← Resources
GuideJune 2, 2026·8 min read

What Is Intent Data? The Definitive B2B Guide

A complete guide to B2B intent data — first vs third-party sources, how it works, use cases, limitations, and how to turn it into pipeline.

If buying signals are individual clues that a prospect is in motion, intent data is the system that collects and organizes those clues at scale.

What Is Intent Data?

Intent data is information about a company's online research behaviour indicating purchase intent. It captures signals like which topics a buyer is researching, which competitor websites they are visiting, and which content they are consuming.

First-Party vs Third-Party Intent Data

First-party intent data comes from your own digital properties. You own it, it is accurate, and it is free — but you only see intent after a buyer has found you.

Third-party intent data is collected by data aggregators across thousands of B2B websites. It reveals intent earlier but at the cost of accuracy and freshness.

Signal Intelligence as the Evolution

Modern signal intelligence platforms like Meetline surface specific, named events tied to a company you can contact today — closing the gap between "intent" and "action."

Try Meetline free — no credit card needed.

Run your first scan and see who's ready to buy.

Start for free →