THIS ARTICLE IS FOR: ✅ Self-Serve
Stage: Trial / Onboarding / Live
Owner: CS
Last updated: 2026-01-20
TL;DR
People Country filters by where an individual says they live, not where the company is based.
This filter is extremely niche and should almost never be used for B2B.
In most cases, Company Country is the correct and safer option.
Only use People Country when the person’s residency is required for your offer.
When you’d use this / Why it matters
Remote work has broken the link between where someone lives and where their company operates.
Filtering by a person’s country often removes good leads, shrinks volume, and lowers accuracy, which is why People Country is usually the wrong choice for B2B targeting.
What the People Country filter actually does
The People Country filter targets individuals based on the country listed in their personal profile location.
It does not look at:
Company headquarters
Office locations
Where the business operates
It only uses what the person entered on their profile.
Why People Country is almost never needed
1. Personal location ≠ company location
Common scenarios:
CEO lives in Spain, company is U.S.-based
Marketing manager works remotely from Brazil, company is Canadian
Founder lives part-time in France, company operates in the UK
For B2B, you care where the company operates, not where the employee sleeps.
2. Many people don’t list a usable location
Personal profiles often contain:
No country listed
Only a city (no country)
“Remote,” “Worldwide,” or “Global”
Regions like “Europe”
Emojis, jokes, or outdated info
If you use People Country, you automatically exclude:
Anyone with missing or vague data
Anyone who didn’t update their profile
Many high-quality, remote professionals
This can wipe out a large portion of valid leads for no strategic reason.
The ONLY time you should use People Country
Use the People Country filter only when your offer requires the individual themselves to live in a specific country.
Valid use cases include:
Real estate services tied to residency
Local tax or accounting services
Lawyers licensed in a specific jurisdiction
Coaching or consulting limited to residents
Local events or in-person training
Health, wellness, or fitness services requiring local presence
If residency is a requirement → People Country is appropriate.
In every other case, use Company Country instead
If you sell:
Marketing services
Lead generation
SaaS
Consulting
Tech or automation services
B2B professional services
Creative or digital services
Anything remote or online
👉 Do NOT use People Country
Always use:
Company → Country
This tells ListKit:
“Find companies headquartered in these countries.”
ListKit will then surface the right people inside those companies, regardless of where they personally live.
Example scenarios
Scenario 1: Lead generation agency
You care where the company operates, not where the CMO lives.
→ Use Company Country
→ ❌ Do not use People Country
Scenario 2: SaaS company
Your ICP is U.S.-based companies.
→ Use Company Country = United States
Scenario 3: Local lawyer in the UK
Clients must live in the UK.
→ Use People Country = United Kingdom
Scenario 4: Coaching program for UAE residents
Residency is required.
→ Use People Country = UAE
Scenario 5: Marketing agency targeting U.S. companies
People may live anywhere.
→ Use Company Country = USA
→ ❌ Do not use People Country
Expected outcome
Using Company Country: larger, cleaner, more accurate B2B lists
Using People Country (only when required): individuals who actually meet residency requirements
Troubleshooting / FAQs
Q: Why did my list shrink dramatically?
You likely used People Country and excluded profiles with missing or remote location data.
Q: Can I combine People Country with Company Country?
You can, but it’s almost never recommended unless residency is mandatory.
Q: Is People Country more accurate than Company Country?
No. For B2B, Company Country is far more reliable.
Q: Should I ever “test” People Country?
No. It usually creates misleading results and unnecessary exclusions.
Callouts
If ListKit runs campaigns for you (Managed Program)
What ListKit handles:
Defaulting to Company Country for B2B targeting
Avoiding People Country unless residency is required
What you should do:
Clearly state if your offer has residency or legal restrictions
How to request changes:
Notify your account manager if People Country is truly required
If you use ListKit self-serve (DIY)
Steps in the product:
Ignore People Country for standard B2B searches
Use Company → Country instead
Only apply People Country if residency is mandatory
Related articles
How do I use the Company Country filter in ListKit’s B2B Search?
How do I avoid shrinking my TAM with filters?
How do Company and People filters differ in ListKit?
Final takeaway
The People Country filter should almost never be used.
Use it only when:
The individual must live in a specific country
Residency is a hard requirement of your offer
For all standard B2B targeting:
✅ Use Company Country
❌ Ignore People Country
❌ Avoid unnecessary restrictions
This keeps your lists accurate, complete, and aligned with your ICP.