TL;DR
The People Keywords filter searches individual profiles, not companies.
It scans a person’s Social Headline and Social Summary only.
Use it for skills, tools, certifications, and self-described roles.
This is an advanced, niche filter, don’t use it for industries or company traits.
For company-level targeting, use the Keywords filter under Company instead.
When you’d use this / Why it matters
Job titles are often messy, inconsistent, or incomplete.
The People Keywords filter lets you target people based on how they describe themselves, unlocking niche audiences that job titles alone can’t reliably capture.
Used correctly, it creates highly specialized, high-intent segments.
What the People Keywords filter actually searches
ListKit scans keywords inside a person’s:
Social Headline
Social Summary
These are personal profile descriptions, not company bios.
Examples of text in these fields
“Helping SaaS founders scale to 8 figures”
“Ecommerce growth specialist”
“Marketing director passionate about AI & automation”
“Fractional CFO | Finance strategy | VC-backed startups”
“Real estate investor | Multifamily | Passive income”
If your keyword appears in either field, that person qualifies.
Step-by-step: How to use the People Keywords filter
Open People (second icon in the left sidebar) and open the filters.
Under People, open Keywords.
Add Include keywords (comma-separated or grouped).
Add Exclude keywords if needed.
Combine keyword groups using AND / OR logic.
Pair with Job Titles and other filters.
Run your search.
The logic mirrors the company Keywords filter, but applies only to individual profiles.
When you SHOULD use People Keywords
Use this filter when you want to target people based on people-level attributes, such as:
Skills they mention
Tools they claim expertise in
Certifications or specialties
Niche role variations
Personal branding descriptors
Industry expertise
Freelance or fractional positioning
This filter is about who the person is, not where they work.
When you should NOT use People Keywords
Do not use this filter to target:
Company types
Industries
Niches or verticals
Business categories
Company descriptions
Technologies used by the company
👉 For those use cases, use the Keywords filter under Company instead.
People Keywords ≠ Keywords (Company)
Filter | What it searches | Best used for |
Keywords (Company) | Company descriptions | Industries, niches, company types |
People Keywords | Social Headline + Summary | Skills, tools, personal descriptors |
Practical use cases
1. Target people who use a specific tool
People Keywords:
HubSpot
Salesforce
Figma
Shopify expert
Finds individuals who mention the tool themselves, not just companies using it.
2. Target specific skillsets
Examples:
Cold email specialist
Google Ads expert
Ecom strategist
Java developer
Copywriter
Ideal for agencies, recruiters, SaaS tools, and consultants.
3. Target personal branding descriptors
Examples:
Fractional CMO
Consultant
Investor
Coach
Freelancer
Surfaces people based on self-positioning, not employer.
4. Capture niche role variations
Examples:
Demand Gen
Growth marketing
RevOps
Cybersecurity lead
Useful when job titles don’t fully capture the role.
Example searches
Recruiter targeting Figma designers
People Keywords:
Figma
UI/UX
Product designer
Result:
People whose profiles explicitly mention these skills.
Agency targeting ecommerce coaches
People Keywords:
Ecommerce coach
Business mentor
Brand strategist
Result:
Individuals who self-identify as coaches or mentors.
Finding fractional CMOs
People Keywords:
Fractional CMO
Result:
A narrow segment of self-described fractional CMOs.
Expected outcome
You should now see highly specific individuals who explicitly describe themselves with the skills, tools, or roles you’re targeting, even when job titles are vague or inconsistent.
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Should I use People Keywords instead of Job Titles?
No. Use People Keywords in addition to Job Titles for best precision.
Why is my list very small?
This filter is intentionally narrow. Not everyone mentions keywords in their profile.
Can I use exclusion keywords?
Yes. Common exclusions include “student,” “intern,” or “junior.”
Are longer phrases better?
No. Short keywords (1–2 words) usually perform best.
Final takeaway
The People Keywords filter works like the company Keywords filter, but instead of scanning companies, it scans individual personal profiles.
Use it only when you need people who explicitly describe themselves with terms like:
“Google Ads”
“Shopify expert”
“Fractional CMO”
“Cybersecurity”
“Growth marketing”
It’s not for defining your market.
It’s for pinpointing the exact individuals inside that market.