firmographics

Firmographics are a set of data about organizations used to describe firm-level characteristics for the purpose of market research, segmentation, and sales targeting. In B2B contexts, firmographics function similarly to demographics for individuals, providing the structural attributes of a company that help marketers and sales teams identify target accounts and tailor outreach.

Typical variables include industry classification (for example NAICS or SIC), company size measured by number of employees or annual revenue, geographic location such as headquarters or regional presence, ownership structure (private or public), year founded, corporate family structure (parent/subsidiary relationships), and business model or sector.

Data sources range from public registries and regulatory filings to commercial databases, credit agencies, and company websites. Vendors such as Dun & Bradstreet, ZoomInfo, and similar providers offer firmographic records that can be merged with internal CRM data. Data is subject to changes such as mergers, acquisitions, or leadership changes, requiring ongoing updates.

Common uses include account-based marketing and sales targeting, market sizing and segmentation, territory planning, partner and channel management, and product-market fit analysis. Firmographics are often used in combination with other data types, such as technographics, to improve targeting and analytics.

Limitations include data quality and currency, fragmentation across sources, and the potential for inaccuracies in crowded or rapidly evolving markets. Privacy and regulatory considerations apply to the collection and use of business data, particularly where it intersects with contact information. Ethical use requires transparency, consent where appropriate, and ongoing data hygiene.