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How do I use the Industry Filter in ListKit’s B2B Search?

Said Jrad avatar
Written by Said Jrad
Updated this week

THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Self-Serve
​Stage: Trial / Onboarding / Live
​Owner: CS
​Last updated: 2025-12-19
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TL;DR

  • The Industry Filter is a foundational filter for accurate B2B targeting.

  • It helps remove irrelevant companies and improve conversion rates.

  • You can select industries directly or discover them using Data Visualization.

  • Always combine Industry with Keywords, Company Size, and Job Titles.
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When you’d use this / Why it matters

Industry defines who your offer is actually for.
If you target the wrong industries, even with great copy, your results will suffer. The Industry Filter ensures your lead lists stay aligned with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and only include companies that can realistically convert.
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Why the Industry Filter matters

Industry determines:

  • Buying behavior

  • Budget expectations

  • Relevance of your offer

If your offer is vertical-specific (e.g. healthcare software, real estate marketing), selecting incorrect industries will:

  • Dilute list quality

  • Lower reply rates

  • Waste credits

Using the Industry Filter keeps your lists:

  • Intentional

  • Relevant

  • ICP-aligned
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When you should use the Industry Filter

Always.
Industry should be used alongside:

  • Company Size

  • Keywords

  • Job Titles

Use it when:

  • You already know the verticals you serve

  • You want to explore new markets using keyword data

  • You need to exclude industries your offer doesn’t apply to
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How the Industry Filter works

ListKit gives you two ways to use the Industry Filter.
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Option 1: Search and select industries directly

If you already know your target verticals, type them directly into the Industry field.

Examples:

  • Real Estate

  • Construction

  • Financial Services

  • Software Development

  • E-commerce

You can select multiple industries to cover adjacent markets (e.g. Real Estate + Property Management + Commercial Real Estate).
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Option 2: Discover industries using Data Visualization

If your niche is broad, or you’re not sure which industries apply, start with Keywords first.
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Step-by-step:

  1. Enter ICP-related keywords

  2. Let results load

  3. Open the Data Visualization panel

  4. Review which industries appear most frequently

  5. Add relevant industries

  6. Exclude unrelated ones

💡 Pro tip:
Data Visualization shows how ListKit’s AI maps your keywords to real companies, making refinement faster and more accurate.
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Example workflow

Step 1: Add keywords
Example: solar panels, renewable energy, clean tech

Step 2: Open Data Visualization
You may see industries like:

  • Renewable Energy

  • Environmental Services

  • Utilities

  • Construction

Step 3: Select industries

  • Include: Renewable Energy, Environmental Services

  • Exclude: Construction (if not relevant)

Step 4: Refine further

  • Add Company Size

  • Add Funding

  • Add Job Titles
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Example use cases

Example 1: Real estate automation

  • Keywords: real estate, property, brokerage

  • Industries: Real Estate, Property Management, Commercial Real Estate

  • Outcome: Clean list of only real estate companies
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Example 2: SaaS outbound services

  • Keywords: software, SaaS, platform

  • Industries: Software Development, Information Technology, Internet

  • Outcome: Focused list of tech and SaaS companies
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Example 3: Healthcare uniforms supplier

  • Keywords: medical, hospital, clinic

  • Industries: Healthcare, Hospital & Health Care, Medical Devices

  • Outcome: Excludes fitness, pharma, and unrelated sectors
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Pro tips for best results

  • Start broad with Keywords, then refine with Industry

  • Use multiple related industries if your offer spans verticals

  • Exclude industries that don’t fit your ICP

  • Combine Industry + Company Size + Funding for high-intent segmentation
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Managed vs Self-Serve callouts

If ListKit runs campaigns for you (Managed Program)
We handle industry selection and refinement based on performance data. Share your ICP and exclusions, we’ll optimize the rest.
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​If you use ListKit self-serve (DIY)
Go to Search → Industry, select your target industries, then layer in Keywords, Company Size, and Job Titles before exporting.
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Expected outcome

You should now be able to:

  • Select the right industries for your ICP

  • Discover industries using keyword data

  • Exclude irrelevant markets

  • Build cleaner, higher-converting lead lists
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Final takeaway

Think of Industry as your map.

  • Keywords help you explore the territory

  • Industry defines the exact regions worth targeting

Use them together to create better lists, stronger campaigns, and higher conversion rates.

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