In today’s hyper-competitive landscape, multichannel marketing is no longer a “nice-to-have” but a necessity. Brands must engage prospects across various touchpoints—social media, email, paid ads, events, and more. But with so many channels and customer journeys to manage, simply being present isn’t enough.
Enter intent data: the key to elevating your multichannel marketing strategy, ensuring you reach the right audience at the right time with the right message. Intent data is information collected from online behaviors that reveal a person’s likelihood to take specific actions, such as making a purchase or engaging with your brand. It comes in two forms: first-party data from your own digital properties (e.g., website visits, form fills) and third-party data from external sources (e.g., keyword searches, content consumption). When integrated into multichannel marketing, intent data helps marketers personalize campaigns, optimize timing, and target prospects based on their position in the buyer’s journey.
Intent data helps you detect when prospects are actively researching solutions related to your offerings. Instead of relying solely on demographic segmentation, you can prioritize leads based on their behavior and interests. • Example: A SaaS company sees a spike in visits to its “pricing page” and keywords related to competitors. Using this insight, the marketing team sends targeted emails with product comparisons and promotional offers.
Generic messaging no longer resonates with today’s customers. Intent data allows you to tailor your campaigns with hyper-relevant content for every interaction. • Email Campaigns: Use browsing behavior (e.g., products viewed) to recommend similar or complementary products. • Paid Ads: Create remarketing campaigns targeting users who abandoned their cart or visited specific service pages. • Social Media: Target ads at audiences based on their searches and content engagement trends.
Intent data bridges the gap between sales and marketing by offering real-time visibility into buyer behavior. Marketers can pass along actionable insights—like prospects reviewing multiple solution providers—to sales teams, enabling more relevant outreach. • Impact: Sales teams can focus on high-intent prospects, reducing wasted efforts on cold leads. Marketing ensures all content and messaging aligns with the prospect’s intent stage.
A key challenge in multichannel marketing is sending the right message at the right time. With intent data, you can align your campaigns with buyer readiness. • Example: If a prospect has engaged with content about “data security,” your marketing automation system can trigger a nurturing email that includes case studies or offers a product demo, right when the topic is top of mind.
Traditional segmentation models based on demographic or firmographic data only scratch the surface. Intent data adds another layer, enabling you to segment based on behavior and purchase intent signals. • Scenario: A B2B company can create segmented lists of accounts actively researching a particular product. They can then customize LinkedIn ad campaigns targeting each segment with relevant messaging. This approach ensures resources are spent efficiently on audiences most likely to convert, rather than spreading efforts across broader, less-focused segments.
Tracking intent data helps you monitor the impact of multichannel efforts. By correlating specific intent signals with campaign outcomes (e.g., conversions or sales meetings), you can adjust your strategy for continuous improvement. • Example: If intent data shows more traction on certain topics or channels, you can shift budgets accordingly, prioritizing the platforms where prospects engage most. Additionally, closed-loop reporting between your CRM and marketing automation tools will enable deeper insights into how intent-driven strategies impact ROI.
To fully leverage intent data, integrate it across your entire marketing ecosystem. Consider connecting the following platforms: • Marketing Automation Platforms: Trigger personalized email workflows based on intent signals. • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems: Provide sales teams with real-time intent insights for follow-ups. • Ad Platforms: Sync audiences with paid ad channels for retargeting campaigns. • Website Analytics Tools: Monitor how intent data influences traffic, behavior, and conversions.
Intent data allows businesses to predict buyer needs and optimize every touchpoint throughout the customer journey. It ensures that your multichannel marketing efforts aren't just spread thin across various platforms but are laser-focused on prospects most likely to convert. As intent data becomes more sophisticated, expect more opportunities to automate personalized engagement and improve collaboration between sales and marketing. The brands that harness these signals will not only gain a competitive edge but also build deeper, more meaningful relationships with their customers.
By incorporating intent data into your multichannel strategy, you’ll position your business to thrive in an increasingly complex and competitive market. From better targeting to smarter personalization, the opportunities are endless—and the results will speak for themselves. ___________________________________________________
Net60 Inc. is a leading list brokerage and list management company specializing in optimizing direct mail campaigns for companies across various sectors. Known for its exceptional service and innovative approach, Net60 Inc. enhances direct marketing efforts, enabling businesses to expand their client base more effectively. Our dynamic, experienced, and determined team collaborates closely to bring shared goals to fruition while excelling in their individual roles and client service.