What Is Identity Resolution?
Identity resolution is the technology that matches anonymous digital interactions – such as website visits – to known person records by cross-referencing multiple data sources, identifiers, and identity graphs. It is the core engine behind website visitor identification platforms like ClearView.
How Identity Resolution Works
Identity resolution systems work by collecting signals from a website visit (device fingerprints, IP data, cookies, and behavioral patterns) and cross-referencing them against a large database of known person records called an identity graph. When a match is found, the anonymous visitor is resolved to a specific person with attributes like name, email, job title, company, and phone number.
ClearView uses a 254-million-person identity graph to power its identity resolution engine, enabling person-level identification (not just company-level) of anonymous B2B website visitors in real-time.
Identity Graphs
An identity graph is a database that links multiple identifiers to a single person profile. These identifiers can include email addresses, phone numbers, device IDs, IP addresses, cookies, and more. The larger and more accurate the identity graph, the higher the match rate for visitor identification. ClearView's identity graph includes 254M+ person records maintained through licensed data partnerships.
Deterministic vs Probabilistic Matching
There are two approaches to identity resolution. Deterministic matching uses exact identifiers (like email addresses or login data) to make a definitive match. Probabilistic matching uses statistical models to infer identity from patterns like device characteristics, behavior, and IP data. Most modern identity resolution platforms use a combination of both approaches for optimal accuracy.