THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Self-Serve
Stage: Trial / Onboarding / Live
Owner: CS
Last updated: 2026-01-20
TL;DR
The City Filter targets companies by headquarters city.
It is one of the most restrictive filters in ListKit.
If your service is remote or digital, you generally should not use this filter.
Only use City when physical location or legal constraints require it.
If you do use it, you must include all common city name variations.
When you’d use this / Why it matters
The City Filter exists for location-dependent businesses, not for scaling outbound.
Used incorrectly, it dramatically shrinks your Total Addressable Market (TAM) and limits growth.
For most modern B2B offers, city-level targeting is unnecessary and harmful.
Step-by-step: How to use the City Filter
Go to Search → Filters in ListKit.
Select the City filter.
Enter all common variations of the city name.
Pair the City Filter with the Country filter to avoid ambiguity.
Apply additional filters (industry, job titles, company size, etc.).
Run your search.
When you should use the City Filter
Only use the City Filter if your service must be delivered to companies headquartered in a specific city.
Valid use cases include:
Local recruiters serving one metro area
Local IT or MSP providers
In-person consultants
Government- or regulation-restricted services
Vendors requiring physical office visits
Hyper-local businesses (cleaning, security, construction, facilities)
If physical presence or legal restrictions apply, city targeting is appropriate.
When you should NOT use the City Filter
Do not use the City Filter if:
Your service is remote
You sell SaaS or digital products
You can serve clients nationally or internationally
You want to scale outbound campaigns
You want a larger TAM or higher-budget opportunities
👉 If your offer is remote, do not use the City Filter.
Critical warning: include all city name variations
City names appear in databases in many different formats depending on how companies list their headquarters.
If you only add one version, you will miss valid companies.
Example: Los Angeles
To properly capture LA-based companies, include:
Los Angeles
LA
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles CA
Los Angeles, California
Greater Los Angeles Area
Los Angeles Metropolitan Area
LA County
Los Angeles County
❗ Always include every realistic variation.
Example use cases
Example 1: Local commercial cleaning
Targeting companies only in Miami:
Miami
Miami FL
Miami, Florida
Miami-Dade County
Greater Miami Area
Example 2: Local IT support provider
Operating exclusively in Chicago:
Chicago
Chicago IL
Chicago, Illinois
Greater Chicago Area
Chicagoland
Example 3: City-specific recruiting
Roles must be based in San Francisco:
San Francisco
San Francisco CA
SF
SF Bay Area
Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
Silicon Valley (if relevant)
Expected outcome
You should now see companies accurately restricted to a specific city, without accidentally excluding valid prospects due to naming variations.
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Q: Why is my search volume extremely small?
City targeting is highly restrictive. This is expected and unavoidable.
Q: Should I always pair City with Country?
Yes. This avoids confusion (e.g., LA = Los Angeles vs Louisiana).
Q: Can I use City for remote services just to “test locally”?
No. This unnecessarily limits TAM and skews results.
Q: Is City better than Country for targeting?
Only if your service is physically or legally tied to a city.
Callouts
If ListKit runs campaigns for you (Managed Program)
What ListKit handles:
Applying city-level targeting only when required
Ensuring correct city and country combinations
What you should do:
Confirm whether your service truly requires city-level restrictions
How to request changes:
Contact your account manager with location constraints
If you use ListKit self-serve (DIY)
Steps in the product:
Search → Filters → City
Add all known city name variations
Pair with Country before running the search
Final takeaway
The City Filter is extremely niche.
Use it only when your service cannot be delivered outside a specific city and location truly matters.
If you do use it:
Add every possible city variation
Always pair with Country
Avoid it unless absolutely necessary
Used sparingly and correctly, it keeps searches precise, without accidentally killing your growth.