If you’re in B2B sales or marketing, you know the game: filling the pipeline is harder than ever, and chasing leads that aren’t ready to buy is a waste of everyone’s time. So, intent data sounds like the holy grail—“find the companies in-market, reach out at the perfect moment, watch deals close themselves.” That’s the sales pitch, anyway.
But does it actually work like that? And if you’re looking at intent data vendors, what sets Bombora apart from the crowd? This guide breaks down the real benefits (and the not-so-great parts) of using Bombora for sales and marketing teams. No fluff, just what you need to make a smart call.
What Is Bombora, Really?
Bombora is one of the biggest names in B2B intent data. At its core, Bombora tracks what companies are researching across thousands of business websites. It turns that activity into “intent signals”—basically, clues that a company might be in the market for a product or service like yours.
You get data about which companies are showing increased interest in specific topics, how strong that interest is, and sometimes even which content or keywords triggered the spike. In theory, this lets you focus on prospects who are actually looking, not just anyone with a pulse.
It’s not magic, but it is helpful—if you use it right.
The Top Benefits of Bombora for B2B Sales and Marketing
Let’s get specific. Here’s what Bombora actually brings to the table, and where it stands out compared to other intent data providers.
1. Reliable Scale and Coverage
What works: - Bombora claims to have the largest B2B intent data co-op, collecting data from thousands of publishers. - This means you’re more likely to see intent signals for a wider range of companies, not just the biggest Fortune 500s. - Good for mid-market and enterprise; small businesses, less so (they’re just harder to track anywhere).
What to watch: - If your target accounts are super-niche or outside the US/EU, coverage can be patchy. - Not every company will “light up” with intent signals, especially if they’re not big on content consumption.
Pro tip: Before you buy, ask Bombora for a report on your actual target account list. If half your market never shows up, don’t expect miracles.
2. Topic Taxonomy That Makes Sense
What works: - Bombora’s “topics” are pre-defined, not just raw keywords. This helps reduce noise—no more getting signals every time someone searches for “cloud” (which could mean almost anything). - You can pick from hundreds of business-relevant topics, or request custom ones.
What to watch: - If your solution is very niche or new, you might not find a perfect topic match. - Signals are only as good as the topic definitions—if you’re chasing the wrong topic, you’ll get junk leads.
Pro tip: Spend real time mapping your products to the right Bombora topics. Don’t just pick what sounds close—ask for examples of what content is actually being tracked.
3. Easy Integration with Sales and Marketing Tools
What works: - Bombora plays nicely with Salesforce, HubSpot, Marketo, Outreach, and lots of other tools. You can get intent data right where your reps and marketers already work. - This means less swivel-chairing and more action—intent signals can trigger campaigns, prioritize account lists, or fire off alerts.
What to watch: - Out-of-the-box integrations are generally solid, but complex scoring or custom workflows might need IT help. - Some integrations cost extra or require higher pricing tiers.
Pro tip: Start simple. Pipe intent scores into your CRM fields, then train your team on what they actually mean—don’t overengineer it on Day 1.
4. Decent Transparency and Control
What works: - Bombora is relatively open about how it collects and scores data (compared to vendors who treat it like a black box). - You get visibility into which topics triggered intent and when, so it’s not just a random number popping up in your CRM.
What to watch: - You don’t get user-level intent, just account-level. You’ll know “someone at Acme Corp is interested,” not “Jane in IT read your whitepaper.” - The actual content sources are anonymized, so you can’t see the exact article or publisher—just the topic spike.
Pro tip: Use Bombora to prioritize outreach, not to write the perfect cold email. Let your reps do some digging once they know which accounts are warm.
5. Sales and Marketing Alignment
What works: - Intent data gives both teams a shared list of “in-market” accounts, not just whoever downloaded an eBook. - Marketing can build campaigns around intent spikes; sales can prioritize outreach or personalize messaging.
What to watch: - If you don’t have a process for acting on intent data, it just becomes another ignored dashboard. - Alignment means actually talking to each other—set up regular “intent review” standups if you want this to stick.
Pro tip: Don’t just hand sales a list. Add context: Why did this account spike? What’s their history with you? Make it actionable.
6. Privacy and Compliance
What works: - Bombora puts a lot of effort into privacy (GDPR, CCPA, etc.), which matters more every year. Their data is derived from company-level signals, not individuals. - You’re less likely to end up in legal hot water using Bombora compared to sketchy email scrapers.
What to watch: - All intent data is probabilistic, and privacy rules can mean less granular data. Don’t expect to identify individual buyers. - If you need to prove explicit consent for outreach, intent data alone isn’t enough.
Pro tip: Use Bombora as one signal among many. Don’t rely on it as your only source of truth for who’s in-market.
Where Bombora Falls Short
It’s not all sunshine. Here are the main drawbacks and caveats:
- Intent data is not a crystal ball. Just because a company is researching a topic doesn’t mean they’re ready to buy—sometimes it’s just curiosity, or a competitor doing research.
- Lag time is real. Bombora updates signals weekly, not in real time. You might be a week behind a hot account’s activity.
- No contact-level data. You still need to find the right buyer at the account. Bombora won’t hand you “Jane in procurement’s” direct line.
- False positives happen. Sometimes, unrelated activity can trigger intent spikes, especially for broad topics.
- Costs add up. Bombora isn’t cheap, especially as you scale up account lists or want more integrations.
What to Ignore (or At Least Take with a Grain of Salt)
- “100% accuracy” claims. No intent data solution is perfect. You’ll chase a few duds—build feedback loops to flag bad signals.
- Intent as a silver bullet. It’s a supplement, not a replacement, for good targeting, messaging, and sales follow-up.
- Vendor FOMO. Every intent data vendor swears they’re the best. The truth is, Bombora is good, but it’s not always the best fit for every industry or region.
Making the Most of Bombora: Simple Steps
- Get a sample report on your account list before you buy. If Bombora doesn’t have coverage, save your money.
- Map your solutions to the right topics. Don’t settle for “close enough.”
- Integrate with your core sales/marketing tools. Start simple, then build more workflows if you see value.
- Train your team on what intent data means (and doesn’t). Don’t let it become another ignored metric.
- Use intent as a trigger, not a script. Let your team investigate and personalize follow-up.
- Review and adjust regularly. Flag false positives, tighten your topic list, and keep iterating.
Keep It Simple, Stay Skeptical
Bombora can be a real asset for B2B sales and marketing teams, but it’s not a magic wand. Use it to focus your efforts, not to replace solid strategy and human judgment. Start small, watch what works, and don’t be afraid to tweak or walk away if it’s not moving the needle. The best intent data is the kind that leads to real conversations—so keep things practical, stay skeptical, and keep iterating.