ABM intent data is the backbone of high-impact account-based marketing (ABM) campaigns, enabling B2B marketers to pinpoint accounts actively researching solutions. By leveraging buyer intent signals, such as those provided by platforms like Bombora, businesses can align their
ABM strategies with accounts showing strong purchase propensity, especially in sectors like healthcare. This data-driven approach transforms
ABM campaigns by ensuring timely, relevant outreach that resonates with decision-makers. In this in-depth guide, we explore ABM intent data, its types, applications, and best practices, with a case study showcasing how
DemandNexus drives B2B success.
What Is ABM Intent Data?
ABM intent data refers to digital signals that indicate a company’s or individual’s interest in researching products, services, or solutions relevant to your offering. Unlike traditional
lead generation, which casts a wide net, ABM intent data focuses on high-value accounts within your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), identifying those with a high propensity to buy. Platforms like Bombora aggregate these signals—such as website visits, content downloads, or search queries—to help marketers prioritize accounts and tailor outreach.
In the context of
ABM marketing, intent data acts as a compass, guiding campaigns to engage accounts at the right moment with hyper-relevant messaging, boosting conversions and ROI.
Why ABM Intent Data Matters for B2B Marketing
ABM intent data transforms B2B marketing by providing actionable insights that enhance targeting and engagement. Its key benefits include:
- Precision Targeting: Focuses on accounts actively researching solutions, reducing wasted efforts.
- Timely Outreach: Engages prospects when buying intent peaks, shortening sales cycles.
- Personalized Campaigns: Enables tailored messaging that addresses specific pain points.
- Higher ROI: Prioritizes high-value accounts, maximizing campaign impact.
- Sales-Marketing Alignment: Provides shared data to unify account-based selling and marketing efforts.
In industries like healthcare, where buying decisions involve multiple stakeholders and long cycles, intent data is critical for identifying accounts ready to engage.
Types of ABM Intent Data
Understanding the types of intent data helps marketers choose the right signals for their ABM campaigns. Here’s a breakdown:
| Type |
Description |
Examples |
| First-Party |
Data collected from your own digital properties. |
Website visits, form submissions, email opens |
| Second-Party |
First-party data from trusted partners or vendors. |
Partner website behavior, event attendance |
| Third-Party |
Aggregated data from external sources like Bombora. |
Search queries, content consumption across sites |
| Behavioral |
Online actions signaling purchase intent. |
Pricing page visits, competitor research |
| Contextual |
Context around engagement indicating intent. |
Content topic relevance, time-of-day patterns |
| Declared/Zero-Party |
Information prospects explicitly share. |
Survey responses, budget details |
How to Use ABM Intent Data in Campaigns
ABM intent data powers targeted, effective campaigns. Here are key ways to integrate it into your
marketing campaigns:
1. Prioritize High-Intent Accounts
Use intent signals to create a “hot accounts” list, focusing on companies showing strong buying intent. For example, Bombora’s data can identify accounts researching healthcare compliance solutions, allowing you to target relevant prospects.
2. Personalize Outreach
Tailor messaging based on intent signals. If an account is searching for “HIPAA compliance software,” craft
cold emails or LinkedIn messages addressing that need, increasing response rates.
3. Align Sales and Marketing
Share intent data across teams to unify efforts. Regular meetings to review high-intent accounts ensure sales reps and marketers target the same priorities, enhancing
ABS and ABM synergy.
4. Time Interventions Precisely
Monitor spikes in intent signals, such as multiple stakeholders visiting your pricing page, to trigger timely outreach. This ensures you engage during critical decision-making moments.
5. Rescue Stalled Deals
Track intent drops to identify at-risk deals. If engagement spikes again, re-engage with fresh content to recapture interest before competitors do.
6. Intercept Competitor Activity
Use third-party data to detect accounts researching competitors. Deploy targeted ads or comparison pages to highlight your solution’s advantages.
7. Optimize Ad Targeting
Create ad audiences based on intent data for platforms like LinkedIn, ensuring your budget focuses on accounts showing active interest.
8. Track Champions’ Job Changes
Monitor when key contacts move to new roles. Reach out within their first 100 days to leverage existing relationships and shorten sales cycles.
9. Identify Upsell Opportunities
Use intent data to spot existing customers researching complementary solutions, enabling targeted upsell or cross-sell campaigns.
10. Measure Campaign Performance
Track intent signal intensity before and after campaigns to evaluate impact. Compare engagement across stakeholders to refine your
ABM metrics.
Best Practices for Using ABM Intent Data
To maximize the value of ABM intent data, follow these best practices:
- Define Your ICP: Align intent data with your ICP to target high-fit accounts.
- Select Relevant Topics: Choose intent keywords that reflect serious buying interest, such as “healthcare cybersecurity solutions.”
- Ensure Data Quality: Partner with providers like Bombora for broad, accurate coverage across B2B sites.
- Integrate with Tools: Connect intent data to CRMs like Salesforce for seamless workflows.
- Create Playbooks: Develop response strategies for different intent scenarios, mapping signals to specific outreach tactics.
Case Study: DemandNexus Leverages ABM Intent Data for a Healthcare SaaS Firm
A healthcare SaaS company struggled to engage hospital networks, with only 10% of ABM campaigns generating pipeline.
DemandNexus implemented an intent-driven ABM strategy to boost results.
- Challenge: Low engagement and misaligned outreach timing for healthcare accounts.
- Solution: DemandNexus used Bombora’s intent data to identify 25 hospital networks researching compliance solutions. They segmented accounts into active focus and future pipeline lists, deploying personalized LinkedIn ads and email campaigns tailored to HIPAA-related pain points.
- Results: Engagement rates rose to 60%, pipeline generation increased by 45%, and 5 accounts converted within three months.
DemandNexus’s expertise in intent-driven ABM, backed by robust data and tailored strategies, helps B2B companies target high-value accounts with precision.
ABM Intent Data in Healthcare: A Prime Use Case
In healthcare, where buying decisions are complex and involve multiple stakeholders, ABM intent data shines. Signals like searches for “patient data security” or visits to compliance-related pages allow marketers to target hospitals or clinics with tailored campaigns. For example, a campaign addressing HIPAA compliance can engage IT directors and compliance officers simultaneously, accelerating decisions.
Overcoming ABM Intent Data Challenges
Using ABM intent data comes with challenges like data accuracy and integration. Address them with:
- Quality Assurance: Vet providers for source breadth and relevance.
- Integration: Ensure seamless data flow into CRMs and marketing platforms.
- Training: Equip teams to interpret and act on intent signals effectively.
Your ABM Intent Data Playbook
ABM intent data empowers B2B marketers to target high-value accounts with unmatched precision. Start by defining your ICP, leverage platforms like Bombora for robust signals, and personalize campaigns to align with buyer intent. Track engagement and pipeline metrics to optimize performance. Whether in healthcare or other sectors, intent data can transform your ABM campaigns into revenue-driving machines. Ready to harness intent data?
DemandNexus offers expert solutions to integrate intent data into your ABM strategy, boosting conversions and ROI. Contact them today to get started.
