Intent Marketing: Why the Right Audience Matters More Than Impressions

Have you ever felt personally victimised by an ad for something you have absolutely no interest in? Like that time you got served an ad for high-performance golf clubs when the closest you’ve ever been to golf is mini-golf with a windmill? Or worse—when a brand you’ve never heard of chases you around the internet like a clingy ex?

Welcome to modern advertising, where companies are spending fortunes just to get ignored.

We live in an age where advertising is relentless. From the moment we wake up and scroll through social media, to watching YouTube videos, listening to the radio, or even waiting for our Uber Eats order, ads are constantly invading our space. The average person is exposed to between 6,000 and 10,000 ads per day. That’s roughly 90 minutes a day of your life consumed by advertising, and over four years of your lifetime spent watching commercials, banners, pop-ups, and autoplay videos.

But here’s the kicker—most of these ads aren’t relevant to us. They’re not tapping into our needs, desires, or purchase intentions. They’re just noise. And that’s where intent marketing changes the game

Impressions Are Vanity, Intent Is Sanity

Many brands still operate under the illusion that more impressions mean better results. They see a six-figure impression count and think, “Great! Look at all these people who saw our ad!” But did they actually care? Did they engage? Did they buy? Or did they just scroll past faster than you skip the YouTube ad for yet another VPN service?

Marketing isn’t just about being seen; it’s about being seen by the right people. This is where intent marketing comes in. Instead of blasting ads at anyone with a pulse, intent marketing focuses on targeting people who are actively searching for, or interested in, what you have to offer.

The Death of Creative Advertising

Not only are ads more frequent, but they’ve also become cheaper and increasingly uninspired. Remember when TV ads used to be entertaining, even iconic? Think back to the days of Guinness’s ‘Surfer’ ad or Cadbury’s drumming gorilla. Now, we get bombarded with cookie-cutter, AI-generated, corporate fluff that lacks imagination and often misses the point of the product entirely.

A classic example? The infamous Pepsi ad featuring Kendall Jenner, which attempted to solve global unrest with a can of soda. It was so tone-deaf it got pulled within 24 hours. Even big brands miss the mark when they ignore audience intent and instead focus on forced ‘engagement’.

Why Talking to the Right Audience Matters

With advertising costs rising and attention spans shrinking (thanks, TikTok), it’s more important than ever to reach people who actually want to hear from you. Here’s why:

1. Lower Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) – If you’re throwing money at people who have no interest in your product, you’re essentially burning cash. Intent-based marketing ensures your spend goes towards people who are more likely to convert.
2. Higher Engagement Rates – People who want your product will actually interact with your ads instead of mindlessly scrolling past.
3. Less Ad Fatigue – The more irrelevant ads people see, the more they start to tune them out. By targeting the right audience, you keep your brand from becoming just another annoying distraction.
4. Better Brand Perception – When your ads resonate, people remember you in a positive light. When they don’t, they associate your brand with irritation. Ever developed an irrational hatred for a brand just because their ad wouldn’t stop following you? Exactly.

So, How Do You Get It Right?

If you want your ads to hit the right audience, here’s what you need to do:

1. Know Your Buyer’s Intent

Not everyone who sees your ad is at the same stage of the buying journey. Some are just browsing, some are ready to buy, and some clicked by mistake while trying to close a pop-up. Use intent-based targeting to reach those who are actively searching for solutions your product provides.

2. Stop Relying on Basic Demographics

Just because someone is 35 and lives in London doesn’t mean they need a new mattress. Go deeper with behavioural data. What are they searching for? What sites do they visit? What do they engage with?

3. Retarget Smartly (Not Annoyingly)

If someone visited your website, don’t just hit them with the same generic ad 15 times. Use dynamic retargeting that speaks to their specific interests. Show them the product they viewed, offer a discount, or remind them why they were interested in the first place.

4. Be Entertaining and Informative

People hate ads, but they love good content. If your ad is funny, thought-provoking, or genuinely useful, people will actually engage. Think about why brands like Old Spice or Wendy’s Twitter account go viral—they entertain, rather than just sell.

5. Test, Analyse, Optimise

If your ad isn’t working, don’t double down—pivot. A/B test different messages, creatives, and audience segments to see what actually works.

Conclusion: Make Your Ads Count

We’re all drowning in ads, but the ones that stand out are the ones that speak to the right people. Intent marketing isn’t just about avoiding wasted ad spend—it’s about creating ads that people actually want to see. The next time you’re planning a campaign or allow your marketing company to take a lead, ask yourself: Are you reaching the right audience, or just adding to the noise?

Because if your ad isn’t making an impact, it’s just another scroll into oblivion.