Every few years, B2B sales and marketing gets a new “game-changing” technology. Predictive analytics, AI-driven lead scoring, and now intent data—all promising to help businesses close more deals, faster.
But here’s the question: Is intent data actually evolving, or is the industry just recycling the same ideas with new buzzwords?
Let’s break down where intent data is heading, what’s real, what’s hype, and how businesses can stay ahead of the curve.
Right now, intent data is mostly used to:
✔ Identify in-market buyers before they fill out a form
✔ Prioritize high-intent accounts over cold leads
✔ Personalize outreach based on behavior
✔ Make advertising more targeted and efficient
It’s useful—when done right. But many intent data providers are still relying on:
🚩 Weak signals – One blog post visit doesn’t mean a buyer is ready.
🚩 Lagging data – By the time you get intent signals, the deal might be closed.
🚩 Black-box AI models – Many platforms won’t explain how their intent scoring works.
🚩 Overlapping datasets – Multiple companies are buying the same data, killing its competitive edge.
The future of intent data depends on fixing these issues—or it’s just more of the same.
Here’s where intent data is actually improving:
✔ Real-Time Intent Signals – Instead of lagging reports, businesses are starting to get live insights based on user behavior.
✔ Better AI Filtering – AI is getting smarter at removing weak signals and predicting real buying intent instead of just interest.
✔ Cookieless Tracking – With third-party cookies dying, intent data providers are shifting to first-party tracking and contextual signals.
✔ First-Party Data Integration – The strongest intent signals come from your own website, CRM, and product data—companies are finally using them together.
✔ Privacy-First Intent Data – GDPR and CCPA are forcing intent data providers to be more transparent about how they collect and use data.
Not everything being sold as "the future of intent data" is actually new or useful.
🚩 “AI-Driven Intent Scoring” – If a provider won’t explain how their AI model works, it’s just marketing fluff.
🚩 “All-in-One Buyer Intelligence Platforms” – Many of these tools just package existing data sources in a new UI.
🚩 “Intent Data for Every Business” – Some industries benefit from intent data more than others. If your market has long sales cycles and complex decision-making, intent data is just one piece of the puzzle.
1️⃣ More first-party data dominance – Companies that collect their own intent signals will outperform those relying only on third-party data.
2️⃣ Less reliance on cookies, more on behavioral patterns – Expect more tracking based on content engagement, email activity, and CRM interactions.
3️⃣ Tighter privacy regulations – GDPR and CCPA are just the start. Companies using intent data unethically will get shut down.
4️⃣ Better predictive analytics – AI will get better at predicting purchase timing, not just identifying interest.
5️⃣ More transparency (or businesses will demand it) – Intent data providers will have to prove their data works—not just claim it does.
Intent data isn’t magic—it’s a tool. The businesses that understand its limitations and use it strategically will have the biggest advantage.
Want to see what real, high-quality intent data looks like?
View the Intent Data Slide Deck to see the future of intent data in action. If you’re ready to start using it for real results, you can purchase it here.
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