> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.intentleads.si/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choose keywords that work

> Pick topics your buyers really research, read the numbers, and tune a lane until it finds people you'd want to call.

At the end of this playbook you'll have a short set of keywords that finds people in the market for what you sell, at a size you can work with, and you'll know what to change when a lane is too big or too small.

## Start from what buyers research, not what you sell

Your buyers don't search for your product's name. They read about the problem it solves, the options they're weighing, and the job they're trying to get done. Write keywords from their side:

| You sell | Buyers research |
| - | - |
| A call-answering service | virtual receptionist, call overflow, after-hours answering, medical answering service |
| Payroll software for small businesses | payroll processing, payroll compliance, switching payroll providers |
| An outsourced SDR team | outsourced SDR team, appointment setting agency, sales development outsourcing |

A good test: would someone read about this only when they're close to buying? "Payroll compliance" passes. "Small business tips" doesn't.

## Use topics we already track first

When you type in the keyword search, every result is a topic we already track. Pick those first:

* They're **live at once, with history**, so the lane counts people from its first check.
* A **new keyword** you request takes about a day to approve, then 2 to 4 days before anyone shows up, with no backfill. It also needs a balance.

Request a new keyword only when no tracked topic is close. Write it the way a buyer would, and make it specific. If one isn't approved, reword it, usually more specifically.

![Search results for "answering service" with counts, medium+ counts and size bars](https://mintcdn.com/intentleads/16GfXNJlPs26aspr/images/app/intent-keyword-search.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=16GfXNJlPs26aspr\&q=85\&s=5990d32146a93cf7755bb0f5c3737036)

Each result shows how many people researched it on the latest day, and how many at medium+.

## Read the numbers

Every topic shows three things:

* **The count**: people who researched it on the latest day, before any filter. It stops at 10,000+.
* **medium+**: how many of them researched it at medium or strong signal. At the default signal, this is the number that matters.
* **The bar**: its size next to the other topics in view, on a log scale, so a small topic still shows next to a big one.

A topic with a big count but few medium+ is mostly light reading. In the example above, "Bilingual Call Answering Services" has 6,240 people but only 171 at medium+, while "AI Phone Answering Services" has 1,140 with 64 at medium+.

> [!NOTE]
>
> These are one-day counts for comparing topics. They aren't people you can export: your lane counts the last 14 days, after your filters, less anyone you've exported this month.

## Let the suggestions do some of the work

With the search empty, two rows of suggestions appear:

* **Suggested for you** comes from the lane's **Who you sell to**. A specific description gives better suggestions: "Houston medical and legal offices looking for an answering service" beats "small businesses".
* **More like your keywords** comes from what you've already picked.

![A lane's Keywords tab with Suggested for you and More like your keywords chips above the keyword list](https://mintcdn.com/intentleads/16GfXNJlPs26aspr/images/app/lane-keywords-suggestions.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=16GfXNJlPs26aspr\&q=85\&s=b64d0ab40689060ad5e80eb29fbfc244)

On a lane's Keywords tab, click the search to see suggestions.

## Mix a few specific topics with one broader one

Group A finds people researching **any** of its keywords, so every keyword you add brings more people in. A good start is two to five specific topics that describe the problem closely, plus one broader topic for reach.

If the lane is too big, don't remove the specific topics: narrow it with filters, or with an "and also" group.

## Require two interests with "and also" groups

Add an **"and also" group** (B, C or D) when the right buyer researches two things. People must research any keyword in group A **and** at least one keyword from each other group you use, on any day in the last 14.

For example, an answering service for clinics could use:

| Group | Keywords | Signal |
| - | - | - |
| A | Medical Answering Service, Medical Virtual Receptionist | Strong + medium |
| B | HIPAA-Compliant Call Answering Services | All |

The lane then finds people looking at medical answering services **who are also** checking compliance. Each group has its own signal setting. Groups B to D start at **All**; raise one only if the lane is still too big.

> [!WARNING]
>
> A group needs at least one live keyword. Until one is approved, the lane can't be counted or exported. See [Keyword groups](https://docs.intentleads.si/guides/keywords.md#keyword-groups).

## Pick a signal level

| Signal | Use it when |
| - | - |
| **Strong + medium** | Most of the time. It's the default, and it leaves out light reading. |
| **Strong** | The lane is big and you want only the people researching hardest. |
| **All** | The lane is small or niche, or its keywords are new: new keywords start out mostly light. |

You can change it any time on the lane's **Filters** tab, under **Signal and target accounts**. Counts update from the next check.

![Three keywords in group A with the signal set to Strong + medium](https://mintcdn.com/intentleads/16GfXNJlPs26aspr/images/app/intent-keywords-picked.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=16GfXNJlPs26aspr\&q=85\&s=47105d66d5afb455f3c2120d4fa7615f)

Signal is set per group. Group A's is the lane's signal.

## Treat warnings as cues

On a lane's **Keywords** tab, each keyword shows its signal today, and a flag when something needs a look:

* **Very broad**: thousands of people research it every day. It's likely to bring in people who aren't buying. Swap it for something more specific, or narrow the lane with filters.
* **No signal yet**: nobody researched it on the latest day. Replace it, unless it went live in the last few days (then it says **First results take 2–4 days**).
* **Awaiting approval**, **Approved** or **Not approved**: where a new keyword is. Reword a rejected one, usually more specifically.

![A lane's Keywords tab with two live keywords, one flagged Very broad](https://mintcdn.com/intentleads/16GfXNJlPs26aspr/images/app/lane-keywords-tab.png?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=16GfXNJlPs26aspr\&q=85\&s=d237acc23335c5ec0ff68a1377374799)

Replace anything with no signal, or that's very broad, before you export.

To swap a keyword, open its **⋯** menu and choose **Replace**, then type the new one. If it matches a topic we track, it's live at once; otherwise it's requested. **Remove** is in the same menu. **Refresh** updates the sizes in about 20 seconds.

## Leave out reading that doesn't count

**Pages new keywords ignore**, under the keywords, takes words like "job openings", "salary" or "careers". They're written into each new keyword you request, so reading about them doesn't count. Topics we already track stay as they are.

To leave out companies or people, use [Do not contact](https://docs.intentleads.si/guides/exclusions.md). To leave out kinds of company or roles, use the lane's [filters](https://docs.intentleads.si/playbooks/right-people.md#leave-people-out).

## Before you export

* At least one keyword has medium+ people.
* Nothing shows **No signal yet**, and anything **Very broad** is narrowed or swapped.
* The signal matches how big the lane is.
* **Example matches** on the Overview tab look like people you'd want to call.

See [Keywords](https://docs.intentleads.si/guides/keywords.md) for adding keywords over the API, the CLI and MCP.


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