What is ZoomInfo? What is It Used for?

What is ZoomInfo used for?

Companies and single users alike use ZoomInfo for:

1. Accessing contact info and company profiles (email, phone, address, job titles, etc.)
2. Conducting advanced searches for targeted lead generation
3. Increasing conversions through predictive analytics 
4. Finding potential new partners and audiences
5. Identifying industry trends and getting an inside look at competitor behavior

How does ZoomInfo get its data?

ZoomInfo collects data by web scraping as well as combing a variety of publicly available sources. They also depend on their own users and collaborators for quality data. 

AI/ML

ZoomInfo employs artificial intelligence and machine learning to help spot irregularities, themes, and contradictions in mass quantities of data. ML analyzes it, and AI scores it. AI is also useful for gaining insights from user behavior. 

Data Partnerships

Is ZoomInfo legit? Its trusted collaborators strongly indicate that it is. While many aren’t publicly identified, some known partnerships include:

• Google Cloud, where ZoomInfo nets multiple Tech Partner of the Year awards
• Databricks, a top AI innovator

Web Crawling

ZoomInfo’s algorithm sorts and extracts quality data from social media accounts, press releases, articles, company profiles, and business websites. From there, a combination of automation and manual processes clean up and validate the data.

User Contributions

Like many ZoomInfo competitors, current users help expand the collection of accurate data. Phone numbers, job titles, and department details are added and updated voluntarily by more than 20,000 global companies that use it.

Who can benefit from using ZoomInfo? 

The insights and info ZoomInfo provides can be a benefit in the daily operations of:

• Business development teams
• Sales teams
• HR departments
• Marketing teams

Business Development

Locating decision-makers among the data opens up many new opportunities. More than anything, it makes trendspotting and other market moves easier to identify. Management can extract real value by measuring interest, planning the next steps, and analyzing the competition.

Sales

Sales teams find that the filters and data accuracy make reaching the right people much more rewarding. The AI-powered pattern spotting lets teams make adjustments to current strategies with confidence. 

HR

TalentIOS helps HR professionals find the best candidates for positions in their respective industries. The company currently has a database of more than 150 million qualified individuals waiting for the next hire.

Marketing

Marketing teams can and should use advanced filters when building the ideal customer profile. ZoomInfo also promises better results in reaching potential leads thanks to updated information. Plus, it helps reach the target audience where they’re more likely to interact, be it social media or email. This impacts everything from initial contact to content creation.

How to Use ZoomInfo

The scope of function and tools available will depend on the plan. Here is a basic overview of how to begin learning to use ZoomInfo:

1. Sign up and begin the onboarding process. You’ll be asked your role (marketing, for example), what type of companies you’re looking for (location, industry), and the target persona.
2. Install the Chrome extension, if applicable.
3. Experiment with the software. On the left-hand side, you should see the advanced search panel. Check out the filter options - you can perform keyword searches, search by industry, job titles, revenue, and more.
4. Take a closer look at the results in the Contacts tab. Next to the profile’s name will be the Quick Actions icons. A fire emoji on one of the icons shows you which channels that contact is most likely to engage with. 
5. To the right-hand side, note the accuracy score. The highest is A+ with a score of 99.
6. Next to the Actions icons, there will be a Reveal button. Clicking this initiates an exchange of their details for one credit. Once you’ve made the exchange, you can contact them straight away or add their information to a database.
7. To add the profile to a database, select the profile and hit the Export button at the top of the list. The profile can then be transferred to Excel, CSV, or a CRM. 
8. Use the general search bar at the very top left to complete a quick name or company search.
9. Explore the menu at the top, toward the right. You should see categories such as Lists, WebSights, and Tools & Integration. 
   
   1. Lists are where you will find any lists that have been exported as well as single contacts you’ve saved. 
   2. WebSights reveals data about businesses to see if it’s the right size and level of interest for your purposes. Input your own domain to monitor interest in your brand.
   3. Tools & Integration lets users connect collaboration tools and CRMs to their ZoomInfo account. There are also ZoomInfo tools here to opt into.

How much does ZoomInfo cost?

ZoomInfo pricing can range from approximately $15,000 to over $40,000 across the Professional, Advanced, and Elite tiers. Each plan comes with a certain number of credits and space for a set number of users.

Professional Pricing Plan

The Professional plan costs $14,995 a year. It comes with 5,000 credits, room for three users, integrations, advanced filters, company info, and basic insights. It’s one of the most popular recommendations for smaller businesses and teams growing sales outreach efforts.

Advanced Pricing Plan

The Advanced plan includes double the credits of the Professional plan and room for more users. It also costs substantially more at $24,995 a year. The price increase nets companies real-time intent information, more in-depth insights, and wider integration capabilities. 

It’s good for medium-sized organizations and marketing teams that want to drill down on the sales cycle.

Elite Pricing Plan

Elite pricing begins at 40k per year and increases with add-ons, users, and features. Businesses get 10,000 bulk credits plus 1,000 additional credits per user. It includes everything from the Advanced plan plus, enhanced customer support, top-level customization, and higher data usage limits. 

Large or very experienced companies with a greater need for complex lead generation choose this plan.

ZoomInfo Plans

A range of proprietary tools help separate ZoomInfo from competitors like Lusha or Cognism. The following options can help organizations:

• Improve marketing
• Recruit talent
• Share and manage data
• Support sales teams

SalesOS

Generating leads, excavating the most promising company profiles, and deep insights drive sales success with SalesOS. Anyone interested in ZoomInfo will rely on this for sharp, precise targeting and streamlined sales. 

The cost is dependent on the plan, but ZoomInfo offers a free trial of SalesOS. It’s been lauded by BuildOps, who quintupled their ROI with it, as well as Workfront, who doubled sales activity.

TalentOS

TalentOS doesn’t just reveal the best candidates and give better strategies for acquiring top-quality personnel. It also features Scoops, a tool that shows changes and layoffs at companies whose talent you’d like to hire next. 

As part of the ZoomInfo platform, how much TalentOS costs depends on the purchased plan. Prices start around $15,000 for Basic and can exceed $40,000 for Elite.

OperationOS

Cleaning and maintenance, segmentation and scoring - taking care of precious company data isn’t a simple effort. OperationOS assists with all of the above, plus workflow automation (perfect for reports), lead routing, and data enrichment. Any business looking to automate more processes can get their money’s worth.

OperationOS is priced in accordance with the individual plan, including the number of users and credits. 

MarketingOS

The deep insights that facilitate precise targeting are baked into MarketingOS. Fine-tune campaigns, personalize messaging, or build a targeted audience from the ground up. There are even innovative little tools like FormComplete, which shortens website forms to encourage more visitors to actually complete them. 

The full suite of marketing features by ZoomInfo is available with the Elite package (starting at $39,995 annually) as well as lower pricing tiers. It’s advisable to use the free trial and inquire directly with ZoomInfo to build the package that meets an organization’s unique needs. 

Key ZoomInfo Features

Comparing ZoomInfo vs. Seamless? Dive right into the features that make ZoomInfo stand out, including:

• A strong focus on automation
• Proprietary AI technology
• Real-time data updates

AI-Backed Insights

Improve sales intelligence with in-depth analytics. Organize and prioritize leads based on their likelihood to buy with the ability to zoom in on the most promising accounts. Artificial intelligence is also a key driver in helping users identify emerging trends. 

ZoomInfo’s AI-powered Copilot feature helps round out customer profiles with possible pain points and related contacts. It can even share the best time to reach out and tailor the messaging to the situation.

Comprehensive B2B Database

ZoomInfo considers a complete database to be a house with a foundation comprised of what they call Data Cubes. Data Cubes make their full database more accessible and relevant to the user. 

How comprehensive is the database? A 2023 ZoomInfo press release states that the platform contains more than 320 million contacts from more than 100 companies.

Automated Workflows

Most see by now that repetition of menial tasks steals space from improvement and overall growth. This is why ZoomInfo promises better data quality assurance through automatic data cleansing. 

It also features strong sequencing capabilities and other “trigger” based actions, such as automatically sending a recruitment email when a contact leaves a company. These help ensure you are taking advantage of every opportunity.

Real-time Updates Related to Data

Cleaning and updating data are two separate matters. Cleaning spots errors and fills in gaps. What about data accuracy? Real-time data updates replace old or incorrect info with fresh, accurate details so businesses can act quickly and make the best possible decisions. Round out customer profiles, monitor market trends, and sharpen GTM strategies.

CRM Integrations

Use the Tools & Integrations feature on ZoomInfo to connect with and instantly enhance CRMs such as Salesforce, SugarCRM, Dynamics 365, HubSpot, and more. The benefits include but are not limited to:

• Updates to existing data in the CRM
• Automated lead qualification
• Increased high-quality lead generation
• Greater efficiency in personalizing communication 

Can you integrate Zoominfo with other apps?

Yes. In addition to CRMs, ZoomInfo works with email, social media, marketing automation, advertising, and communication apps like Slack. Use it to get an email address on the spot, research prospects on social media, update existing lists, and more.

Best ZoomInfo Alternatives

Intelligent automation and accurate data that matters to your industry. Although popular options like ZoomInfo and Apollo live up to their reputations, here are some alternatives with specific strengths no one should overlook. 

BookYourData

More than 20,000 industry leaders choose BookYourData for triple-verified contact information that’s always updated in real time. The platform appears to hit every other necessary mark too, with industry-customized contact lists and exceptional 24/7 customer care.

However, there are some areas where it really excels. One being the sheer volume of information. It outpaces competitors with more than half a billion profiles from over 200 countries.

Then there’s accuracy. The wealth of information is backed by a 97% accuracy guarantee, a few full percentage points above many competitors. It’s made BookYourData a premier choice when it comes time to buy an email list, and the pricing structure helps as well. BYD is a pay-as-you-service - no subscription required.

Read more in this comprehensive breakdown of ZoomInfo vs. BookYourData.

Other ZoomInfo Alternatives

UpLead: Offers 150+ million contacts and a 95% accuracy guarantee. Can cost as little as $99 monthly, and users say it’s a simpler, easier alternative to ZoomInfo. Read more about how ZoomInfo and UpLead compare.

SalesforceIQ

LeadGenius: Fans of LeadGenius say what they lack in data quantity, they make up for in accuracy. Overall, it's considered a good pick for very niche markets. Businesses that want broader reach and general ease of use might prefer sticking with ZoomInfo.

6Sense: Known largely as an Apollo competitor, it also uses AI and focuses on the buyer’s journey. However, its insights aren’t as revealing as others. Some users report issues with updates.

The Bottom Line on ZoomInfo

• ZoomInfo offers a comprehensive B2B database of over 300 million contacts updated in real-time for quality and accuracy, streamlining data maintenance and reducing instances of unsuccessful outreach. 
• Its full suite of tools and features assists with sales, talent acquisition, daily operations, and marketing. This, along with integrations, makes it great for company-wide use.
• Proprietary AI is useful for completing customer profiles, identifying trends and key figures within companies, and signaling when it's time to act, whether hiring or optimizing the buyer’s journey.
• While not appropriate for companies of all sizes and goals, ZoomInfo does especially well with those organizations looking to automate more processes. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ZoomInfo free?

ZoonInfo offers both a free trial and a free version of their software called ZoomInfo Lite. These versions permit full access to the database plus their app and Chrome extension. 

However, you can only download 10 contacts monthly and do not have access to the full suite of tools and integrations. For total function, consider the Professional, Advanced, and Elite tiers ranging from $15,000 to $40,000+ annually. 

Is ZoomInfo a public company? 

Yes, ZoomInfo went public in June of 2020. You can find it on the Nasdaq Global Select Market with its “ZI” ticker symbol.

What kind of data can you get from ZoomInfo?

ZoomInfo has contact information such as job titles, email addresses, and phone numbers. Users can also access company profile info including size, revenue, locations, and more. It also specializes in technographic and intent data as well as market trends.

Does ZoomInfo provide reliable information?

ZoomInfo’s information is generally considered reliable but there are occasional errors. Each contact will have an accuracy score displayed next to it. 

For fewer errors, ZoomInfo employs human editors for review, as well as phone testing, feedback-based data updates, and NeverBounce for email verification. 

Is there a possibility to opt out of ZoomInfo’s database?

Yes, there are three ways to opt out of ZoomInfo’s database. You can email [email protected], call (833) 901-0859, or complete opt-out at the Trust Center on their website. 

ZoomInfo regards itself as a “privacy first” company and claims it never collects sensitive personal information, only business/professional details.

Is ZoomInfo legal?

Yes. It complies with the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Furthermore, it adheres to the Google API Services user data policy and is ISO 27701 certified for personal data privacy and international privacy law compliance.

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