Your sales and marketing teams are struggling to prioritize leads—and it's slowing everything down. 

This is a common challenge in B2B sales, where the core issue is that it’s hard to tell which prospects are truly interested in buying and which are just window shopping. 

This lack of clarity leaves your team chasing the wrong leads.

That’s why relying on buying intent data is becoming more and more important.

Buying intent data helps you understand and prioritize the high-intent leads, so you can cut through the noise and focus your sales and marketing efforts on prospects that are actually ready to make a purchase.

So, let’s see how you can turn things around with buying intent data at your fingertips. 

What is buying intent and why does it matter?  

Buying intent (aka purchase intent) is the signals and behaviors that indicate a prospect is actively considering making a purchase.

This data is deeper than basic lead scoring because it analyzes things like repeated product page visits, engagement with pricing content, requests for demos, and similar high-intent actions.  

Here are a few more reasons why buying intent is important and what you can do with the information:

• You can prioritize qualified leads that are more likely to convert and see which prospects display high-value actions to minimize the time you spend reaching out to cold leads.
• You can create hyper-personalized marketing strategies to match what a prospect is looking for, like following up with the right content after they show interest in specific features.

You can refine lead scoring models with behavior-based signals and provide sales teams with a more accurate and actionable list of leads that are ready for personalized outreach.

Types of buyer intent data

Not all buyer intent signals are created equal. Some signals are subtle, while others scream, "I’m ready to buy!" To make the most of it, you need to know exactly what to look for.

Here’s a breakdown of the main types of intent data below:

First-party intent data

First-party intent data is the information you collect directly from your own audience through their interactions with your digital assets – website, app, CRM, emails, product, or other internal data sources.

Since you’re the one who controls and collects this data first-hand, it’s usually highly accurate and relevant to your specific products.

Common examples of first-party intent data include:

• Website analytics (page views, time on page, and bounce rate)
• CRM data (purchase history, customer interactions, and support tickets)
• Marketing automation data (email opens, clicks, and form submissions)
• Social media engagement (likes, shares, and comments)
• In-app customer behavior (feature usage, logins, and engagement with specific product features).
• Chatbot interactions (conversations with prospects or potential customers, questions asked, and issues raised).
• Survey responses (feedback gathered directly from ideal customers, especially regarding purchasing preferences or satisfaction)

Second-party intent data

Second-party intent data is essentially someone else’s first-party data that you gain access to through a trusted partner or data-sharing agreement.

You collaborate with partners who share complementary audiences, so you can tap into their valuable intent buying signals that you wouldn’t capture on your own.

For example, a software provider may partner with a hardware manufacturer so they can exchange data to better understand mutual customers' purchasing preferences.

Examples of second-party intent data include:

• A publisher sharing data on which articles their readers are engaging with
• An event organizer sharing data on attendees' interests and demographics
• A complementary business sharing data on their customers' purchase history
• A software company sharing data on user engagement with their platform's features and tutorials
• A social media platform sharing data on which posts or ads specific users are interacting with
• A job board sharing data on which job listings candidates are viewing and applying to
• An ecommerce platform sharing insights on customer browsing behavior
• An industry association sharing attendee feedback and session participation data from a conference

Third-party intent data

Third-party intent data is information that external data providers collect across a network of websites, publishers, industry publications, and data partners.

It typically includes information about:  

• Website activity:  What topics are they reading about? Which pages are they spending time on? What keywords are they using in search engines related to your industry or solutions?
• Engagement with ads and content: Which type of ads are they clicking on? What do they like, share, and comment on related to your industry?
• Event participation: Have they registered for or attended events related to your industry?  
• Firmographic and demographic data: What type of companies are showing interest? Who within those companies is engaging with the content?

Though less precise than first-party data, it offers a wider reach and helps your business discover potential leads that might not even be on your radar yet.

Examples of top intent providers include:

• UserGems
• Bombora
• G2 Buyer Intent
• Demandbase
• 6sense

Types of intent data signals

Intent data signals don’t just come from one place. They come from a range of behaviors, environments, and interactions.

Whether it's clicking on a demo request or engaging with your content on social media, each signal plays some type of role.

Here are the different types of intent data you should be paying attention to:

• Behavioral intent data: Refers to the specific actions and engagement patterns of prospects that signal interest and readiness to make a purchase. This data comes from various sources, such as repeated visits to high-value pages (e.g., product comparison pages), interaction with advanced features like ROI calculators, or engaging with long-form content such as whitepapers and webinars.
• Contextual intent data: These are insights based on the environment and circumstances surrounding a user’s interactions, which gives your team a deeper understanding of their motivations. Contextual data considers factors such as the device they are using, the time of day, location, and the context of the content consumed.
• Social intent data: Refers to the insights from users’ activities and engagements on social media platforms, including likes, shares, comments, mentions, and the types of content users interact with.

Buying intent stages

While buying intent types—behavioral, contextual, and social—describe the sources and nature of the data, the stages outline the progression of a buyer’s journey.

Here are the key buying intent stages:

Awareness Stage

In this stage, the buyer recognizes a problem or need but hasn't started exploring specific solutions yet. The intent signals are usually subtle, such as:

• Browsing top-of-funnel content like blog posts, industry reports, or general educational resources.
• Downloading free guides or whitepapers that provide general industry insights.
• Attending webinars or events that discuss broader topics related to their pain points.
• Following or engaging with industry thought leaders on social media.
• Signing up for newsletters to stay informed on the latest trends or challenges in their industry.

The goal at this point is to build brand awareness and keep your business top-of-mind without pushing for a hard sell.

Consideration Stage

At the consideration stage, the buyer is actively researching and comparing solutions, including yours. They are engaging with middle-of-funnel content such as:

• Reading product comparisons, feature guides, or customer reviews.
• Downloading case studies or success stories that showcase how your solution has helped other clients.
• Watching product demos or explainer videos that go into detail about specific features.
• Attending solution-specific webinars or virtual events focused on comparing available options.
• Engaging with interactive tools like ROI calculators

Behavioral intent here includes downloading product-specific content or interacting with competitor analysis, indicating they're narrowing down their options.

Decision Stage

In the decision stage, the buyer is ready to make a purchase. 

The intent signals are strongest and typically include a combination of behavioral and contextual data. These signals might include:

• Repeated visits to pricing pages or product trial pages.
• Signing up for free trials, demos, or product consultations.
• Initiating conversations through live chat or contacting sales directly with specific questions.
• Downloading detailed pricing guides or terms and conditions.
• Revisiting product comparison tools to finalize their decision.

This is where urgency matters. You should use these strong signals to initiate direct, personalized outreach with offers, exclusive discounts, or personalized demos to push them across the finish line. 

By accurately identifying buyers in the decision stage, you can significantly improve conversion rates and accelerate complex selling processes.

How to identify buying intent signals

Identifying buying intent signals isn’t about guessing—it’s about recognizing the right patterns and behaviors. Whether it’s the subtle signs of early interest or clear indicators of purchase readiness, the key is knowing where to look.

We prepared a breakdown of how you can simplify this process and quickly spot valuable intent signals:

Track website behavior

Analyzing data from website analytics tools like Google Analytics 4 can help you understand how visitors behave on your site. Use these insights to optimize your website content and user experience, guiding visitors toward conversion.

Things you should keep an eye on are:

• Page views: Focus on the pages visitors are consistently viewing. High traffic to key pages like pricing, product demos, or customer reviews signals strong purchase intent. Also, set up event tracking for specific actions on these pages (e.g., button clicks, downloads) to spot the exact moments of high engagement.
• Time on page: How long are visitors spending on each page? If you’re seeing longer dwell times, it typically means that they’re carefully considering all the information on the website.
• Bounce rate: A high bounce rate is usually because there’s a mismatch between visitor expectations and your actual content when they land on the page. A good idea here is to segment your audience to analyze whether specific traffic sources or campaigns contribute to higher bounce rates.
• Scroll depth: Are visitors scrolling through the entire page? If you notice a common drop-off point, it may be a good idea to review that section and see what’s causing the friction.
• Exit pages: Tracking where visitors leave your site can provide insights into whether they are disengaging or if they’ve gathered enough information to move forward in the buying process. Consider running retargeting campaigns for visitors who exit from high-intent pages like pricing or contact pages.

For even deeper insights, you can use tools like Hotjar or Crazy Egg for heatmaps and session recordings.

Heatmaps are particularly useful when you need data on where people click and spend the most time, while session recordings let you replay user interactions so you can see how they navigate your site and where there is peak interest.

Analyze search queries

Google Search Console, Semrush, Ahrefs, and similar search analysis tools offer a direct window into what your visitors are actively seeking and where they stand in the customer journey.

For instance, if a prospect searches for high-intent terms like “best [your product] alternatives”, “[your product] pricing, or [your product] reviews, it tells you that they’re in the consideration or decision stage.

On the other hand, pain-point queries or feature-specific searches like “how to improve [specific problem]” or “best tools for [specific use case]” signal early-stage research.

Monitor content engagement

A good way to approach this is by tracking downloads of high-value content resources like white papers, ebooks, and case studies.

When a prospect downloads a 5,000-word white paper on advanced industry solutions, it means they are taking the research seriously. 

For video content, don’t just count views—analyze watch durations and interaction points. If a viewer consistently watches your product demos or explainer videos to the end, they may be ready to move forward.

Interactive content such as quizzes, calculators, and configurators are also great content formats to get more nuanced insights into your customer preferences. For instance, a user who’s continuously returning to your cost-saving calculator is already evaluating the financial benefits of your solution.

Observe social media activity

Monitoring social media activity is another goldmine of buying intent data.

You can start by tracking mentions of your brand, products, and relevant keywords across platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

When users are frequently discussing your product or specific features, it’s often a clear sign they’re considering your solution. A spike in tweets asking about a software update, or discussions around your product's features could mean that they need a bit more information before they make a final decision.

Also keep an eye on post-engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comments on product-related content. 

The best way to use this social media data is to combine the insights with other behavioral and contextual data to create a more holistic view of your prospect’s journey.

Evaluate email engagement

Email engagement is one of the most direct and measurable indicators of buying intent.

First, cover the primary email-based metrics like:

• Open rate: Are your subject lines working? A high open rate means your message connects, while a low one signals you might need better copy or targeting.
• Click-through rates (CTR): You can analyze what type of content (e.g., product links, blog posts, demo requests) drives the most clicks, and use this data to segment your audience for more personalized follow-ups.
• Reply rates: Encouraging direct replies is a smart way to measure real engagement and open up conversations. Use personalized questions or feedback requests in your emails to dig deeper into preferences or objections.

A good idea here is to segment your email list based on audience engagement – i.e., you can group your audience into categories like highly engaged, moderately engaged, and low engagement.

For highly engaged subscribers, offer exclusive deals, advanced content, or early access to new products to maintain interest.

For moderately engaged users, try re-engagement campaigns with valuable content like newsletters or special offer models. For low-engagement groups, use win-back strategies like personalized offers or surveys to figure out why they’re not engaging.

Leverage intent data providers

Providers like UserGems, Bombora, or G2 Buyer Intent capture a broader view of online behaviors that you wouldn’t typically see through your own channels.

To make the most out of this data, you should integrate it with your CRM and combine it with your first-party insights so you can get a more holistic view of each lead.

For instance, a prospect visiting your competitor’s page on G2 might also have downloaded your whitepaper a few months ago. Layering these data points together reveals a more complete buying journey, and you can create highly personalized, timely outreach strategies based on the information.

PRO TIP: You can integrate UserGems into your CRM for a 360-degree view of your prospects, combining first-party data with external signals like their competitor research. With this data at your fingertips, you can send more timely and personalized outreach campaigns.  

Pay attention to sales interactions

Pay close attention to key activities like demo requests, sales calls, and pricing inquiries – these actions indicate whether a lead is getting closer to making a decision.  

For example, when a prospect schedules multiple demos or repeatedly asks detailed questions about pricing structures, it’s a strong sign that they’re comparing your solution against competitors and actively evaluating which option fits their specific needs best.

And CRMs are non-negotiable here. You can use them to log every touchpoint—from email exchanges to call notes—so you can easily identify leads that are engaging more frequently or asking deeper, more specific questions.

By incorporating the methods discussed above into your workflows, you can create a system for consistently identifying and acting on buying intent signals.

Top buying intent use cases for marketing and sales teams

While marketing teams cast a wider net to generate interest and capture leads, sales teams zero in on qualified prospects to drive conversions.

However, the buying intent data bridges the gap between these two functions, with valuable insights that help both teams work more effectively.

Let’s go through the top use cases for both teams:

Top use cases for marketing teams

Dynamic website personalization

Marketers can customize the content, layout, and CTAs based on a visitor's intent signals to create a more relevant experience that nudges prospects toward conversion.

One example is that if a prospect has shown interest in specific product features based on their browsing behavior or intent data, you can display case studies that feature similar product categories.

Create hyper-targeted content marketing campaigns

Marketers can analyze intent signals—such as the topics prospects are researching or the types of content they engage with—to build campaigns that target these exact pain points.

If you find that a segment of your target audience is actively searching for solutions related to data security, you can develop blog posts, webinars, or case studies around how your product solves those exact challenges.

Implement predictive lead scoring

With predictive lead scoring, marketing teams can zero in on leads based on their chances to convert, using both historical data and real-time intent signals.

You’re essentially combining behavioral data—such as email engagement, website visits, and content downloads—with third-party intent data from providers like UserGems to create a more accurate picture of a lead's readiness to buy.

Improve account-based marketing (ABM) campaigns

Marketers can use buying intent data to target high-value accounts more effectively and personalize outreach at scale.

So, if you’re targeting a specific company and see that multiple decision-makers are engaging with content on third-party platforms, it could mean they’re in the market for a solution like yours.

You can then tailor your ABM campaign with personalized content for different stakeholders within the account. Whether it’s sending personalized emails or creating custom landing pages, the intent signals help you adjust your messaging to be hyper-relevant.

PRO TIP: You can supercharge your ABM efforts with UserGems by combining intent signals with people-based insights. Track key buying behaviors, job changes, and company growth to engage the right decision-makers at the right time, and tailor your ABM campaigns with hyper-personalized outreach. 

Top use cases for sales teams

Prioritized lead follow-up

With engagement metrics—like repeated visits to pricing pages, product demo requests, or deep content consumption—along with third-party signals, sales teams can find leads that are actively in the decision-making phase.

For example, suppose a lead downloads a whitepaper, watches a webinar, and checks out your pricing page. In that case, it’s a strong signal they’re moving toward a purchase – and that it’s the perfect opportunity to follow up with them.

PRO TIP: With UserGems’ intent signals, you'll know exactly when a lead is ready to engage. Schedule your follow-up based on their high-priority actions like job changes or recent competitor interactions.

Personalized sales outreach

Generic sales pitches often have a counter-effect – but with intent data, sales teams can create custom messages that speak directly to the prospect’s current needs, leading to greater customer satisfaction and trust.

If you know a lead has been researching a particular feature or product type, you can reference that in your outreach. Instead of saying, "Are you interested in our product?" you could say, "I noticed you’ve been exploring solutions for [specific feature]. Here’s how our product addresses that."

Tailored sales presentations

If a prospect has engaged with content about your product’s security features or visited comparison sites, your sales presentation should highlight how your product excels in that area, rather than giving a generic overview.

Proactive customer engagement

Instead of waiting for a lead to come to you, sales reps can spot key behavior patterns—such as spikes in content engagement, repeated visits to your site, or active participation in industry discussions—that signal a prospect is nearing a decision.

At this point, proactive outreach—such as offering a customized demo—can help push them toward a purchase decision.

Sales opportunity identification

Finding sales opportunities becomes far more strategic when you have buying intent data by your side.

Rather than relying on cold outreach or waiting for prospects to self-identify, you can proactively spot potential sales opportunities with key behavior analysis.

Intent data from tools like UserGems can reveal when a company is actively researching solutions in your industry, attending relevant webinars, or reading comparison articles. Even if they haven’t directly contacted your sales team, they are in the market.

Tracking buying intent with UserGems

UserGems is a sales and marketing intelligence tool that helps companies identify high-potential buyers through intent signals and relationship data.

Here’s how our platform can help you track buying intent:

• Job changes: UserGems tracks when key contacts, such as past champions or decision-makers, move to new companies. This often presents an opportunity for outreach, as they may now be in a position to implement solutions they previously used or explore new options in their new role.
• Company momentum: Growing companies move fast, and they need the right tools to support that growth. UserGems tracks key momentum signals like funding rounds, mergers, and acquisitions. These signals indicate that the company is likely increasing its budget, hiring new employees, and re-evaluating its software stack. This is a big window of opportunity to strike before your competitors even get a chance.
• Website tracking: Website tracking is more than just knowing if someone clicked on a link. It’s about understanding why they keep visiting your pricing page or downloading specific resources. UserGems tracks this behavior to surface high-priority leads and ensures you’re ready to respond the moment they show interest.
• Champion tracking: UserGems tracks your champions —those who’ve previously advocated for or purchased your product. When champions move to new roles or companies, they’re still an asset, and UserGems gives you a heads-up before anyone else.
• Champion referrals: UserGems enables you to track champions not only for their personal job moves but also for potential referrals within their networks. Champions are your biggest advocates and can introduce your product to their new colleagues or even new companies, helping you land warm leads without the heavy lifting.

Supercharge your pipeline with UserGems

With UserGems, you can say goodbye to cold outreach and focus on nurturing the relationships that matter most. Our platform takes the guesswork out of sales prospecting by arming your team with timely, actionable buying intent signals that turn cold leads into warm opportunities.

Whether it's tracking job changes, company momentum, or understanding which past champions are ready to advocate for your product again, UserGems ensures you’re always one step ahead of your competitors.

It’s not about hoping for the right opportunity—it’s about strategically placing yourself in front of it.

So, are you finally ready to stop chasing cold leads and start closing deals with prospects who are genuinely interested in what you offer?

Book a demo today and see how UserGems can help you close more deals with half the effort.

‍