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🤔 The two "intent" signals almost everyone mixes up

  • June 30, 2026
  • 6 replies
  • 39 views
Abesh.Sengupta
Community Champion
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Quick check: can you explain the difference between Buyer Intent and Category Intent in Sales Navigator? 👀

You're in good company if it's fuzzy — it's hands-down one of the most-asked questions we get.

Here's the 10-second version 👇 🔵 Buyer Intent → how much a company is engaging with YOUR brand on LinkedIn. Translation: "they're warming up to you." 🟢 Category Intent → companies actively looking for a solution like yours — even if they've never heard your name. Translation: "they're in-market right now."

One says "they know us." The other says "they're shopping."

💬 So tell me — which one are you leaning on today: Buyer Intent or Category Intent? (And total honesty welcome: "haven't touched either yet 🙈" is a valid answer — that's what this community is for.)

    6 replies

    Damien-XocialGong
    Community Expert
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    I want the whole pie so I lean toward both 😆I want them to know us and I want those that are shopping. 

      Abesh.Sengupta
      Community Champion
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      • Abesh.Sengupta
      • Author
      • Community Champion
      • June 30, 2026

      I want the whole pie so I lean toward both 😆I want them to know us and I want those that are shopping. 

      ​@Damien-XocialGong 

      😄 I love that answer! Honestly, I'd lean toward both as well.

      Buyer Intent helps identify accounts that are already engaging with your brand, while Category Intent helps uncover organizations that are actively in the market—even if they haven't discovered you yet. Using both together gives you a more complete picture: one helps you nurture existing interest, and the other helps you identify new opportunities.

      If I had to choose, I'd still say... why settle for one slice when you can have the whole pie? 🍰

        Sinchu Raju
        Community Champion
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        • Sinchu Raju
        • Community Champion
        • June 30, 2026

        Great explanation, ​@Abesh.Sengupta! I see them as complementary rather than competing. Buyer Intent helps prioritize warm accounts already engaging with your brand, while Category Intent uncovers new in-market opportunities. Using both together creates a much stronger prospecting strategy.

        Sinchu Raju
          Alexandre Damiani
          Community Champion
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          gostei muito da abordagem do tema e entender que podem parecer iguais, mas são diferentes. Uma você já criou algum tipo de relação ou credibilidade pela marca, a outra ainda é um estranho. Mas concordo com algumas mensagens acima. As 2 interessam, mas com ações diferentes. Obrigado pelo texto ​@Abesh.Sengupta 

          Networker
            Abesh.Sengupta
            Community Champion
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            • Abesh.Sengupta
            • Author
            • Community Champion
            • July 1, 2026

            Great explanation, ​@Abesh.Sengupta! I see them as complementary rather than competing. Buyer Intent helps prioritize warm accounts already engaging with your brand, while Category Intent uncovers new in-market opportunities. Using both together creates a much stronger prospecting strategy.

            Thanks! I completely agree with that perspective. Neither signal is meant to replace the other—they answer different questions in the buying journey.

            Category Intent helps identify accounts that are actively exploring a solution area, while Buyer Intent provides additional context around engagement with your brand. Used together, they help prioritize outreach more effectively and enable more relevant, timely conversations.

            It's the combination of both that often gives sales teams the clearest picture of where to focus their efforts.

              Abesh.Sengupta
              Community Champion
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              • Abesh.Sengupta
              • Author
              • Community Champion
              • July 1, 2026

              gostei muito da abordagem do tema e entender que podem parecer iguais, mas são diferentes. Uma você já criou algum tipo de relação ou credibilidade pela marca, a outra ainda é um estranho. Mas concordo com algumas mensagens acima. As 2 interessam, mas com ações diferentes. Obrigado pelo texto ​@Abesh.Sengupta 

              ​@Alexandre Damiani 

              Obrigado! Fico feliz que a diferença tenha ficado clara.

              Concordo plenamente com a sua perspectiva. Embora ambos os sinais sejam valiosos, eles representam momentos diferentes da jornada de compra e exigem abordagens diferentes. Um ajuda a fortalecer o relacionamento com contas que já conhecem sua marca, enquanto o outro ajuda a identificar novas oportunidades que estão começando a explorar o mercado.

              Usar os dois em conjunto proporciona uma estratégia de prospecção mais equilibrada e eficaz. Obrigado por compartilhar sua opinião!

              Observação: Esta resposta foi traduzida usando uma ferramenta de tradução. Peço desculpas por qualquer erro ou imprecisão na tradução.

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