---
title: Buying Intent Data
description: Detect buying intent signals from job postings across 9,000+ topics and 14 keyword types. Identify companies actively looking to buy software, services, and equipment based on what they hire for.
url: https://theirstack.com/en/docs/data/buying-intent
---

Job postings are one of the strongest buying intent signals available. When a company hires for a role, it reveals what problems they're trying to solve, what tools they need, and what initiatives they're investing in. TheirStack analyzes every job posting to extract these signals automatically.

## What is buying intent data?

Buying intent data identifies companies that are likely in the market for a specific product or service. Traditional intent data relies on web browsing behavior or content consumption. TheirStack takes a different approach: **we extract intent signals directly from job postings**.

When a company posts a job mentioning "ERP implementation", "OSHA compliance", or "trade show coordination", that's a strong signal they're actively investing in that area — and likely need tools, services, or vendors to support it.

## How it works

Every job posting processed by TheirStack is analyzed to detect **buying intent topic keywords** — non-technology terms that reveal what a company is doing, buying, or planning.

1.  **Job collection** — We collect jobs from 336k+ sources across 195 countries.
2.  **Keyword detection** — Each job is analyzed to detect both [technology keywords](/en/docs/data/technographic) and buying intent topic keywords.
3.  **Company rollup** — Detected keywords roll up to the company level, so you can search for companies by buying intent signals across all their open roles.
4.  **Catalog classification** — Every keyword is classified into one of 14 keyword types, making it easy to filter by signal category.

## Keyword types

We detect over **9.4k buying intent topic keywords** across 14 keyword types.

| Keyword type | Example signals | Sales use case |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Technology Concept](/en/list/companies-implementing) | [Lift and Shift](/en/list/companies-implementing-lift-and-shift), [Data Analytics](/en/list/companies-implementing-data-analytics), [Project Management](/en/list/companies-implementing-project-management) | Companies adopting new methodologies |
| [Operational Activity](/en/list/companies-doing) | [Compliance](/en/list/companies-doing-compliance), [Audits](/en/list/companies-doing-audits), [Background Checks](/en/list/companies-doing-background-checks) | Sell process automation, GRC tools |
| [Product or Service Offered](/en/list/companies-offering) | [Health Insurance](/en/list/companies-offering-health-insurance), [401k](/en/list/companies-offering-401k), [Paid Time Off](/en/list/companies-offering-paid-time-off) | Sell benefits platforms, payroll tools |
| [Physical Equipment](/en/list/companies-buying) | [Solar Panels](/en/list/companies-buying-solar-panels), [Industrial Robots](/en/list/companies-buying-industrial-robots), [Mining Safety Equipment](/en/list/companies-buying-mining-safety-equipment) | Sell equipment, safety solutions, IoT |
| [Metric or Concept](/en/list/companies-tracking) | [Customer Satisfaction](/en/list/companies-tracking-customer-satisfaction), [Sales Goals](/en/list/companies-tracking-sales-goals), [Performance Indicators](/en/list/companies-tracking-performance-indicator) | Sell analytics, CX tools |
| [Strategic Initiative](/en/list/companies-investing-in) | [Digital Transformation](/en/list/companies-investing-in-digital-transformation), [Sustainability](/en/list/companies-investing-in-sustainability), [Net Zero](/en/list/companies-investing-in-net-zero) | Sell consulting, change management |
| Software Product | CRM, ERP, Point of Sale, HRIS | Sell alternatives or integrations |
| [Regulation](/en/list/companies-complying-with) | [GDPR](/en/list/companies-complying-with-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr), [HIPAA](/en/list/companies-complying-with-hipaa-compliance), [SOC 2](/en/list/companies-complying-with-soc-2) | Sell compliance and legal tech |
| [Industry Vertical](/en/list/companies-specializing-in) | [Hotels & Accommodations](/en/list/companies-specializing-in-hotels-accommodations), [Colleges & Universities](/en/list/companies-specializing-in-colleges-universities) | Industry-specific targeting for vertical SaaS |
| [Threat or Risk](/en/list/companies-fighting) | [Carbon Monoxide Poisoning](/en/list/companies-fighting-carbon-monoxide-poisoning), [Palmer Amaranth](/en/list/companies-fighting-palmer-amaranth) | Sell mitigation solutions |
| [Medical Research](/en/list/companies-researching) | [COVID-19](/en/list/companies-researching-coronavirus-covid-19), [Immunization](/en/list/companies-researching-immunization), [Stem Cell](/en/list/companies-researching-stem-cell) | Pharma/biotech R&D targeting |
| [Event](/en/list/companies-attending) | [Trade Shows](/en/list/companies-attending-trade-shows-events), [Holidays & Seasonal Events](/en/list/companies-attending-holidays-seasonal-events) | Sell event tech, marketing services |
| [Commodity](/en/list/companies-trading) | [Carbon Dioxide](/en/list/companies-trading-carbon-dioxide-co2), [Liquid Hydrogen](/en/list/companies-trading-liquid-hydrogen-lh2), [Low-Carbon Ammonia](/en/list/companies-trading-low-carbon-ammonia) | Sell trading, logistics, sustainability tools |
| [Government Body](/en/list/companies-working-with) | [State/Local/Municipal](/en/list/companies-working-with-state-local-municipal), [Port Authority](/en/list/companies-working-with-port-authority) | Sell GovTech, procurement tools |

## How to use buying intent data

### In the app

-   **[Company search](/en/docs/app/company-search)** — Filter companies by buying intent keywords. Combine with firmographic and technographic filters to build highly targeted account lists.
-   **[Job search](/en/docs/app/job-search)** — Search for individual job postings that mention specific buying intent topics. Useful to find the exact roles and descriptions that reveal a company's needs.
-   **[Webhooks](/en/docs/webhooks)** — Get notified in real time when companies publish new jobs mentioning specific buying intent topics, so you can reach out while the need is fresh.

### Via the API

Buying intent keywords are available through the same fields used for technology keywords:

-   **Job level**: `keyword_slugs` field contains all detected keywords (technologies + buying intent topics). Use `keyword_slug_or`, `keyword_slug_and`, and `keyword_slug_not` filters.
-   **Company level**: `keyword_slugs`, `num_buying_intent_topics`, and `company_tags` fields. Use `company_keyword_slug_or`, `company_keyword_slug_and`, and `company_keyword_slug_not` filters.
-   **Catalog**: `GET /v0/catalog/keywords` lists all keywords. Filter with `keyword_type_not=technology` to get only buying intent topics.

See the [API reference](/en/docs/api-reference) for full details.

## Buying intent vs. technographic data

|  | [Technographic data](/en/docs/data/technographic) | Buying intent data |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **What it detects** | Technologies a company uses (languages, frameworks, tools) | Non-technology signals (activities, initiatives, regulations, equipment) |
| **Signal type** | "This company uses Snowflake" | "This company is investing in compliance" |
| **Best for** | Selling dev tools, infrastructure, SaaS that integrates with specific tech | Selling services, consulting, equipment, vertical SaaS, non-tech products |
| **Keyword count** | 32k+ | 9.4k+ |
| **Available in** | `technology_slugs` and `keyword_slugs` | `keyword_slugs` only |

Both data types are extracted from the same job postings and can be combined in a single search query.

## Further reading

-   [How we source buying intent data](/en/docs/data/buying-intent/how-we-source-buying-intent-data) — Learn how TheirStack detects buying intent signals from millions of job postings worldwide, classifying them into 14 keyword types to reveal what companies are actively investing in.
-   [Statistics](/en/docs/data/buying-intent/statistics) — Discover buying intent data statistics with thousands of topics tracked, millions of signals, and companies monitored across global job postings.
-   [Use cases](/en/docs/data/buying-intent/use-cases) — Discover how teams use buying intent data from job postings to identify companies actively investing in specific areas, sell to high-intent prospects, and build targeted account lists.