If you’re tired of guessing what your buyers are up to, or sick of watching “buyer journey mapping” turn into a pile of post-its and wishful thinking, you’re in the right spot. This guide is for B2B marketers, sales ops, and anyone who actually wants to use intent data for something useful — not just dashboards that collect dust.
We’ll walk through how to use Intentsify intent data to map real buyer journeys, spot what matters, and ignore the noise. No fluff, no magic bullets — just practical steps, real talk about what works, and how to avoid the usual traps.
Why Map the Buyer Journey with Intent Data?
Let’s get real: most “buyer journey maps” are fiction. They’re built on assumptions, website clicks, or whatever the last consultant said. Intent data, when it’s good, shows you what buyers are actually researching out in the wild — not just on your site.
Mapping the buyer journey with intent data means you can: - See where people are in their decision process (not just who downloaded your ebook). - Spot when accounts are heating up — before your competitors do. - Stop wasting time on companies that are nowhere near buying. - Personalize your outreach (without being creepy).
But here’s the catch: not all intent data is created equal, and mapping journeys isn’t a push-button fix. Let’s get into how to actually do it.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your Real Goals
Before you get lost in dashboards, ask: What do you actually want to know?
Don’t just say “I want more leads.” That’s vague. Are you trying to: - Find new accounts showing buying signals? - Track movement of known accounts through the funnel? - Pinpoint which topics or products are driving interest? - Shorten sales cycles by catching buyers earlier?
Pick one or two real goals. Otherwise, you’ll try to boil the ocean and end up with a mess.
Pro Tip: Start with one segment (e.g., mid-market tech companies) or one product line. Don’t try to map every possible journey on day one.
Step 2: Understand What Intentsify Data Can (and Can’t) Tell You
Intentsify aggregates intent signals from across the web — things like content consumption, forum posts, and research patterns tied to specific topics. That’s a lot more than just “someone visited your site.”
Here’s what it does well: - Shows which accounts are showing surges in certain topics (not just individuals). - Ranks intent by intensity, so you can prioritize. - Surfaces topic-level interest, not just generic “interest in your brand.”
But here’s what it can’t do: - It doesn’t tell you exactly who at the company is interested. - It won’t tell you when someone will buy — only that they’re researching. - It’s not a substitute for talking to customers or using your own data.
Ignore the hype: Intent data is a signal, not a magic 8-ball. Use it to inform your buyer journey, not dictate it.
Step 3: Define Your Buyer Journey Stages (for Real People)
Most companies use the same old funnel: Awareness, Consideration, Decision. That’s fine, but it’s usually too generic. Map out what your buyers actually do.
Ask these questions: - What triggers buyers to start researching? - What topics or problems do they care about at each stage? - What does “ready to talk to sales” actually look like?
Example: - Awareness: Researching “how to reduce cloud costs” - Consideration: Comparing “cloud cost optimization SaaS tools” - Decision: Searching for “[Your Brand] vs. Competitor”
Jot down the key topics or questions buyers have at each stage. You’ll need these for mapping intent data later.
Step 4: Match Intentsify Signals to Journey Stages
Now the rubber meets the road. Log into Intentsify, and pull the intent signals for your target accounts or segment. Look for: - Which topics are surging? - How intense is the interest? - Is it a spike (flash in the pan) or a sustained trend?
Map the intent topics to your buyer journey stages. For example: - Early research topics: Map to Awareness - Product comparison topics: Map to Consideration - Brand or pricing topics: Map to Decision
Don’t overthink it. Most intent signals will cluster naturally around certain stages. If you’re not sure, talk to your sales team — they’ll know what questions buyers ask at each point.
Watch out: One spike in intent doesn’t mean an account is ready for a demo. Look for patterns over time.
Step 5: Visualize the Journey — But Keep It Simple
You don’t need a fancy tool (though Intentsify’s reports help). Start with a spreadsheet or a basic flowchart:
- Rows: Accounts
- Columns: Journey stages (mapped to intent topics)
- Fill in: Which accounts are showing which types of intent, and when
Update it weekly. You’ll quickly see: - Who’s moving (or stalling) in the journey - Which accounts are stuck in research mode - Where you might need to intervene (e.g., send more info, nudge sales)
This is where the magic happens — patterns emerge, and you start predicting, not just reacting.
Step 6: Turn Insights Into Action (Without Getting Creepy)
Now that you know where accounts are, tailor your outreach:
- Awareness-stage accounts: Send helpful resources, not sales pitches.
- Consideration-stage: Offer product comparisons, case studies, or trials.
- Decision-stage: Get sales involved, but reference the topics they’re researching.
Don’t: Bombard accounts with generic emails just because they showed a tiny blip of intent. That’s how you get ignored (or blocked).
Do: Use intent signals as a reason to prioritize outreach — not as an excuse to go full stalker.
Step 7: Measure What Matters — and Ignore Vanity Metrics
It’s tempting to count every spike or every “engaged” account as a win. Don’t. Focus on: - Accounts that actually move from one stage to another (not just random intent surges) - Deals that close faster because you intervened at the right time - Sales feedback: “These were good leads” is worth more than a chart full of “activity”
If your intent data isn’t helping you close more business or have better conversations, something’s off. Iterate, adjust your mapping, and don’t be afraid to toss out signals that lead nowhere.
What to Watch Out For (and What to Ignore)
Works: - Using intent data to prioritize sales and marketing efforts - Mapping topic clusters to journey stages - Keeping things simple and actionable
Doesn’t Work: - Treating every intent spike as a buying signal - Over-engineering your journey map with 10+ stages and sub-stages - Relying only on intent data, ignoring first-party signals or sales input
Ignore: - “AI-powered” dashboards that promise to read buyer minds. They’re usually just rearranging the same data. - Overly granular, un-actionable reporting. If you can’t use it, skip it.
Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
The best buyer journey maps are living documents, not museum pieces. Start simple. Use Intentsify intent data to spot real patterns, act on them, and adjust as you go. Don’t get paralyzed by perfection — just get started, see what works, and refine.
Mapping buyer journeys with intent data isn’t magic, but it’s a lot better than guessing. Stick to the basics, focus on what matters, and you’ll actually help your sales and marketing teams do their jobs — without the fluff.