If you’re running account-based marketing (ABM), you’ve probably heard all kinds of promises about intent data and “AI-powered insights.” Most of it sounds great in theory, but in practice, you just want a tool that helps you find accounts actually ready to buy—without the fluff. This guide is for marketers and sales teams who want to know if Intentsify is actually useful, what it does well, and what to watch out for.
What Is Intentsify, Really?
Intentsify is a platform that pulls together “intent data”—basically, signals that companies are researching topics relevant to your business. It claims to help you spot which accounts are in-market so you can focus your ABM campaigns on folks who might actually convert. The big idea: stop wasting time on tire-kickers and chase the right leads.
The platform pulls from multiple data sources (web content consumption, ad clicks, research behavior, etc.) and tries to package it into something actionable. In a perfect world, this means you’re not just spraying emails everywhere—you’re targeting the right companies at the right time.
But let’s get real: intent data isn’t magic. It needs context, good targeting, and a plan for what you’ll do when you find an “in-market” account. Tools like Intentsify can help, but they don’t do the hard work for you.
Key Features of Intentsify That Actually Matter
Let’s skip the buzzwords and focus on the features that make a real difference for ABM:
1. Aggregated Intent Data From Multiple Sources
Most intent data tools pull from one or two sources. Intentsify combines data from: - Web content consumption - Ad clicks and engagement - Research platforms (like G2, TechTarget, etc.) - Social and news mentions
Why it matters: One data source is usually too noisy or incomplete. By stitching together multiple signals, you get a better sense of who’s actually researching your solution—not just a random intern reading a blog post.
What to watch out for: Not all signals are equal. Some sources are just more reliable. If you see a spike in “intent” but your ICP (ideal customer profile) isn’t there, you’re probably chasing noise.
2. Topic and Keyword Customization
You can set up the platform to track specific topics, keywords, and even competitor names.
- Focus on the topics that actually map to your value prop
- Exclude stuff that always trips up intent platforms (like generic industry news)
Pro tip: Don’t go overboard. More keywords give you more data, but also more junk. Start narrow, then expand if you’re not getting enough signals.
3. Account Scoring and Prioritization
Intentsify assigns intent “scores” to accounts, ranking them based on recent activity and fit.
- Helps you sort the “just browsing” from the “shopping for a solution”
- Can integrate with your CRM or MAP (like Salesforce or Marketo) so sales and marketing get the same list
Real talk: Scoring is only as good as the criteria you set. If you’re not aligning scores to your actual sales process or pipeline stages, you’ll just end up confusing people.
4. Integration With ABM and Sales Tools
The platform has connectors for most major CRMs, marketing automation platforms, and even some ad platforms.
- Push high-intent accounts straight into your existing campaigns
- Trigger automated emails, ads, or sales tasks
What’s useful: Automation saves time and keeps your team focused. But don’t just dump every “high intent” lead into a nurture—make sure there’s a real plan for follow-up.
5. Alerts and Reporting
Set up custom alerts when intent spikes for key accounts, and get reports on what’s trending.
- Weekly digest emails
- Dashboard views for sales and marketing teams
Keep in mind: Over-alerting leads to alert fatigue. Only set up notifications for real buying triggers, not every blip in the data.
How to Actually Use Intentsify for ABM Success (Step by Step)
Intent data is only as good as your strategy. Here’s how to make Intentsify actually help your ABM campaigns—not just add another dashboard to your life.
1. Get Your Target Account List Right
Before you even log in, make sure you know who you’re targeting. A big, messy account list just means more noise.
- Start with a tight ICP—company size, industry, tech stack, etc.
- Prioritize accounts with history or signs of life (previous engagement, website visits, etc.)
Pro tip: If you’re not sure who your best-fit accounts are, pause and figure that out first. Otherwise, you’re just watching random data.
2. Set Up Intent Topics That Matter
Work with your sales reps and product team to pick the right topics and keywords.
- Focus on pain points that buyers research before they buy
- Include competitor names if you want to do “conquest” campaigns
Avoid: Tracking generic terms or everything under the sun. You’ll just flood your reports.
3. Align Intent Scoring With Your Sales Process
Customize scoring to match your actual buying cycle:
- Give more weight to recent, repeated activity
- Combine intent with other signals (website visits, email opens, etc.)
Stick to a simple scoring model at first. Don’t overcomplicate it.
4. Integrate With Your ABM Stack
Connect Intentsify to your CRM and marketing automation tools.
- Automatically route high-intent accounts to sales reps
- Trigger targeted ad campaigns or email sequences
Watch out: Integration is only useful if your team actually uses the data. Make sure you have buy-in and a clear process for follow-up.
5. Monitor, Test, and Adjust
Check your dashboards and digests, but don’t treat intent data as gospel.
- Look for patterns: are the same accounts showing up over and over?
- Talk to your sales team—are the “high intent” accounts actually engaging?
Adjust topics, scoring, and follow-up as you learn what works.
What Works (And What Doesn’t)
What works: - Combining intent data with your own engagement data - Tight alignment between marketing and sales follow-up - Focusing on a handful of meaningful signals, not a laundry list
What doesn’t: - Using intent data as a silver bullet (“We have the list, now the deals will close themselves!”) - Spamming every “high intent” account with generic outreach - Relying only on intent spikes—sometimes they’re just noise
Ignore: - Overly broad topic tracking - Fancy dashboards that don’t drive action - Any claim that intent data will replace a solid, outbound sales process
Honest Pros and Cons of Intentsify
Where It Shines
- Better coverage: By pulling multiple data sources, you get a fuller picture than single-source tools.
- Customizable: You can tailor everything to your exact ABM setup.
- Solid integrations: It plays nice with most major sales and marketing tools.
Where It Falls Short
- Signal quality varies: Some “intent” is just noise; you still need human judgment.
- Setup can be fiddly: If you don’t invest time up front, you’ll be disappointed.
- Not plug-and-play: It’s not a “set it and forget it” tool. You’ll need to keep tuning your filters and workflows.
Should You Use Intentsify?
If you’ve got a clear target account list, a working ABM process, and a sales team ready to act, Intentsify can help you find in-market accounts faster and focus your efforts. It’s not magic, but it’s a solid boost—if you use it right.
If you’re hoping for a tool that will run your ABM for you, or you’re not ready to act on the data, you’ll be disappointed. Like any intent data platform, it’s only as valuable as the process you build around it.
Keep It Simple and Iterate
Start small. Pick a handful of accounts, set up focused topics, and see if the intent signals actually match what your sales team hears from the field. Don’t get lost in dashboards or try to automate everything on day one. The best ABM teams use tools like Intentsify to get sharper over time, not chase every new signal.
Keep things simple, listen to your team, and tweak as you go. That’s how you actually get value from intent data—no hype required.