Intent signals are behaviors that indicate someone is actively moving toward a purchase — searches, product views, comparison behavior, cart activity — as opposed to demographic traits that only describe who they are.
Definition
Search queries are the classic explicit intent signal; behavioral intent (pricing page visits, repeat product views, add-to-carts) is implicit but often stronger. Platforms package intent into targetable segments (in-market audiences) and, more importantly, feed it into auction-time bidding — modern delivery AI weighs intent signals per impression whether or not you target them explicitly.
Why it matters
Budget allocated by intent depth outperforms budget allocated by audience description: a mid-funnel searcher is worth more than a perfectly demo-matched cold user. Reading account performance through an intent lens — which campaigns capture demand versus create it — is how allocation decisions get honest.
In agentic execution
Adlyse's agents weigh intent-tier performance in reallocation proposals — funding demand capture to its ceiling before pushing incremental spend into demand creation, each shift human-approved.
Related terms
See these concepts running on your own accounts.
Start with a free audit and see what an agentic workforce would change first.
Start a free audit