TL;DR
The Keyword Filter is the most precise way to define your ICP.
It scans real company data for the exact language companies use to describe themselves.
Use short, specific keywords (1–2 words).
Combine Include + Exclude keywords and AND / OR groups for clean, high-intent lists.
When you’d use this / Why it matters
Industry filters are useful, but they’re broad.
The Keyword Filter lets you go deeper by targeting companies based on how they actually describe their business, which usually produces tighter lists than Industry alone.
If you want precision, start here or with AI Company Search.
Why the Keyword Filter matters
Industries can be vague.
Keywords are specific.
ListKit scans real company data to find businesses that literally use your keywords in their descriptions.
The Keyword Filter searches inside:
Social Headline (LinkedIn tagline / about snippet)
Social Slug (LinkedIn URL or username)
Company Description (long-form bio)
Website Title (homepage title text)
Company Top Keywords
Company Unique Angle
If your keyword appears in any of these fields, the company qualifies.
How the Keyword Filter works
You enter keywords
ListKit scans the company data fields above
If a keyword appears, the company is returned
You can also exclude keywords to remove irrelevant companies.
How to choose the right keywords
Best practices
Keep keywords:
Simple
Specific
1–2 words only
Good keyword examples
solar
real estate
fintech
dental clinic
marketing agency
software development
Avoid
Full sentences
❌ “companies that help brands grow online”
Generic terms
❌ business, solutions, global
The goal is to match the language companies use about themselves.
Include vs Exclude keywords
Using both gives you precise control over list quality.
Include keywords
Define who you want.
Example:
Include:
roofing→ finds roofing companies
Exclude keywords
Remove noise.
Example:
Exclude:
school,non-profit,government
This prevents irrelevant results from polluting your list.
Using keyword groups (AND / OR logic)
Keyword Groups let you target complex or multi-dimensional niches.
Example 1: Textile manufacturing
Group 1:
textile
clothing
fashion
Group 2:
manufacturing
production
Logic:
(textile OR clothing OR fashion)
AND
(manufacturing OR production)
Result:
Only textile manufacturing companies.
Example 2: Dental software
Group 1:
dental
dentist
orthodontic
Group 2:
software
platform
SaaS
CRM
Logic:
(dental OR dentist OR orthodontic)
AND
(software OR platform OR SaaS OR CRM)
Result:
Software companies built specifically for dental practices.
Example 3: E-commerce marketing agencies
Group 1:
e-commerce
shopify
online store
Group 2:
marketing
ads
growth
performance
Logic:
(e-commerce OR shopify OR online store)
AND
(marketing OR ads OR growth OR performance)
Result:
Agencies focused on e-commerce growth.
Pro tips for best results
Use 1–2 word keywords only
Start broad, then refine
Always combine Keywords with:
Industry
Employees
Funding
Use Exclude Keywords aggressively to remove noise
For complex niches, always use AND / OR keyword groups
Example workflow
Add 2–3 niche-defining keywords under Include
Switch to Analytics view to review Top Industries and Keyword Stats
Add relevant industries to the Industry Filter
Layer with:
Funding
Employees
Job Titles
Expected outcome
You should now be able to:
Define your ICP using real company language
Build tighter, higher-intent lead lists
Remove irrelevant companies with confidence
Use AND / OR logic for complex targeting
Final takeaway
Keywords are the core of your targeting strategy.
They tell ListKit exactly what kind of companies to surface, based on the language those companies use themselves, not vague industry labels.
Use keywords first, refine with other filters second, and your list quality will improve.
Related: People Keywords filter (searches individual profiles, not companies).