Targeting
Intent Data
Behavioural signals suggesting an account is actively researching a solution in your category.
What is intent data?
Intent data is any observable behaviour indicating that an account is in market. It comes in three broad forms.
- First party. Site visits, pricing page views, demo requests, content downloads. The most reliable and the most under-used.
- Second party. Review site activity, community questions, event attendance.
- Third party. Aggregated browsing signals sold by vendors, usually at account level rather than person level.
How to read it honestly
Third party intent is directional, not conclusive. An account "surging" on a topic may have one intern reading blog posts. Treat it as a reason to look closer, not as proof of a buying cycle.
On LinkedIn, the highest-value intent signals are public and free: someone commenting on a competitor's post, following a category hashtag, engaging with hiring content, or publishing about the exact problem you solve.
// INTENT HIERARCHY
tier_1: first party behaviour on your own properties
tier_2: public engagement with the category on LinkedIn
tier_3: hiring and funding signals
tier_4: purchased third party surge data
Where it fits in outbound
Intent data changes sequencing, not targeting. Your ICP defines who is worth contacting. Intent decides who gets contacted this week.