What is B2B Data? Examples, Datasets & Providers

Use cases for B2B Data

Business data is extremely versatile. It’s able to give you outside insight into how other organizations operate, from both a technical and human capital perspective. For this reason, B2B data is applicable to many business tasks. Let’s look at some of its most common use cases.

1. Demand Generation

Companies often use B2B marketing data to inform their marketing and sales strategies. Let’s say you’re a B2B marketer, looking to generate demand for your company’s services and products whilst working within a tight department budget. Intent data enables marketing teams to identify where there’s demand at its most concentrated in the total addressable market so they can direct resources to companies most likely to be receptive to these pitches.

Other kinds of B2B data are used for demand generation. For example, B2B purchase data can shed insights on which marketing campaigns have historically been effective in successful sales cycles. This way, marketers can craft data-driven marketing strategies, deploying messaging and outreach which has already proven itself effective for demand generation.

2. Lead Generation

The foundation of any inbound and outbound lead generation campaign is a database of contact details for your ideal customers. With B2B leads data, you can decide the channels your sales and marketing team should use for the best quality and quantity of lead generation. For example, the database might show you that the majority of your target market are only active on Github, because they’re predominantly software developers.

In such a case, you’d see that the ROI of a ‘traditional’ B2B lead generation method, like LinkedIn sales navigator, for example, would be very low because your marketing messages aren’t reaching the intended target audience. With this information, you could define a more suitable lead generation strategy, fine-tuned to your ideal customers in software engineering role.

3. Go to Market Strategy

Referring to external data hugely increases the quality of your market research when you’re putting together a GTM strategy. Let’s say you want to reach out to companies who are retail companies and in those companies, you want to reach out to the purchase managers.

Prospecting for new buyers in a crowded market is one of the biggest challenges that face manufacturers. Data can help you, but sourcing B2B insights is hard to do in a time and cost efficient way.

That’s when you say hello to B2B database providers. They can help your GTM plans run smoothly, ensuring you unlock new sales with careful planning and a deep understanding of the B2B landscape your company is working within.

4. Account-based Marketing (ABM)

B2B marketing professionals regularly rely on B2B data vendors to support their ABM marketing operations. Most often, marketers work with an external data provider for data validation and cleansing.

That’s because, unlike in B2C, B2B businesses predominantly work with a handful of key accounts as opposed to thousands of individual consumers. So it’s crucial that they have up to date, quality data about these accounts - because if some data points are inaccurate, it could cost the company the entire account.

Some accounts also demand a lot of data maintenance because they’re so large, and change on a daily basis. Again, working with a professional data-as-a-service provider helps here by ensuring that a company’s accounts are kept updated with relevant data following new hires, product launches, mergers and acquisitions, funding rounds, and so on.

5. Outbound Sales

If you’re a sales rep, it’s essential that you can cold call target prospects. A B2B database can be as simple as a list of direct dial phone numbers for employees working at companies in your target market.

Having the contact details of decision-makers at the companies you’re targeting can make your outbound sales strategies 100x more effective. You spend less time reaching out to inactive or outdated contacts, because you’re working with validated data and working phone numbers, updated on a regular basis by professional data vendors.

6. Email Marketing Campaigns

A B2B emails list can dramatically improve your deliverability and engagement rates when it comes to email marketing tools. Working with a data-as-a-service provider ensures you’re getting quality data, reflecting the most recent email addresses for employees of your target audience. This way, you’re not sending emails to contacts who no longer work at the company or trying to activate an outdated automation tool.

7. B2B Data Enrichment

Customers looking to buy data online want value for their money. B2B or company data enrichment refers to the process of adding more layers to the existing data to make it more valuable. The benefits of B2B data enrichment include better segmentation and targeting, more sales opportunities, increased conversion rates, and effective nurturing of leads. Some B2B data providers in the market today specialize in offering B2B data enrichment tools.

B2B Data Attributes

Most B2B databases will contain the following attributes and look something like this:

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Types of B2B Data

B2B data is a huge data category. Beneath it, there are lots of sub-categories. Selecting the right category of data depending on your company’s sales and marketing strategies and intended use case. Let’s have a look at the different B2B sub-categories and the advantages of each one.

Firmographic Data

Firmographic data is information that can be used to categorize and build a profile for organizations. Firmographic data points can include:

• The company’s industry
• Type of organization (i.e. private company, subsidiary etc.)
• Company location
• Number of employees
• Number of clients
• Company revenue
• Investors
• Financial information (including rounds of funding)

Technographic Data

Technographic data tells you about the software, hardware and other tooling a company has in its technology stack. Technographic data is particularly useful for sales and marketing teams at SaaS and tech companies to understand what potential prospects have in their existing tech stack, identify what’s missing, and center marketing activities and outbound sales around how their SaaS can benefit the client. Technographic data can include:

• Existing technologies in use
• Gaps in the tech stack
• Potential for SaaS solutions

B2B Intent Data

Intent data provides insight into a lead’s purchase intent, allowing you to identify if and when a prospect is actively considering, or looking to purchase your (or similar) products or solutions. This enables marketing teams to make informed, timely campaign decisions when a prospect’s purchase intent is at its highest. B2B intent data can include:

• Indicators of purchase intent
• Timing for marketing campaigns
• Identification of high-interest prospects

Company Data

Company data comprises information that offers insight into a company’s characteristics and performance, including financial statements, sales figures, customer information, employee records, and market research data. It’s used for analyzing company performance, conducting market research, and identifying potential business opportunities. This data can include:

• Financial statements
• Sales figures
• Customer information
• Employee records
• Market research data

B2B Contact Data

As well as knowing the important facts about how a company operates, you need to know who the decision-makers are so that you can get in touch with people who you can work with to actually make an impact. Contact data enables you to achieve precisely this. Contact data points include:

• Full name
• Job title
• Demographic data about the individual e.g. level of education
• Email address
• Phone number
• LinkedIn URL

B2B Engagement Data

Engagement data measures audience response to your content. Engagement data points can include:

• Social media likes and shares
• Time spent on your webpage vs. industry average
• Average industry bounce and exit rates
• Contact data for the most engaged leads

Benefits of using International B2B Data for Global Business Expansion

Using international B2B data for global business expansion can offer several benefits. First and foremost, it can provide businesses with a comprehensive view of the global market, enabling them to identify new business opportunities and potential customers in different regions.

By leveraging international B2B data, businesses can also gain insights into the cultural and economic differences that exist between different regions, which can help them tailor their marketing strategies and approach to meet the unique needs of each market.

Additionally, international B2B data can help businesses assess the competitive landscape in different regions, which can inform their decision-making when it comes to entering new markets or expanding their operations globally.

Overall, the use of international B2B data can help businesses make informed decisions that can lead to successful global expansion and increased revenue.

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B2B Data Collection

B2B data collection starts with collecting what you already know and then finding the right external sources to supplement the knowledge . Your internal data comes from your billing systems and CRM tools, and once you’ve got that you can then purchase external datasets to enrich existing knowledge to create in-depth insights about potential customers.

It’s important to define an end-goal as this will define what B2B data you require from third party data providers. For instance, sourcing new leads and understanding credit scores would require very different data. Once you’ve established what B2B data you require, you’ll be in a position to supplement your existing data with that supplied by a relevant B2B data provider.

External data providers work with the latest technologies to collect vast amounts of raw data for your needs. They implement technological solutions on the web to measure your prospects’ technological stack and buyers’ readiness, and have robots scraping the web for insights from social media, company registries, and more.

Typical B2B Data Products

B2B data products come in different types. Here’s an overview of the most common ones available to buy from data marketplaces.

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)

APIs allow businesses to access real-time data from various sources. APIs enable businesses to integrate data into their own systems and applications. B2B Data APIs are particularly useful for businesses that require up-to-date information, such as stock prices or weather data.

Ready-Made Datasets

Ready-made datasets are a type of B2B data product that provides pre-packaged data sets for businesses to use. B2B datasets often contain information on industries, companies, demographics, and more. Ready-made datasets are particularly useful for businesses that require specific types of data but don’t have the resources or time to collect it themselves.

Slice and Dice Lists

Slice and dice lists are a type of B2B data product that provides customizable lists of leads or contacts for businesses to use. These lists can be filtered by industry, location, job title, company size, and more. Slice and dice lists are particularly useful for businesses that require targeted leads or contacts for their sales or marketing campaigns.

Data-as-a-Service (DaaS)

Data-as-a-Service is a type of B2B data product that provides businesses with access to cloud-based databases and analytics tools. DaaS enables businesses to store and analyze large amounts of data without the need for their own infrastructure. DaaS is particularly useful for businesses that require advanced analytics capabilities but don’t have the resources or expertise to build their own data infrastructure.

Assessing B2B Data Quality

Good quality B2B data is essential for a business. One of the best ways to ensure your company is purchasing good B2B data is to buy from a reputable source. A reliable data vendor will ensure the B2B data is regularly cleaned, validated, and updated to improve your ROI and make sure everything is up to date.

Moreover, a leading B2B provider will have a range of data products, comprehensive industry and geographic coverage, reviews from satisfied customers, and will always be able to provide a data sample. Ask your data provider to provide you with a sample of their B2B database to check the data quality before you purchase.

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B2B Data Pricing

The more common pricing models we see in the data market include:

• Monthly subscriptions to real time databases
• One time payments for larger historical datasets
• Custom quotes for larger enterprises with special needs

Most companies prefer to rely on automated B2B data solutions and have their sales team’s time better spent having conversations with qualified leads and closing new business. B2B data service providers handle the data’s accuracy, freshness, and GDPR/CCPA compliance, leaving your team free to spend their valuable time closing deals.

So, that’s a wrap! We hope our overview of B2B data has shed some light on this versatile data category.

Be sure to check out the list of B2B data providers on Datarade for help find the right B2B data source for your project.

How Reliable is the Quality of B2B Data?

Accuracy rates usually range between 95% and 100%, depending on the provider and dataset. Regular updates, such as bi-weekly or monthly, help maintain data reliability. We suggest requesting sample data to assess quality directly.

How Frequently is B2B Data Updated?

Update frequency varies by provider and dataset, with options like bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly, or on-demand updates. Some datasets, especially those incorporating AI, offer more frequent updates for timely insights. When selecting a data product, think about how often you’ll need updated data.

How is B2B Data Secured?

B2B data providers prioritize secure data handling, using transfer protocols like SFTP, REST API, or cloud-based delivery through platforms like AWS S3 or Google Cloud. Encryption during transfer is common to protect sensitive information, allowing you to incorporate the data into your systems in compliance with security standards.

How Can I Access B2B Data?

Common formats include CSV, JSON, XLS, and XML files, supporting smooth integration into various platforms. Delivery methods may include direct download, S3 buckets, APIs, or UI exports for manual handling. Providers are often open to custom formats or delivery methods if your system has specific needs.

What Pricing Options are Available for B2B Data?

B2B data pricing is structured to suit different budgets. Options may include one-time purchases, monthly or yearly licenses, and usage-based pricing. A cost-per-lead model can work well for focused outreach or lead generation efforts. Many providers also offer free samples on Datarade, letting you evaluate data quality before committing.

Which Countries are Covered by B2B Data?

Global B2B data products typically cover hundreds of countries, including regions across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Some providers focus on specific areas, like the United States, with in-depth data on local contacts and companies. If your focus is on international markets, look for datasets offering extensive coverage to support your outreach goals.