What is Intent Data?
Behavioral signals that indicate a company or person is actively researching a specific topic or solution.
Definition
Intent data captures online research behavior across the web, including content consumption, search queries, product review visits, and competitor page views. There are two types: first-party intent (tracked on your own website via tools like 6sense or Warmly) and third-party intent (aggregated from publisher networks, review sites, and content platforms like Bombora or TechTarget).
Why It Matters
Intent data lets sales and marketing teams prioritize accounts that are actively in-market for their solution. Instead of spraying outreach to cold lists, you can focus on companies that are already researching your category. This improves conversion rates and reduces wasted effort.
Example
6sense detects that Acme Corp has had 12 employees researching 'data enrichment tools' and 'ZoomInfo alternatives' in the past two weeks. Your sales team gets an alert to prioritize Acme in their outreach cadence.