events into actionable insights. It delivers AI-generated account context, ready-to-use points of view, and specific outreach recommendations directly into your reps' daily workflows. This approach eliminates guesswork and helps your team deliver relevant, high-impact engagement at scale.
Why Salesmotion Stands Out
Salesmotion's strength is its ability to turn raw data into a strategic advantage. The platform doesn’t just flag an account; it gives you the full context behind the signal, complete with source links to ensure accuracy and reduce AI "hallucination" risk. This allows reps to prepare for meetings in minutes, not hours, armed with compelling, evidence-backed messaging.
Case studies from companies like Incredible Health and Clari show significant, measurable results, including up to 50% more meetings booked and 60% faster meeting prep. The platform promises a quick go-live time (within 48 hours) and dedicated human support, making it a powerful yet accessible choice for teams looking for immediate impact. If you want to dive deeper into their methodology, you can read more about their approach to B2B intent data on their blog.
Key Details & Use Cases
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Data Sources | 1,000+ public sources including news, press releases, SEC filings, hiring trends, and investor activity. |
| Core Functionality | AI-driven signal detection, automated account briefs, MEDDICC-aligned messaging, and stakeholder mapping. |
| Best For | AEs, SDRs, and RevOps teams in complex verticals like enterprise SaaS, life sciences, and financial services. |
| Integrations | Native integrations with Salesforce, HubSpot, Slack, and email. API/CSV available for other systems. |
Pros:
- Turns real-world events into actionable, source-backed sales plays.
- Extremely fast time-to-value with a streamlined setup and hands-on support.
- Integrates directly into primary sales workflows (CRM, Slack, email).
- Strong focus on data privacy and reliability with encrypted data and source-linked insights.
Cons:
- Pricing requires a demo, suggesting an enterprise-level investment.
- Best performance requires some initial setup of signal filters and playbooks.
Website: https://salesmotion.io
2. Bombora
Bombora is a pioneer in the B2B intent data space, known for its extensive, consent-based Data Co-op. This co-op gathers behavioral data from a huge network of B2B publishers, analysts, and vendors, giving sales and marketing teams a clear view of which accounts are actively researching their solutions. Their main product, Company Surge®, identifies when a business is consuming far more content on a specific topic than usual, signaling active buying intent.
The quality and privacy-conscious nature of Bombora's data make it a leading intent data provider. Instead of relying on bidstream data, its direct publisher relationships provide higher-quality signals. This makes it a great choice for teams running sophisticated account-based marketing (ABM) campaigns, prioritizing sales outreach, and tailoring messaging with precision. To get the most out of it, you'll need a solid RevOps function to curate the right topics and build workflows to act on the signals. You can explore more about Bombora's unique approach in this guide.
Platform Snapshot: Bombora
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Enterprise and mid-market companies running mature ABM programs that need high-quality, third-party intent signals. |
| Key Offering | Company Surge®: Identifies accounts showing increased research on over 18,000 B2B topics. |
| Data Source | Proprietary, consent-based Data Cooperative of B2B publishers, providing exclusive and high-quality behavioral data. |
| Pricing | Enterprise-focused, typically requiring annual contracts. Pricing varies based on topic and account volume. |
| Primary Strengths | Data Quality: High-fidelity signals from a direct publisher network. Integrations: Extensive ecosystem support. |
| Potential Limitations | Cost: Can be a significant investment. Complexity: Requires strategic topic selection and operationalization. |
| Website | https://bombora.com/ |
3. G2 (Buyer Intent)
G2 offers a unique and powerful form of first-party intent data, taken directly from user activity on its software marketplace. Instead of tracking broad web behavior, G2’s Buyer Intent data shows you which specific companies are actively viewing your product profile, comparing you to competitors, and researching your pricing. This gives your teams high-quality, down-funnel signals from an audience that is clearly in the market for a new software solution.
The immediacy and relevance of G2's signals make it one of the most actionable intent data providers. These aren't just signs of passive research; they represent active evaluation from verified business users. For sales teams, this means prioritizing outreach to accounts already deep in the buying cycle. Marketers can use these signals to trigger targeted ad campaigns or nurture sequences. Since the data is captured on G2's own platform, it's not dependent on third-party cookies, making it a reliable source. You can learn more about using these high-value triggers by exploring the principles of signal-based selling.
Platform Snapshot: G2 (Buyer Intent)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | B2B SaaS companies of all sizes looking for high-intent, bottom-of-the-funnel signals to accelerate sales cycles and prioritize outreach. |
| Key Offering | Buyer Intent Data: Real-time alerts on which companies view your G2 profile, category, competitor pages, and pricing information. |
| Data Source | First-party behavioral data captured exclusively from millions of verified software buyers actively researching solutions on G2.com. |
| Pricing | Intent data is an add-on feature available with G2’s paid vendor subscription plans. Pricing requires a consultation. |
| Primary Strengths | High-Intent Signals: Data comes from users actively evaluating software. First-Party Data: Not reliant on third-party cookies. |
| Potential Limitations | Cost: Access is tied to paid G2 vendor plans. Scope: Signals are limited to activity happening only on the G2 platform. |
| Website | https://sell.g2.com/data |
4. TechTarget (Priority Engine)
TechTarget’s Priority Engine platform offers a unique, first-party approach to intent data, sourced directly from its network of over 150 technology-specific websites. This gives sales and marketing teams direct access to the active research of tech buyers at both the account and individual prospect level. Instead of broad topical signals, Priority Engine identifies specific people at target accounts who are consuming content related to precise IT solutions, making it a powerful tool for tech-focused teams.
TechTarget’s laser focus on the technology sector makes it one of the most effective intent data providers. The platform excels at providing highly granular, prospect-level signals that sales teams can act on immediately. For instance, its sales activation tools let reps see which individuals are researching their product category and even export those contacts directly into sales sequences. To get the most value, your ideal customer should be an IT or technology decision-maker, as the data is less relevant for broader B2B markets.
Platform Snapshot: TechTarget (Priority Engine)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | B2B technology companies selling to IT departments and tech decision-makers who need granular, person-level buying signals. |
| Key Offering | Priority Engine™: Delivers both account-level and prospect-level intent signals from its first-party network of tech sites. |
| Data Source | First-party behavioral data from TechTarget's owned network of technology research websites and content. |
| Pricing | Subscription-based, with pricing typically dependent on the number of technology segments and user seats. |
| Primary Strengths | Signal Precision: Hyper-specific, first-party data on tech buyers. Sales Enablement: Strong tools for direct sales activation. |
| Potential Limitations | Niche Focus: Primarily limited to the technology market. Limited Scope: Less effective for non-IT or general B2B use cases. |
| Website | https://www.techtarget.com/products/priority-engine/ |
5. Demandbase
Demandbase offers a comprehensive go-to-market platform, Demandbase One, with intent data as a core component. The platform provides global B2B intent signals from trillions of monthly online events, letting teams identify accounts actively researching relevant keywords and topics. This huge data pool gives you visibility into both broad market trends and specific buying committee activities, making it a powerful tool for global enterprises.
What distinguishes Demandbase among intent data providers is its flexible data delivery and powerful orchestration capabilities. While the intent data is natively integrated within its platform for seamless ABM campaign execution, it can also be delivered as a standalone service to cloud warehouses like BigQuery or Redshift. This structured data is ideal for sophisticated RevOps teams looking to power custom analytics or BI dashboards. To fully leverage the platform, you'll need to talk to their sales team, as pricing is quote-based and capabilities are often tied to specific platform tiers.
Platform Snapshot: Demandbase
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Global enterprises needing flexible intent data delivery for both native platform use and data warehouses. |
| Key Offering | Account Intent: Tracks trillions of monthly B2B behavioral signals to identify in-market accounts based on keyword research. |
| Data Source | A vast network of bidstream, publisher, and proprietary data sources, providing extensive global keyword coverage. |
| Pricing | Quote-based licensing. Access to advanced features and data exports is typically tied to higher-tier packages. |
| Primary Strengths | Flexible Delivery: Native platform access, APIs, and direct-to-warehouse data exports. Data Scale: Massive signal volume. |
| Potential Limitations | Cost: Pricing is enterprise-focused. Complexity: Full value is realized within its broader GTM platform. |
| Website | https://www.demandbase.com/products/account-intelligence/intent/ |
6. 6sense
6sense has grown from a predictive analytics tool into a comprehensive Revenue AI platform where intent data is central. The platform uncovers anonymous buying signals across the web and combines them with its own keyword-level intent data to find in-market accounts. It excels at not just identifying these accounts but also predicting their stage in the buying journey, allowing for highly relevant marketing and sales actions.
What makes 6sense a powerful intent data provider is its ability to orchestrate GTM actions based on the signals it finds. It also natively ingests third-party intent from partners like Bombora and G2, consolidating multiple signal types into a single buying stage score. For teams with mature analytics functions, 6sense offers Data Packs that deliver raw web and keyword intent data directly to a data warehouse (SFTP, S3, Snowflake) for custom modeling. This dual capability makes it a versatile choice for revenue teams focused on sophisticated, data-driven execution.
Platform Snapshot: 6sense
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Mid-market to enterprise organizations seeking a unified platform to identify intent and orchestrate multi-channel campaigns based on buying stage. |
| Key Offering | Revenue AI Platform: Combines multiple intent sources with predictive scoring to reveal in-market accounts and their buying stage for targeted GTM activation. |
| Data Source | Proprietary network capturing web and keyword-level intent, with native ingestion of partner data from sources like Bombora and G2. |
| Pricing | Quote-based platform licensing. Data Packs are typically part of a broader platform subscription. |
| Primary Strengths | Orchestration: Mature buying stage scoring and native campaign activation. Data Delivery: Flexible options (Data Packs) for advanced analytics teams. |
| Potential Limitations | Cost & Complexity: Requires a significant platform investment. Data Access: Data access is increasingly tied to platform usage. |
| Website | https://6sense.com/platform/intent-data |
7. ZoomInfo (Streaming Intent)
ZoomInfo is a major player in GTM intelligence, and its intent data offering, Streaming Intent, is a core part of its SalesOS platform. It identifies accounts showing real-time interest in specific business topics, providing sales teams with timely alerts. The platform’s main strength is its tight integration with ZoomInfo's broader data cloud, which includes extensive contact information, technographics, and company attributes. This lets reps move from an intent signal to a multi-channel outreach sequence with very little friction.
What makes ZoomInfo one of the most widely used intent data providers is its focus on sales activation. Instead of just delivering a list of surging accounts, it embeds signals directly into sales workflows, making it incredibly easy for AEs and BDRs to act immediately. While the data may not have the niche depth of some specialized providers, its convenience and combined data assets make it a go-to for sales teams looking to quickly operationalize intent. For example, understanding how platforms connect is key; you can see how Trackingplan's integration with 6sense maps data flows. To get the most from ZoomInfo, leverage its workflow features to automate alerts and task creation in your CRM.
Platform Snapshot: ZoomInfo (Streaming Intent)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Sales teams focused on high-velocity outreach and direct activation of intent signals integrated with a comprehensive contact database. |
| Key Offering | Streaming Intent: Real-time, topic-based intent alerts delivered within the SalesOS platform to trigger immediate sales actions. |
| Data Source | A proprietary network of web publishers, bidstream data, and other third-party sources, combined with its extensive company data cloud. |
| Pricing | Opaque, quote-based packaging. Often requires multi-seat minimums and annual contracts, with add-ons increasing the total cost. |
| Primary Strengths | Sales Activation: Deeply integrated into sales workflows. Data Breadth: Combines intent with a massive contact and company database. |
| Potential Limitations | Cost: Add-on pricing can escalate quickly. Packaging: Can be complex and less transparent than competitors. |
| Website | https://www.zoominfo.com/ |
8. TrustRadius (Downstream Intent Data)
TrustRadius offers a unique form of intent data called "downstream intent," derived from buyer behavior on its B2B software review site. Instead of tracking broad, top-of-funnel research, TrustRadius captures high-value signals from accounts actively comparing products, reading reviews, and evaluating specific categories. This bottom-of-the-funnel activity means an account is much closer to a purchase decision, making these signals especially potent for sales and marketing teams.
What makes TrustRadius a distinct choice among intent data providers is its focus on second-party data from its own platform. The signals reveal which accounts are researching your specific product, your competitors, or your entire category. This is invaluable for competitive takeout campaigns, identifying churn risks when a customer is researching alternatives, and prioritizing outreach. The data is company-level only, so it's best activated through ABM platforms and paid media channels like LinkedIn Matched Audiences. You can find more tools for competitive analysis in this guide on the best account research software.
Platform Snapshot: TrustRadius (Downstream Intent Data)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | B2B software companies looking for high-potency, bottom-funnel intent signals to fuel competitive takeout, retention, and ABM campaigns. |
| Key Offering | Downstream Intent: Provides company-level signals on accounts researching your product, competitors, or category on the TrustRadius site. |
| Data Source | Second-party behavioral data captured directly from visitors on the TrustRadius B2B review platform. |
| Pricing | Typically sold via subscriptions. Pricing depends on the scope of data, such as the number of competitors and categories tracked. |
| Primary Strengths | High-Quality Signals: Bottom-funnel data indicates strong purchase intent. Use Cases: Excellent for competitive and retention plays. |
| Potential Limitations | Anonymized Data: Company-level only (no PII), limiting direct sales outreach. Coverage: Primarily focused on software categories. |
| Website | https://solutions.trustradius.com/products/downstream-intent-data/ |
9. NetLine (INTENTIVE)
NetLine, through its INTENTIVE platform, takes a unique approach by focusing on first-party, permissioned, buyer-level intent signals. Unlike providers that focus only on account-level activity, INTENTIVE identifies specific people within target accounts who are actively engaging with content. It does this by blending online content registrations from its vast network with offline event activity, providing a complete view of an individual's buying journey.
What makes NetLine a distinct intent data provider is its focus on the "who" behind the intent signal. This person-level transparency is a huge advantage for sales teams aiming to engage multiple stakeholders within a buying committee. By knowing exactly who is consuming content related to your solutions, you can bypass guesswork and tailor your engagement with precision. This platform is especially effective for organizations that heavily leverage content marketing and event participation in their GTM strategy.
Platform Snapshot: NetLine (INTENTIVE)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | B2B teams that need person-level contact data to enable precision outreach and multi-threaded sales plays. |
| Key Offering | Buyer-Level Intent: Delivers contact-level data on individuals engaging with over 11,000 topics and 285+ activities. |
| Data Source | First-party, permission-based data from NetLine's content syndication network and Informa's offline event portfolio. |
| Pricing | Custom pricing model based on usage and scale. Access requires engaging with their sales team for a demo. |
| Primary Strengths | Person-Level Transparency: Identifies specific contacts, not just accounts. First-Party Data: High-quality signals. |
| Potential Limitations | Source Bias: Data is strongest for audiences engaged with NetLine/Informa assets. Sales Gated: Not self-service. |
| Website | https://www.netline.com/platform/intentive.html |
10. Intentsify
Intentsify positions itself as an intelligence activation platform, not just a data source. It gathers intent signals from multiple providers (including Bombora) and cross-verifies them to create a more reliable view of account activity. This multi-source approach is designed to reduce the false positives that can come from relying on a single dataset. The platform excels at turning these high-level account signals into actionable intelligence at the buying-group and persona level.
What makes Intentsify a unique intent data provider is its emphasis on "done-for-you" activation. Beyond supplying data, they offer managed services to execute campaigns based on the intelligence, including targeted advertising and content syndication. This makes it a great choice for marketing teams that lack the internal resources to build and manage complex activation programs themselves. It essentially bundles the data with the execution, aiming to deliver pipeline outcomes rather than just raw signals.
Platform Snapshot: Intentsify
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Marketing teams that want a managed, full-service solution for both intent data aggregation and campaign activation. |
| Key Offering | Intelligence Activation Platform: Combines multi-source intent data with managed activation services like ABM ads and lead generation. |
| Data Source | A combination of third-party intent data sources (including Bombora), bidstream data, and its own proprietary signals. |
| Pricing | Program-based pricing that requires a custom quote and typically involves a services engagement. Not a self-serve SaaS model. |
| Primary Strengths | Managed Activation: Offloads the work of running campaigns. Multi-Source Verification: Reduces single-source data bias. |
| Potential Limitations | Less Self-Serve: Not ideal for teams wanting direct control over a self-serve tool. Service-Based Model: Requires commitment. |
| Website | https://intentsify.io/ |
11. Madison Logic
Madison Logic is an end-to-end Account-Based Marketing (ABM) platform where intent data fuels multi-channel activation. It combines proprietary and third-party intent signals within its ML Intent Dashboard, allowing you to see which accounts and buying groups are showing active interest. The platform scores and prioritizes these accounts, making it easier to decide who to target and when.
What makes Madison Logic a unique player among intent data providers is its direct bridge from signal to action. The platform is designed not just to provide data but to immediately orchestrate campaigns across a wide array of channels, including Connected TV (CTV), digital audio, display ads, LinkedIn, and content syndication. This integrated approach is ideal for enterprise marketing teams who want to streamline their ABM execution without stitching together multiple separate tools. To get the most from the platform, you should be prepared to manage multi-channel budgets and have a clear activation strategy.
Platform Snapshot: Madison Logic
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Enterprise B2B teams looking for a unified platform that combines intent data with native multi-channel ABM campaign activation. |
| Key Offering | ML Intent Dashboard: Aggregates and scores intent signals to prioritize accounts and buying groups for targeted outreach. |
| Data Source | A multi-signal dataset combining proprietary behavioral data with information from third-party sources for a comprehensive view. |
| Pricing | Quote-based pricing tailored to specific needs. A demo is required to evaluate the platform and receive a custom proposal. |
| Primary Strengths | Integrated Activation: Directly connects intent signals to paid media execution across diverse channels. ABM Orchestration: Strong analyst recognition for its unified workflow. |
| Potential Limitations | Activation-Focused: May not be the best fit for teams only needing a raw intent data feed. Pricing Transparency: Quote-based model requires direct engagement. |
| Website | https://www.madisonlogic.com/ |
12. HG Insights (Contextual Intent)
HG Insights takes a specialized approach by layering intent signals over its robust technographic data. Their Contextual Intent offering is designed to solve a specific problem for tech sellers: identifying accounts that are not only researching relevant topics but also have a compatible or competitive technology stack. This link provides a powerful filter, dramatically reducing noise and letting you focus on prospects with a higher probability of being a good fit. By understanding what technologies an account currently uses, you can better qualify the intent signal.
This technographic context is what makes HG Insights a unique player among intent data providers. Instead of just knowing an account is interested in "cloud security," you can know they are interested and are a current AWS customer, making your outreach hyper-relevant. This platform is particularly powerful for organizations with a well-defined Ideal Customer Profile based on technology usage. The direct data delivery via Snowflake Data Marketplace also makes it a strong choice for companies with mature data analytics teams who want to blend intent with other business intelligence in their own environment.
Platform Snapshot: HG Insights (Contextual Intent)
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Best For | Technology companies that need to qualify buying intent based on a prospect's existing or competitive technology stack. |
| Key Offering | Contextual Intent: Technography-aware intent scoring that links signals to an account's specific IT environment for improved precision. |
| Data Source | Third-party behavioral data combined with HG Insights' proprietary, global technographic intelligence. |
| Pricing | Subscription-based, often delivered via data marketplaces like Snowflake. Pricing depends on data scope and delivery method. |
| Primary Strengths | Precision: Filters out irrelevant intent signals. Analytics-Ready: Snowflake integration supports advanced data warehousing needs. |
| Potential Limitations | Niche Focus: Primarily built for technology vendors. Resource Intensive: May require data team involvement for full utilization. |
| Website | https://hginsights.com/resource/product-brief-contextual-intent/ |
Top 12 Intent Data Providers Comparison
| Solution | Core offering | Key signals & sources | Best for / Target audience | Unique strengths | Pricing & packaging |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salesmotion | AI account intelligence with automated briefs, Slack/CRM alerts, MEDDICC-ready POVs | 1,000+ sources: news, earnings, SEC, funding, hiring, press, LinkedIn, podcasts, interviews, investor activity | AEs, SDRs, RevOps, sales leaders in complex, signal-driven verticals (life sciences, enterprise SaaS, IT, financials) | Real-time, source-backed POVs & next steps, fast setup, privacy-focused, deep workflow integrations | Demo-led enterprise plans, tailored pricing (no public list) |
| Bombora | Third‑party publisher co‑op intent (Company Surge) | Publisher network topic signals (18k+ topics) | Marketing/ABM teams prioritizing topic-based intent at scale | Privacy-forward publisher data, broad integrations for activation | Enterprise packaging, annual contracts; quote required |
| G2 (Buyer Intent) | First‑party review‑site behavioral intent (on‑site signals) | Page views: product, category, pricing, competitor pages | Software vendors and product teams focused on in‑market buyers | Strong down‑funnel, verified in‑market signals; native CRM/MAP integrations | Add-on to G2 vendor plans; contact sales |
| TechTarget (Priority Engine) | First‑party research‑site intent focused on tech buyers | Prospect & account research signals from editorial network | IT/technology sellers and solution providers | Highly precise tech‑buyer signals, strong sales activation modules | Enterprise pricing; demo/quote |
| Demandbase | Global intent data + orchestration and data delivery | Keyword coverage, large signal volumes, trend scores | ABM teams and analytics/data platforms | Flexible delivery (APIs, warehouse exports), structured entity data | Quote-based, often tied to platform tiers |
| 6sense | Revenue AI combining intent, buying‑stage scoring, orchestration | Web & keyword intent, native ingestion of Bombora/G2 | Teams needing buying‑stage scoring and orchestration | Predictive buying‑stage models, analytics delivery, multi-source ingestion | Platform subscriptions, quote-based |
| ZoomInfo (Streaming Intent) | Real‑time streaming intent + broad data cloud (contacts, technographics) | Topic-based streaming alerts, contact & tech data | Sales activation, outbound teams needing enrichment + intent | Wide adoption, strong sales activation and enrichment capabilities | Opaque pricing; add‑ons can increase cost, annual contracts |
| TrustRadius | Downstream review‑site intent (closer to purchase) | Product/competitor/category review behaviors | Sellers targeting bottom‑funnel signals, churn/competitive plays | Bottom‑funnel clarity from review activity; ABM connectors | Connector/integration pricing; company‑level data; demo/quote |
| NetLine (INTENTIVE) | First‑party, permissioned buyer‑level intent (person‑level) | Content registrations, offline event activity, 11k+ topics | Multi‑threaded outreach teams needing person‑level transparency | Person‑level attribution and multi‑thread outreach suitability | Demo/quote; program access required |
| Intentsify | Aggregation + cross‑verification of multiple intent sources + managed activation | Multi‑source intent (incl. Bombora), buying‑group/persona signals | Teams wanting managed activation (ads, syndication) vs self‑serve tooling | Managed services reduce operational load; multi‑source verification | Program‑based pricing; services engagement required |
| Madison Logic | ABM activation platform with multi‑signal intent + paid media | Multi‑signal dataset, buying group scoring, cross‑channel activation | Enterprise ABM teams needing multi‑channel reach (CTV, display, LinkedIn) | Direct paid media activation tied to intent, ML intent dashboard | Quote-based enterprise pricing |
| HG Insights (Contextual Intent) | Technography-aware intent scoring linked to company tech stack | Tech-contextualized intent topics (4k+), Snowflake delivery | Tech sellers and analytics teams needing stack context | Filters intent by tech stack to reduce noise; warehoused delivery | Enterprise/quote; may need data team for activation |
From Data Points to Conversations: The Future of Sales Intelligence
Navigating the world of intent data providers can feel overwhelming. We've explored a dozen powerful platforms, from the broad third-party signals of Bombora to the niche, first-party insights from G2 and TrustRadius, and the comprehensive ABM suites of Demandbase and 6sense. Each tool offers a unique lens to view your market, turning anonymous digital footprints into actionable sales opportunities.
The main takeaway is this: intent data is not a silver bullet. It's a compass. Knowing an account is "in-market" is only the first step. The real magic happens when you turn that raw signal into a relevant, timely, and personalized conversation. The best sales teams don't just consume intent data; they weave it into their outreach, crafting messages that resonate because they address a prospect's immediate needs.
Your Roadmap to Choosing the Right Provider
Selecting the right intent data provider depends on your team's needs, tech stack, and goals. There is no single "best" platform—only the best fit for your situation.
To guide your decision, ask yourself these questions:
- What is our primary use case? Are you focused on winning new customers (requiring broad, top-of-funnel signals like those from TechTarget or Intentsify)? Or are you more concerned with expansion and retention (where first-party data from G2 might be more valuable)?
- How will we activate the data? Do you need a platform with built-in activation, like the ad-targeting capabilities of Madison Logic or Demandbase? Or do you just need to feed a raw data stream from a provider like ZoomInfo into your existing sales tools?
- What's our budget and team size? Enterprise solutions like 6sense offer immense power but come with a matching price tag and learning curve. Smaller teams might find a faster ROI from more focused, plug-and-play solutions.
- How important is signal transparency? Do you need to know the precise source of every signal, or are you comfortable with aggregated intent scores? Providers like Bombora and HG Insights offer different levels of granularity.
Activating Your Intent Data for Maximum Impact
Once you’ve chosen a provider, implementation is key. Don't let your expensive new data source sit unused in a dashboard. The goal is to put it to work immediately.
Start with a pilot program with a small group of your best AEs. Train them not just on what the data is, but on how to use it. Develop a clear workflow: when an intent signal for a target account hits a certain threshold, what's the exact sequence of actions your team should take? This could be a multi-touch sequence combining a personalized email, a LinkedIn connection request, and a call, all within 48 hours.
Measure everything. Track how accounts flagged by intent data convert compared to those that aren't. Monitor metrics like meeting-booked rates, sales cycle length, and deal size. This data-driven feedback loop is crucial for refining your strategy and proving the ROI of your investment in one of these powerful intent data providers.
Ultimately, these tools transform sales from a game of chance into a science of precision. By layering intent data over your ideal customer profile, you equip your revenue teams to be in the right place, at the right time, with the right message. You stop chasing cold leads and start having warm, relevant conversations that lead to closed-won deals.
Ready to move beyond generic intent signals and pinpoint the exact decision-makers actively engaged in a buying journey? Salesmotion provides real-time account intelligence, identifying who is visiting your website from target accounts and what they care about, turning anonymous traffic into qualified pipeline. See how you can start more meaningful conversations today at Salesmotion.
