B2B Data

What Is B2B Data?

B2B data refers to data about businesses whose primary customers are other businesses, not consumers (B2C). The B2B field is different from B2C in several ways. Among them, however, is that the sales journey is much longer and the client’s needs much more specific. B2B data, therefore, is recorded mainly to help in the field of marketing.

Where Does B2B Data Come From?

There are various sources of this data: websites, news, data-as-a-service (DaaS) providers, and freelance web scrapers. Web scrapers may not always collect the data according to the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) law in EU and European Economic Area countries, so you should be aware of where the data you choose to use is coming from.

Additional sources include customer interviews, surveys, and shark tank competitions.

What Types of Columns/Attributes Should I Expect When Working with This Data?

Naturally, B2B data attributes include general company data like company name, industry type, financial data, and employee data. Additional sources that vendors record are the technologies that the companies use.

Above all, you must update changes in the company status whenever they occur because these changes herald opportunities to make a sale. Examples of these opportunities include new acquisitions, promotions, scheduled events, and changes to an office location, source of funds, or investors.

What Is This Data Used For?

As noted above, companies mostly use this data in a marketing capacity, to ultimately generate sales or leads. However, they can also use the data to conduct market research, allowing you to identify industry trends and compare your company to others in the same field.

How Should I Test the Quality of B2B Data?

To determine the quality of the data, make sure to use a provider with a good reputation. They should be able to provide you with a frequently updated sample data set.

Another important test for B2B data quality is update frequency, particularly as this type of information is constantly changing. In other words, having out of date data that leads to you contacting people who have changed positions, or moved on to a different company, for example, could lead to backlash.

Interesting Case Studies and Blogs to Look Into

Hornetsecurity Case Study RGB V2 FINAL
ZoomInfo: Appcues Product-Led Growth Platform Sees 41% Increase in Pipeline

Tangible Examples of Impact

As lockdowns continue to be turned on and off, [B2B businesses] need to respond quicker, with ways to engage that fit the moment. The pandemic has forced marketers to think of new, innovative ways to generate revenue, which has in turn pushed them to evaluate the technologies they are using in order to do so.

B2B Marketing: Improve Your B2B Marketing with AI