kalkoHiring signals vs intent data
Intent data shows that a company reads about a topic. A hiring signal shows that it is building a team around a problem. Use intent data as a first filter, and use job posts and filings as the reason to reach out.
Key takeaways
- Bombora collects intent data from a co-op of thousands of B2B publisher sites (Bombora).
- Demandbase says intent technologies point to opportunities based on probability (Demandbase).
- HubSpot says inbound wins more often on average, while outbound reaches buyers who never find the vendor on their own (HubSpot).
Is hiring data a better buying signal than intent data?
For outbound, usually yes. A job post is public, dated and written in the company's own words, so you can quote it. Intent data is a score you cannot open, so you cannot quote it.
Intent data still helps as a filter: it narrows a long list to the companies reading about your topic.
Hiring signals vs intent data vs website visitors
| Dimension | Hiring signal | Intent data | Website visit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Source | The job post, on the company careers page | Reading activity on publisher sites | Your own website |
| Can you open the source? | Yes, the post is public and dated | Usually not | Only in your own analytics |
| How early | Early, before the work starts | Mid, during research | Late, during vendor comparison |
| What it names | The company, the team and the problem | The company and a topic | Often the company, not the person |
| What you can say in a first line | The problem, quoted from the post | Little, the buyer did not share it | Little, the visit was not shared either |
Why is intent data so noisy?
- It measures reading, not a decision to buy.
- Scores rest on probability, so some surges are false positives (Demandbase).
- Many sellers buy the same data, so they see the same companies at the same time.
- You usually see the score, not the pages read, so you cannot check it.
Leading vs lagging indicators for outbound
- Leading: a new job post, a new leader, an 8-K, a funding round. They show up before the buyer starts looking.
- Middle: a third-party intent surge. It shows up while the buyer researches.
- Lagging: a website visit or a demo request. It shows up when the buyer already compares vendors.
First-party vs third-party intent data
- First-party intent comes from your own site, product and emails. You own it, and it is late in the journey.
- Third-party intent comes from other sites, such as a publisher co-op (Bombora). It is earlier, and harder to check.
When is intent data worth it?
- When your buyers research online before they buy, on topics a provider tracks.
- When you test it first: check how many of your closed deals showed a surge before the first call.
- When you pair each surge with a second, public signal that explains it.
How do you combine signals?
- Start from your fit list.
- Use intent data, if you have it, to narrow the list to companies reading about your topic.
- For each one left, look for a public reason: a job post, a filing or a new leader.
- Reach out only where you found that reason, and quote it with its source.
Questions people ask
What are buying signals?
Signs that a company is likely to buy soon. For example, a job post for the team you sell to, or a surge in reading about your topic.
Can you give an example of a buying signal?
A company posts its first RevOps role and the post says the hire will rebuild the CRM. That names a project and a problem.
Is intent data worth it for B2B outbound?
Test it on your own closed deals first. Use it as a filter, and look for a public reason before you reach out.
Sources
- Bombora: Our data, checked October 28, 2026
- Demandbase Help Center: understanding intent, checked October 28, 2026
- HubSpot Blog: what is outbound prospecting?, checked October 28, 2026
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