While most B2B organizations have an established process for evaluating traditional data providers, many have less practice in the evaluation of second- and third-party intent sources. The diversity of collection methodologies, complexity of keyword mapping, and rapid decay of insight value present unique challenges for comparing providers of these data types.

Balancing Insight Potential, Data Accuracy, And Business Impact

As B2B marketing, sales, and operations teams evaluate their options for acquiring intent signals, they should start the process by understanding the scale of relevant signals available from each provider within their core fit accounts and product/solution offerings. Next, they need to be able to determine the relative level of accuracy within the signals provided. Finally, they should consider overlap with existing signal sources to predict the incremental business impact that each potential source represents.

  • Reviewing sample data is still your starting point. Just like more traditional data types, data providers should be willing to share sample data for evaluation before committing to a purchase. For account or contact data, this would normally take the form of a static extract file. For intent signals, it is more common to receive a limited data feed or short proof-of-concept trial in order to demonstrate the pace of new signals being captured.
  • Defining the scope of sample data is trickier — and more critical. In any evaluation of a new data source, an apples-to-apples comparison across suppliers is necessary to determine relative value. With intent signals, that definition can present an additional challenge due to the need to map keywords or topics to your solutions. A narrow keyword focus, clear geographic or industry definitions, and a tight timeframe (weeks, not months) will help you to understand volume of highly specific signals available. Overly broad samples, including more generic category keywords, may obscure differentiation between providers.
  • A tighter scope also increases the ease of validation. When selecting your sample, focus on areas you know best. While receiving signals you haven’t yet uncovered is the primary purpose of adding an intent provider, those can wait until after a purchase is made. For your trial, you’ll get the most value from reviewing signals in areas where your existing knowledge is highest, allowing you to compare the accuracy of insights to what your existing sources and marketing and sales activity have taught you.

My colleague Nora Conklin and I dig deeper into these approaches in our recent report, Intent Analytics: Evaluating The Value Of Intent Data And Providers. Clients with Forrester Decisions for Revenue Operations or Demand & ABM access can read that report to get more specifics on how companies like theirs are tackling these measurement challenges. Reach out to your account teams for analyst guidance to advance your own efforts.

For insights into how you can improve the application of intent signals after you’ve selected your provider(s), check out Nora’s companion blog on applying intent analytics to marketing activation.