We recently sat down with Ben Eisenberg, CEO of People Data Labs, to talk about something every B2B company needs but few truly master—data. Primer partners with PDL to power our audience-building tools, and we’ve seen firsthand how the right data can make or break a go-to-market strategy.
Ben put it best: Every company is becoming a data company. But collecting and using that data effectively? That’s where things get tricky. Here are the key takeaways from our conversation about what matters in B2B data today.
What you must know about go-to-market B2B data in 2025
1. Third-Party Data Is a Must-Have
Relying only on internal data gives you a narrow view of your audience. That’s why more companies are turning to third-party data providers—experts at gathering and structuring data you wouldn’t otherwise access.
The question isn’t whether to buy data or build it yourself. It’s about opportunity cost. Managing, cleaning, and making sense of data is time-consuming. If you spend all your energy on that, what’s left for actually running your business?
2. Data Quality > Data Quantity
B2B buyers are drowning in outreach. Irrelevant emails and ads get ignored. That’s why focusing on better data—rather than just more data—is critical.
As Ben put it:
There’s been a big shift away from volume and vanity metrics. Now, it’s all about data quality and understanding it at a deeper level.
The best data helps you reach the right people with the right message at the right time. That’s what drives conversions.
3. AI Is Only as Good as the Data Behind It
More companies are training AI models using their own first-party data, plus external sources. That’s great—until bad data enters the mix.
Poor training data leads to:
❌ Bad marketing decisions
❌ Off-target customer interactions
❌ Wasted ad spend
Before investing in AI, make sure your data is rock solid. Otherwise, you’re automating inefficiency. Read how to choose the right data provider.
4. Headcount Data > Revenue Data
Most data providers emphasize company revenue. The problem? Revenue data is often inferred and inconsistent.
Ben put it bluntly:
I'm a big hater on revenue data. We've done a lot of digging on how a lot of different data providers generate their revenue numbers. And there are some providers that claim they get it first-party. There are some providers that claim that they infer it. There are some providers that claim somewhere in the middle. But generally, even the providers that are getting it first-party are doing some level of inference."
Instead, consider headcount data. It’s easier to verify, and it often correlates more directly with company size and budget.
5. Measuring Data ROI
Not many companies calculate data ROI so far, but it's a valuable metric that allows you to see the real value of the data before using it on a larger scale. For example, when evaluating the suitability of third-party data for sales and marketing, you can upload slices of data to ad platforms. Once the data is there, extract ROI metrics from the platform. By running several campaigns with this data, you can see how it performs in real life.
Such evaluation allows you to pick data sources that benefit your company and bring maximum benefits. You know exactly how much you get from the data spending.
6. Test Everything
Third-party data isn’t a plug-and-play solution. It requires validation.
- Cross-check data against your CRM.
- Compare with public sources (e.g., LinkedIn for employment data).
- Ask providers how they collect and verify data.
I always tell customers: don’t take my word for it—test my data in production and tell me how it performs. —Ben Eisenberg
Bad data leads to bad decisions. Don’t assume it’s right. Prove it.
7. Reverse IP Tracking: Use It While You Can
Reverse IP tracking is a powerful way to identify anonymous website visitors. But privacy concerns are growing, and it won’t last forever.
Ben’s take:
People are okay with emails and phone calls. They’re not okay with being tracked when they think they’re anonymous.
With cookies on their way out, now’s the time to test alternative targeting methods. Find more insights on how to do digital marketing in the age of phased-out Chrome cookies.
8. Job Descriptions: A Goldmine for B2B Targeting
One underrated data source? Job postings.
They reveal:
- The tools a company uses
- Its hiring priorities
- The challenges it’s trying to solve
Companies are also starting to aggregate every public-facing document—blogs, case studies, press releases—to generate a real-time understanding of what a business is focused on.
If your data provider isn’t doing this, you’re leaving insights on the table.
9. The Right Tools Make Data Actionable
Having great data is one thing. Using it effectively is another. That’s where tools like Clay, MutinyHQ, Koala, Warmly and others (maybe Primer :wink: come in. These platforms make it easy to take action on data effectively and scalably. They plug data into your marketing and sales activities so that you can more efficiently acquire customers.
Conclusion
Not all of these trends will apply to every business, but one thing is clear: data accuracy and quality are non-negotiable.
If you’re only using first-party data, you’re missing a huge part of the picture. Smart third-party data usage gives you a competitive edge.
The best B2B marketers aren’t just collecting data—they’re making it work for them.
Want to see what better data can do for B2B ad targeting? Let’s talk.
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