From instinct to insight: how publishers are shaping content with Bombora

Great journalism and strong storytelling still start with instinct—knowing what makes a topic timely, a story worth telling, or an angle worth pursuing.

But today, instinct alone isn’t enough. Relevance now defines impact. To stay relevant, publishers need visibility into what audiences actually care about. They not only need a view into what performed yesterday, but what audiences are researching today. 

The new foundation for editorial strategy

Traditional analytics tell publishers what happened—how many clicks, where readers came from, how long they stayed. Bombora helps publishers go a step further, showing why it’s happening and what’s next. 

• Intent reveals what topics target audiences are actively researching across the broader B2B web.
• Visitor Insights, our identity and enrichment tool, identifies who those readers are on your own site (the business domains, industries, and roles engaging with your content).

Together, these signals help editorial teams see the whole picture: what matters to their audiences, when interest peaks, and where new opportunities are emerging.

Four ways publishers are using Bombora to build smarter content strategies

1. See what your audience cares about before they reach your site

Publishers are using Bombora’s Intent data to understand what their audiences are reading across the B2B web, not just the articles on their own properties. This view reveals the topics audiences are actively researching right now—and how that interest is shifting over time—because Bombora measures changes against an enduring historical baseline. It’s a view that shows editors not only what’s capturing attention today, but where momentum is building next.

This intelligence is changing how content strategies are built. Editorial teams use Intent signals to identify emerging themes, shape coverage calendars, and commission stories while audience interest is climbing—not after it peaks. When you know what your target audience is exploring before they even arrive on your site, you can lead the conversation rather than chase it.

2. Turn first-party audience insight into editorial strategy

With Bombora’s Visitor Insights, publishers can go beyond traffic metrics to truly understand who their readers are. The data shows company- and persona-level details—industry, revenue, location, professional group, job function, seniority—revealing how those audiences align with your editorial mission.

Many editorial leaders are using these insights to validate and evolve their content focus. If analysis shows your strongest readership comes from mid-sized financial services companies, and Intent data indicates they’re heavily researching “purchase price allocation (PPA),” that’s a clear opportunity to create content tailored to that demand.

Many publishers take it a step further by building content series around the topics their readers are most invested in, then launching sponsored campaigns to extend those themes. It’s a data-backed way to connect editorial insight and commercial success—grounded in what the audience actually cares about.

3. Tailor content to your audience’s preferences

Visitor Insights gives editorial teams a level of reader understanding that goes beyond demographics. With clarity into who’s engaging, publishers can refine their tone, depth, and format to serve readers better.

If data shows a large share of senior executives consuming your coverage, that might call for more analytical, perspective-driven pieces. If mid-level professionals dominate, quick-hit explainers or visual formats may resonate more. Some publishers are even using these insights to inform contributor strategy by choosing experts that mirror their audience profile or align with trending topics.

When you understand your readers at this level of detail, every editorial decision feels sharper, more intentional, and more effective.

4. Track shifts and seasonality to stay ahead of trends

Bombora’s Intent data doesn’t just provide a point-in-time snapshot; it shows how interest evolves. Publishers are looking at topic-level patterns month over month, quarter over quarter, to identify where attention is building, stabilizing, or fading.

That longitudinal view helps editorial teams plan around seasonality and anticipate recurring spikes. For example, a publisher might see that interest in “sustainability reporting” climbs sharply each spring, while “event management software” trends in Q4. This insight gives editors the foresight to align coverage, special issues, or event tie-ins accordingly.

By blending historical trendlines with current Intent signals, publishers can continuously refresh their content roadmap and ensure coverage always aligns with the topics that will matter most next.

One publisher in our Co-op saw this firsthand when recurring Intent spikes around “background music” surfaced for one of their lifestyle-focused divisions. The topic hadn’t been a major editorial priority, but the sustained interest made it impossible to ignore. After shifting their coverage to include more stories on the subject, they saw a 213% increase in page views — and the momentum opened the door for their sales team to secure multiple sponsored content campaigns tied to the same theme. It’s a powerful example of how recognizing a rising signal, even one that seems unexpected, can create value across both editorial and commercial teams.

When data and editorial instinct work together

Intent data and Visitor Insights don’t replace editorial judgment—they sharpen it. They give journalists, editors, and content strategists the context to make stronger calls about what to publish, when, and why.

And they help bridge the gap between content intuition and audience intelligence, ensuring that creative instincts are always informed by the signals that matter.

When used consistently, these insights turn editorial planning into a living, data-informed process that keeps pace with shifting audience priorities and emerging market conversations.

A smarter way forward for publishers

For members of Bombora’s Data Co-op, our solutions offer a distinct advantage: access to a collective, privacy-safe view of B2B research behavior across thousands of trusted publisher and brand sites.

It’s a foundation that helps editorial teams anticipate change, deliver relevance, and continue leading conversations in the industries they serve.

Learn more about how Bombora helps publishers understand what their audiences care about next. https://bombora.com/co-op/