ZoomInfo Intent Data: Is It Any Good?

How does ZoomInfo’s buyer intent data work?

ZoomInfo gathers buyer intent data from several sources, including:

• Proprietary machine-learning technology.
• Bidstream.
• Partnerships with other websites.

ZoomInfo employs advanced algorithms to aggregate data from bidstream auctions and data co-ops. Following this, the patented Intelligent Keyword Extractor (IKE) and other natural language processing technologies analyse websites for B2B topics. Intent signals are then associated with topics based on consumption. 

Sounds good, doesn’t it?

While there are upsides to how ZoomInfo intent data works, there are downsides, too.

The most glaring is the use of bidstream data, which is the collection and auction of website ad impressions. 

This means that when a prospect clicks an ad on a participating website, ZoomInfo receives this as an intent signal, which they provide to customers.  

There’s no guarantee of the data’s accuracy. Since users aren’t notified that their data is being used for marketing and sales purposes, it’s said to go against compliance regulations like GDPR.

If you’re looking for quality B2B data and are serious about compliance, this article might interest you - bidstream intent data. It’ll explain why it’s not the best investment and what kind of intent data is. 

How accurate is ZoomInfo’s intent data? 

Looking at G2 and Reddit discussions, ZoomInfo appears to have improved its intent data service over the last two years. 

Many Redditors mentioned feeling as if they were using the product wrong, as buyers with 100% intent weren’t actually interested. Others were annoyed by ZoomInfo’s lack of accuracy.

ZoomInfo has since partnered with G2 for buyer intent. It launched Streaming Intent, which is essentially real-time intent data and works to provide intent change alerts for its AI offering, Co-Pilot.

By integrating insights from multiple platforms, including their proprietary datasets and external partnerships, ZoomInfo aims to build a comprehensive picture of buyer intent. However, as discussed earlier, reliance on bidstream data can introduce inconsistencies and inaccuracies.

Bombora Intent Data tracks over 14,000 intent topics across B2B websites, such as Forbes, Bloomberg, Time, CNN, etc. Bombora monitors articles, subscriptions, webinars, infographics, registrations, case studies, white papers, and specific search topics. It looks for patterns in these sources and highlights companies actively seeking information.

The analysis generates a score by considering the number of interactions, users, topic relevance, and engagement, resulting in a better-quality dataset with accurate data.

How does ZoomInfo intent data compare to Cognism? 

Sources

The major difference between ZoomInfo and Cognism buyer intent data is that both tools use different sources.

ZoomInfo collects intent data from different sources and employs its own machine-learning technology to identify buying signals. One source is said to be bidstream intent data. 

ZoomInfo’s intent data takes a broad view of buyer intent, as not all ad clicks represent companies interested in purchasing. Accidental clicks on ads happen frequently, and even if a buyer clicks on an ad, they may not be ready to buy.

Cognism partners with Forrester Wave leader Bombora, who is equally committed to compliance accuracy. Bombora’s intent data shows companies actively searching and ready to buy. It also tracks companies that are passively looking but aren’t identifiable until their activity increases.

Compliance

Regarding compliance, Bombora gathers consent, offers opt-out choices, and manages privacy from the OneTrust platform. However, due to how bidstream buyer intent is obtained and sold, it may not follow the same stringent privacy laws. 

Quantity & topics

Cognism’s partnership with Bombora means users can access 12,000+ intent topics compared to ZoomInfo.

While ZoomInfo continuously adds topics to its intent signals, you should remember that bidstream data often includes vast volumes of data. However, there’s no context to the data, so only a limited number of signals might result in a lead.

So, while a co-op intent database might be smaller, the data focuses on reducing noise and providing leads showing interest in purchasing.

Exclusivity

Bidstream buyer intent is available to buyers who bid on advertising space, ad exchanges, or impressions. 

Bombora’s co-op members collect 100% of intent - even from ad-free sites, and over 70% of these sites are exclusive to Bombora. 

You can access Cognism’s intent data directly via the Web App and Browser Extension.

Watch this interactive demo to see how easy it is 👇

Is ZoomInfo intent data any good? 

There are many pros and cons to using ZoomInfo’s intent data, which we’ve covered above. ZoomInfo users have mentioned that the intent platform could be improved, as exports sometimes lose selected companies and instead display every employee for each company shown for the intent signal.

Others have not had success reaching potential prospects flagged from ZoomInfo’s intent signals, and a few users complain of inaccuracies

At the end of the day, it all depends on what you need for your business.

If you’re serious about compliance and looking for accurate contact data without expensive add-ons and credit consumption, then Cognism is for you.

Our intent data is included in our Diamond package, along with all integrations and unrestricted access to excellent global data coverage. (We also have the most complete database in Europe!)

Is there a better intent data provider than ZoomInfo? 

Choosing an intent data provider often means choosing a tool with extra features that are helpful for your business, as intent is generally an add-on.

The most in-demand features are a fantastic contact database and a data verification process to ensure your teams aren’t wasting precious time. 

ZoomInfo is a fair tool for marketing, sales and recruiting teams looking to prospect in the US.

However, if you’re looking for a tool that makes it easier to prospect globally without limited credits and expensive add-ons, choose Cognism.