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Somebody Digital dog uses intent data in ABM to improve his strategy

In the competitive digital world, marketing teams are always looking for an edge. Account-Based Marketing (ABM) marked a significant change, moving from broad targeting to a focused, personalised approach. But even within ABM, success depends on understanding and utilising intent data.

Imagine knowing what your ideal customer wants before they ask. That’s the power of intent data. It reveals which businesses are actively researching your solutions, even if they haven’t contacted you yet.

Unlocking ABM Potential With Intent Data

Intent data in ABM enables personalisation that elevates marketing from general messaging to targeted conversations. This means creating campaigns for the right companies and the specific individuals within them who show genuine interest in your offerings.

Forget generic landing pages or one-size-fits-all emails. Instead, offer curated content addressing challenges, relevant case studies, and a user experience that feels like a tailored dialogue.

The Why, What, and How of Intent Data

Intent data helps B2B marketers identify potential customers based on their online research activities. Instead of depending solely on indicators like form submissions, you can uncover real-time signals that reveal your target audience’s interests.

For example, if a company suddenly increases searches for “cloud migration services,” it indicates they’re considering those solutions, making them a good target for outreach. This data comes from various sources, often combined and categorised by ABM tech platforms.

We often see a blend of:

First-party data: Gathered from your website analytics, marketing automation platform, and CRM. This data can include pages viewed, content downloaded, or links clicked.

Third-party data: Collected from sources like industry publications, online forums, social media platforms, and data providers. These platforms track numerous websites, webinars, and online activities to pinpoint the topics companies are researching.

Getting Personalisation Right (Without Being Creepy)

It’s crucial to personalise without making someone feel like you’re overtly tracking their online behaviour. Achieving this balance means understanding your customer journey and the signals they give at each stage.

For example, personalising your landing page headline with a visitor’s company name might be too much for a first interaction. A softer approach is recommended.

Consider these methods:

1. Customise content based on their shown interests.
2. Offer relevant case studies from their industry.
3. Present personalised calls to action aligning with their buyer journey stage.

Putting Intent Data to Work: A Practical Example

Let’s say your marketing automation platform targets marketing directors at e-commerce businesses. Here’s how to use intent data throughout the customer journey:

Awareness Stage: Pinpoint businesses researching topics like “e-commerce marketing strategies” or “improving customer retention.” Create insightful blog content, guides, or social media ads around these themes.

Consideration Stage: If companies engage with your content on email marketing or marketing automation, it shows increasing interest. Present them with case studies of similar e-commerce businesses that have succeeded in using your platform.

Decision Stage: When you see signals of purchase intent—for example, repeat visits to your pricing page or comparisons with competitors—offer a personalised demo. Use dynamic website content that addresses their online-researched pain points, showcasing your platform as the solution.

Intent Data: Key to your Customer Journey

Intent data is an essential part of your ABM strategy and key to successful ABM campaigns. It’s about creating experiences that feel personal and helpful throughout the customer journey. As you refine your strategies, remember that intent data helps you personalise responsibly and achieve improved outcomes.

FAQ

Intent data is information that signals when a potential customer is actively researching products or services similar to yours. This data helps marketers identify companies showing interest in their solutions before they directly engage, allowing for highly targeted outreach​​.

Intent data allows marketing teams to tailor their messaging and content based on the specific needs and pain points of individual accounts. This creates a more personalised experience by offering content that directly addresses the challenges that prospects are researching​​.

Intent data comes from two primary sources: first-party data (from your own website and CRM) and third-party data (gathered from external sources like industry forums, content consumption, or website interactions across the web)​​.

While intent data allows for personalisation, it’s crucial not to overstep. Personalisation should feel natural and not make prospects feel like they’re being overtly monitored. Instead of using overly personal data (like a person’s name), companies can focus on presenting relevant content based on their broader interests​​.

Start by identifying target accounts showing intent signals, then create personalised content that aligns with their journey. At each stage—from awareness to decision—you can adjust your outreach using intent data to provide relevant resources, case studies, or demo offers​​.

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