Lead generation

Intent Data

Behavioral signals that indicate a prospect or company is actively researching or considering a purchase in your product category.

Tomba Team
March 23, 2026

Intent data is information that reveals when a company or individual is actively researching topics related to your product or service. This data is gathered from various sources content consumption, search behavior, website visits, software review sites, and third-party data providers. When a company shows elevated research activity in your category, it signals buying intent, allowing sales teams to prioritize and time their outreach for maximum impact.

There are two primary types of intent data. First-party intent data comes from your own properties website visits, content downloads, and product usage. Third-party intent data comes from external sources tracking research behavior across the web. Both types are valuable, but third-party intent data is particularly powerful for prospecting because it identifies potential buyers before they visit your website or engage with your content.

Sales teams can leverage intent data to dramatically improve outreach effectiveness. This approach ensures you reach the right people at the right time with the right message.

Key Points

  • Intent data reveals when companies are actively researching solutions in your category
  • It enables sales teams to prioritize outreach to prospects who are most likely ready to buy

Best Practices

  • Monitor intent signals to prioritize accounts showing the highest levels of buying interest
  • Combine first-party and third-party intent data for a comprehensive view of prospect behavior
  • Act quickly on intent signals buying windows are often short and competitive

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