Are All “Walled Gardens” the Same?
As Google continues to delay its phase-out of cookies due to the lack of a suitable replacement for ad targeting, we’re hearing more about the strengths and weaknesses of the major “walled gardens” (Google, Facebook, and Amazon) in the B2C space. But in the B2B world, the concept of walled gardens also applies to specialized publishers, though it’s often less understood.
While it’s true that any walled garden that has user consent could potentially provide valuable data for marketers, most of these platforms weren’t designed with this goal in mind. In reality, much of the so-called “intent data” from B2B publishers is often weak, unclear, and a mix of vague signals. It’s up to marketers to sift through this data and figure out what’s useful and what’s not. There are three major flaws in how many B2B publishers deliver intent data:
- Business models designed for broad, shallow audiences
- Anonymous behavioral signals that don’t add up
- “Directional” suggestions that don’t provide real value to sales teams
These challenges are compounded when publishers try to combine intent data from various sources, often leading to misinterpretation and ineffective targeting.
Why Publishers Aren’t Built for Precision Intent Data
Many walled gardens in publishing were created to maximize ad revenue, not to provide precise purchase intent data. These platforms tend to target large, general audiences rather than specialized, high-value prospects. For example, publications like USA Today cover a broad range of topics to attract the largest number of readers, but this model is inefficient for smaller, niche advertisers who need more detailed targeting.
Even in the B2B space, many publishers still operate under this broad-strokes advertising model. Publications like ComputerWorld or InformationWeek cast a wide net over topics like “security” or “cloud,” but they aren’t built to deliver the kind of precision needed by specialized B2B marketers. When targeting decision-makers in niche sectors, this “spray and pray” approach simply doesn’t work.
Broad and Shallow = Weak Intent Data
The issue with these general-interest publishers is that their business models are built for scale, not for delivering the granular insights needed for high-precision intent data. Their data comes from wide-reaching, surface-level coverage and general interest topics. As a result, the intent signals they provide are often too vague to be actionable for marketers targeting niche B2B buyers.
For example, TechTarget is built with a far more granular approach from the start. It segments data based on highly specific, in-market buyer behavior, making it much more effective for delivering precision intent data. This deep level of segmentation results in better targeting for advertising, more accurate lead identification, and a higher conversion rate.
Intent Data Providers: Watch Out for Weak Signals
Many intent data providers combine weak signals to create what seems like a comprehensive picture of buyer intent. However, this layering of data often leads to false positives. A common pitfall is the use of generic, publicly available data—such as content from broadly covered industry stories—which doesn’t provide the level of precision required for B2B sales teams.
When intent data is aggregated from low-quality sources, it doesn’t improve; it just becomes more muddled. For instance, some providers claim to layer intent signals from various “buying channels,” but without precision, this data is not additive—it simply dilutes the value.
Moreover, many providers now promote “opted-in” audiences, but unless you have behavior data for individual users, you’re essentially left with nothing more than general account-level data. This doesn’t help B2B marketers because it doesn’t provide insight into the specific decision-makers who are engaging with your solution.
The Real Pitfall: Cold Contact Data
A significant issue in the intent data market is that many providers pair weak intent signals with cold contact data, claiming to match accounts with buying teams. But in reality, this leads to the same situation as simply buying a list of contacts and cold calling them. These “marketing qualified accounts” (MQAs) often result in wasted resources, as the sales team is forced to sift through low-quality leads.
Rather than helping to refine targeting or prioritize outreach, this approach can create a costly and inefficient process for sales teams, ultimately undermining the potential value of intent data.
Why Some Demos Can Be Misleading
While many intent data providers offer online demos of their services, these demos often fail to showcase the true power of precision targeting. You may notice that the topic categories are overly broad or fail to distinguish between competing solutions. This is because the underlying data comes from a general-interest editorial model, not a targeted, in-depth approach to buyer behavior. Instead of providing actionable insights, these demos often result in lists of companies with little distinction between those who are truly in-market for your solution and those who are simply browsing.
Choosing the Right Intent Data Provider
With so many new entrants in the intent data space, it’s important for B2B marketers to be cautious when selecting a provider. Not all intent data is created equal, and many providers struggle with the same fundamental flaws as legacy publishers. However, some platforms are specifically designed to serve the needs of B2B marketers with precise, actionable intent data.
For example, platforms like MarketingVogue are purpose-built to deliver granular, first-party data that provides clear, actionable insights into the needs and behaviors of in-market buyers. By leveraging highly segmented data and focusing on individual prospect behavior, these platforms allow you to go beyond the generic “spray and pray” model and deliver more personalized, effective outreach.
In short, while many intent data providers claim to offer insights, the reality is that weak data signals and broad targeting models can often make things worse for B2B marketers. To truly move the needle, you need a provider that focuses on precision, delivers high-quality, actionable intent data, and aligns with your specific business needs.
