Glossary/Audience data/Intent data
What is intent data and how is it used in advertising?
What intent data is, where it comes from, and how publishers build intent audiences from what their readers research.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readIntent data is information that suggests someone is researching or close to buying something, such as reading car reviews or comparing mortgage rates.
Types of intent data
| Type | Source |
|---|---|
| First-party intent | Behavior on your own sites, such as reading buying guides |
| Third-party intent | Signals collected across many sites by data providers |
| B2B intent | Companies researching a topic or product category |
How publishers build intent audiences
Map content to intent
Reviews, guides and price comparisons signal buying interest.
Add recency
Recent reading is a stronger signal than old visits.
Package for buyers
Name audiences such as car intenders or home buyers.
16 pages for publishers, with a checklist for data, programmatic and direct sales.
Why buyers value it
Intent audiences reach people close to a decision, which makes them some of the most valuable segments a publisher can sell, in programmatic deals and in direct campaigns.
Addressability at Stampen Media after moving its reader data into one layer with Samhub.
Frequently asked questions
Intent data is a kind of behavioral data focused on signals of an upcoming purchase.
Usually days or weeks, depending on the purchase. Car buying lasts longer than a weekend trip.
Yes, from what their readers research on their own sites, with consent.
Yes, with a legal basis such as consent and clear information.
Related terms
Targeting ads based on what readers have done before.
Data you collect directly from your own readers.
Adding detail to the data you already have.
Collects and segments audience data for advertising.
One EU-based platform to collect, unify and enrich your first-party data, installed with one script.
- A walkthrough with your own data
- Built for publishers and media houses
- 30 minutes, no commitment
Turn your audience data into more revenue
Get the Media Monetization Playbook: how media houses turn first-party data into higher CPMs, data deals and direct sales. With checklists for every step.
