Why Single-Source Intent Sucks

And How Multi-Source Intent Gives You the Full Picture of Buyer Readiness

In B2B sales and marketing, timing is everything. Yet most teams are still trying to spot in-market buyers using one narrow lens — a single source of intent.

Maybe it’s website visits. Or keyword spikes from one publisher. Or activity from one data vendor.

Here’s the problem: relying on a single source of intent is like trying to close deals with one eye shut. You see part of the picture, but miss critical details — and that means missed opportunities, wasted spend, and a slower path to revenue.

This blog explores:

• Why single-source intent is flawed
• What happens when you rely on one dataset
• How multi-source intent gives you accuracy, confidence, and speed
• A real-world example of how teams are using Lead Onion to see (and convert) the full picture

The Problem: One Source = One Perspective

Let’s start with the basics.

A typical B2B buying journey involves 6–10 decision-makers, each consuming an average of 13 pieces of content before ever speaking to a sales rep (Gartner). They’re researching on publisher sites, review platforms, webinars, competitor pages, LinkedIn — everywhere.

So, when your intent provider only tracks one type of behaviour, you’re missing most of the story.

Here’s what that looks like in practice:

• Publisher-only intent → You know who’s reading an article, but not if they’re also visiting your site or competitor pages.
• Website intent only → You see visitors, but not whether they’re researching elsewhere or comparing vendors.
• Review-site intent → You spot late-stage buyers but miss early-stage awareness.

Each dataset is valuable — but incomplete.

And incomplete data creates false positives (accounts that look hot but aren’t buying) and false negatives (real buyers you never see).

According to Forrester, more than 60% of B2B marketers say their biggest challenge with intent data is “inconsistent or incomplete coverage.”

The Hidden Cost of Blind Spots

Let’s say you’re running outbound based on a single data stream.

Your SDR team sees a handful of companies showing “interest” in your category from one publisher feed. They prioritise outreach, spend days personalising messages… and nothing lands.

Why? Because without cross-validation from other sources — like search intent, review activity, or social engagement — you can’t tell if that signal was genuine buying interest or just casual browsing.

Meanwhile, your competitors — who are using multi-source intent — are identifying the same companies across several data streams, confirming they’re genuinely in-market, and reaching out first.

By the time your team makes contact, the deal’s already in progress.

📉 Result: Missed timing. Missed opportunities. Missed revenue.

The Fix: Multi-Source Intent

To truly understand who’s ready to buy, you need depth and validation.

That’s where multi-source intent comes in.

Lead Onion combines 20+ intent data streams — spanning publisher, review, search, CRM, trigger, and social signals — and layers them into a unified view of buyer activity.

Instead of one noisy signal, you see a consistent pattern of behaviour that clearly indicates readiness.

• Breadth: Capture signals across every stage of the buying journey — from early awareness to final vendor comparison.
• Depth: Validate across multiple independent sources to separate real intent from noise.
• Speed: Spot surges in research the moment they happen, so you can engage first.

Why It Matters

Multi-source intent isn’t just about more data — it’s about better data.

Here’s what the difference looks like:

💡 According to Demand Gen Report, teams using multi-source intent are 3.2x more likely to achieve double-digit pipeline growth compared to single-source users.

Putting It Into Practice: The Lead Onion Model

Lead Onion’s Research Quadrant™ analyses intent by fit (how closely the account matches your ICP) and intensity (how strong the signals are).

This two-dimensional view lets you instantly focus on the top-right quadrant — those high-fit, high-intent accounts most likely to buy.

From there, the process is simple:

1. Search: Use Intent Search to instantly surface in-market accounts from 20+ sources.
2. Reveal: See verified contacts and signal context — who’s researching, what they’re comparing, and where they’re engaging.
3. Activate: Route those IQLs directly into cadences, workflows, or LinkedIn campaigns.

The result? A continuous flow of verified, in-market buyers entering your funnel — not static data that goes stale.

The ROI of a Multi-Source Strategy

When you blend and validate intent, you don’t just get more data — you get better business outcomes.

• 2x higher conversion rates than teams using single-source data (Gartner).
• 40% shorter deal cycles when engaging at the moment of intent (Forrester).
• Up to 74% reduction in data costs by replacing static lists with live, validated intent streams (Lead Onion benchmark).

And because all of this is automated inside Lead Onion, your team spends less time hunting for signals and more time closing deals.

The Bottom Line

Single-source intent might give you a glimpse of buyer behaviour, but it won’t give you the full story.

To see the complete picture — and act before competitors do — you need multi-source intent that validates, scores, and activates across every stage of the buying journey.

That’s exactly what Lead Onion’s Intent Search delivers.

Ready to See It for Yourself?

The best way to understand the power of multi-source intent is to try it yourself. In just a few clicks, you’ll see how to uncover verified, in-market buyers and turn those signals into revenue.

🎁 Start your free trial today and claim 1,000 free Intent Qualified Leads as part of our “First 100” launch offer.

👉 Start Your Free Trial + Claim 1,000 IQLs