Most websites use “tracking cookies” to gain better insights into site visitors and improve the user experience. But today, due to privacy regulations such as GDPR and the California Consumer Privacy Act, many of the entities behind these websites are now being required to gain permission from site visitors when tracking cookies are in play.

This has added a layer of complexity for users and businesses alike, and it’s one reason the use of cookies is starting to trend downward. Instead, we are seeing Internet Protocol (IP) address tracking start to rise as a more viable alternative for marketers. IP address data can be used to drive targeted digital marketing activities such as display ads as well as geolocation-based content customization for language preferences, “shop near you” offers, and more. This form of digital tracking can also be used to identify the companies that have visited a given website so that businesses can re-target them with follow-on marketing. The process involves the use of a lookup tool that matches the detected IP to an IP registry database.

At OMI, where our focus is on strategic audience building for start-ups all the way up to Fortune 50 organizations, IP address tracking represents a powerful way to uncover prospect buyer intent signals for our customers. These signals not only emanate from website visits, but also from content downloads, email marketing clicks and other digital engagement activities. By recognizing which businesses are searching for your solution (or topics related to it) and when they are searching for it, IP address lookups can go a long way toward uncovering warm leads as well as prospects who are ready to “buy now.”

However, IP lookups have their limitations, as they primarily provide company data as opposed to identifying the actual individual conducting the online search. Fortunately, there is a solution: by combining intent data with individual contact information within these companies, lead generation initiatives can be fueled by data that is much more targeted. This combination allows B2B marketers to take their lead generation initiatives to the next level and pinpoint individual contacts who hold high promise of becoming customers. As a frontrunner in this area with a track record in high-quality business contact data, we at OMI are partnering with innovators in the intent monitoring space to enable businesses to significantly bolster account-based marketing (ABM) and other strategies to reach qualified buyers.

The takeaway for B2B marketers is this: the way to identify high quality prospects is changing. The use of cookies is on the decline as IP address identification – in combination with other strategies -- is emerging as a strong driver for effective omni-channel marketing. As these changes take hold, users will experience less intrusive and annoying website visits, while marketers will gain the ability to reach the right prospect at the right time in their buying journey.

Talk to us today to learn more about how we are combining IP address tracking, intent data and business contact data to enable our clients to reach new customers and grow their businesses.

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