Apollo.io & LinkedIn Sales Navigator — Filter Quick Reference
What Each Filter Is Actually Called and How to Use It
Date: 2026-03-27 Owner: Dmitri Sunshine Purpose: Quick-reference cheat sheet for setting up search filters correctly in Apollo and Sales Nav. No guessing at filter names — this is what the platforms actually call things. Companion docs:
Apollo_IO_Setup_Playbook_and_ICP_Search_Configs_2026-03-26.md(full Apollo playbook with all 8 ICP configs),linkedin-inmail-150-credit-blitz.html(interactive Blitz app with copy-paste filter configs)
APOLLO.IO FILTERS — THE REAL NAMES
Apollo has two search modes: People Search and Company Search. Each has different filters available.
People Search Filters
| Filter Name (Exact) | What It Does | Supports Boolean? | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Job Title | Search by current job title | YES — AND, OR, NOT, exact match with “quotes” | Boolean ONLY works in this field in Apollo. Use exact quotes for multi-word titles: “managing partner” |
| Seniority | Checkbox filter for role level | No — select from list | Options: Owner, Founder, C-Suite, Partner, VP, Head, Director, Manager, Senior, Entry, Intern |
| Department | Filter by functional area | No — select from list | Options include: Engineering, Operations, Finance, Legal, Sales, Marketing, HR, IT, etc. Apollo calls this “Department” not “Function” |
| Industry | Company industry classification | No — select from list | Apollo uses its own taxonomy. Common ones: Financial Services, Law Practice, Legal Services, Accounting, Hospital & Health Care, Mental Health Care, Insurance, Information Technology and Services, Real Estate |
| Keywords | Searches company descriptions and websites | OR supported (comma-separated) | This is the secret weapon — catches companies that mention terms on their website even if their industry tag is wrong |
| Location | City, state, country, or radius | No | Can do radius search (e.g., “50 miles from Boulder, CO”) |
| Employee Count | Company headcount ranges | No — select ranges | Ranges: 1-10, 11-20, 21-50, 51-100, 101-200, 201-500, 501-1000, 1001-5000, 5001-10000, 10001+ |
| Contact Info | Filter by available contact data | No — checkbox | ”Has Email” and “Has Phone” are the key ones. Always enable “Has Email = Yes” |
| Revenue | Company revenue range | No — select ranges | Useful for isolating luxury/premium businesses (e.g., $5M+) |
| Technologies | Software the company uses | No — search and select | 1,500+ options. Gold for MSPs (ConnectWise, Datto, Kaseya) and treatment centers (Kipu Health, Sunwave) |
Company Search Filters
| Filter Name (Exact) | What It Does | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Keywords | Searches company websites and descriptions | Most powerful filter for niche ICPs. “escrow” finds title companies even if tagged as “Real Estate” |
| Industry | Company industry tag | Same taxonomy as People Search |
| SIC/NAICS Codes | Government industry classification codes | More precise than Industry filter. Great for title companies (SIC: 6411, NAICS: 524127, 541191) |
| Employee Count | Headcount ranges | Same ranges as People Search |
| Revenue | Revenue ranges | |
| Location | HQ location | City, state, country |
| Technologies Used | Software the company uses | If a company uses ConnectWise, it’s an MSP. If it uses Kipu Health, it’s a treatment center. |
| Funding Stage/Amount | Investment stage | Useful for identifying PE-backed vs. bootstrapped |
| Job Postings | Companies currently hiring | Growth signal — companies hiring are investing and have budget |
Apollo Boolean Syntax (Job Title Field Only)
AND → "compliance" AND "director" (must contain both)
OR → "owner" OR "president" OR "CEO" (any of these)
NOT → "manager" NOT "project manager" (exclude specific titles)
"" → "managing partner" (exact phrase match)
Critical: Boolean only works in the Job Title field in Apollo. For Keywords and other fields, use comma separation for OR logic. There is no AND/NOT in other fields.
LINKEDIN SALES NAVIGATOR FILTERS — THE REAL NAMES
Sales Nav has two search modes: Account Search (companies) and Lead Search (people). The filter names are different from Apollo.
Account Search Filters
| Filter Name (Exact) | What It Does | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Company industry from LinkedIn’s 434-industry V2 taxonomy | Different from Apollo! LinkedIn has its own industry list. Common ones: Financial Services, Legal Services, Law Practice, Accounting, Hospitals and Health Care, Mental Health Care, Insurance, IT Services and IT Consulting, Real Estate |
| Employee Count | Company headcount ranges | Ranges: 1-10, 11-50, 51-200, 201-500, 501-1000, 1001-5000, 5001-10000, 10001+ |
| HQ Location | Headquarters location | State, city, country, or metro area |
| Annual Revenue | Revenue ranges | |
| Keywords | Searches company name and description | No Boolean — just comma-separated terms |
| Company Growth | Employee growth rate | Filter for fast-growing companies |
| Technologies | Tech stack (if available on your plan) | Similar to Apollo but smaller database |
| Fortune | Fortune 50/100/500/1000 listing | Not relevant for Solanasis ICPs (we target SMBs) |
Lead Search Filters
| Filter Name (Exact) | What It Does | Supports Boolean? | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current Job Title | Person’s current title | YES — AND, OR, NOT, “quotes” | Boolean works here. Max ~15 operators per query. |
| Seniority Level | Role level | No — select from list | Options: CXO, VP, Director, Manager, Partner, Owner, Senior, Entry. Note: “Owner” and “Partner” are separate from “CXO” |
| Function | Job function area | No — select from list | Options include: Accounting, Administrative, Business Development, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Marketing, Operations, Sales, etc. |
| Geography | Person’s location | No — select | State, city, country, metro area, postal code |
| Current Company | Search by company name | No — type to search | Useful when you have a target account list |
| Keywords | Global keyword search | YES — Boolean supported | Searches across profile, headline, summary. Boolean AND/OR/NOT works. |
| Years at Current Company | Tenure filter | No — select range | |
| Years in Current Position | Time in role | No — select range | |
| Groups | LinkedIn group membership | No — search and select | |
| Posted on LinkedIn | Recent posting activity | No — checkbox | Shows leads who posted in last 30 days |
Spotlight Filters (Lead Search Only)
Spotlight filters are special warm-signal filters unique to Sales Nav. These are actual filter options — not something you type.
| Spotlight Filter | What It Means | When to Use |
|---|---|---|
| Changed jobs in past 90 days | Recently started a new role | New decision-makers are more open to outside help — they’re building processes |
| Posted on LinkedIn in past 30 days | Actively using LinkedIn | More likely to see and respond to your InMail |
| Mentioned in the news in past 30 days | Press coverage | Good for personalization hooks |
| Share experiences with you | Shared school, company, or group | Built-in warm connection angle |
| Following your company | Follows Solanasis on LinkedIn | Already aware of you — warmest leads |
Sales Nav Boolean Syntax (Title and Keywords Fields)
AND → "estate planning" AND "partner"
OR → "owner" OR "president" OR "CEO"
NOT → "attorney" NOT "paralegal"
"" → "managing partner"
() → ("owner" OR "president") AND ("estate" OR "probate")
Critical: Boolean works in Current Job Title and Keywords fields. Max ~15 Boolean operators per query. Unlike Apollo, Sales Nav Boolean also works in the Keywords field for broader searches.
KEY DIFFERENCES: APOLLO vs. SALES NAV
| Capability | Apollo | Sales Nav |
|---|---|---|
| Industry taxonomy | Apollo’s own + SIC/NAICS codes | LinkedIn’s 434-industry V2 taxonomy |
| Boolean support | Job Title field ONLY | Job Title AND Keywords fields |
| Keywords search scope | Company website/description | Profile, headline, summary, company |
| Company type filter | No (use Keywords + Industry) | No (use Keywords + Industry) |
| Seniority options | 11 levels (Owner through Intern) | 8 levels (CXO through Entry) |
| Warm signals | Limited (job change alerts) | Spotlight filters (job changes, posts, news, shared experiences) |
| Contact data | Email + phone + LinkedIn URL | LinkedIn profile only (no email/phone export) |
| Export | Full CSV export | Very limited (no bulk CSV of leads) |
| Technographics | 1,500+ software options | Limited set |
FILTERS THAT DON’T EXIST (STOP LOOKING FOR THESE)
These are commonly assumed to be filter options but they don’t actually exist in either platform:
| Not a Real Filter | What to Use Instead |
|---|---|
| ”Company Type: Law Firm” | Industry: Law Practice + Keywords: [practice area] |
| “Company Type: MSP” | Industry: IT Services + Keywords: “managed services" |
| "Practice Area” (Sales Nav) | Keywords filter with practice-specific terms |
| ”Decision Maker Titles” (Sales Nav Account Search) | Switch to Lead Search and use Job Title filter |
| ”Function” (Apollo) | Apollo calls it “Department” — same thing, different name |
| ”Spotlight: [custom filter]“ | Spotlight is a preset list of checkboxes, not a free-text filter |
| ”Company Type: Accounting Firm” | Industry: Accounting + Keywords if needed |
WORKFLOW: HOW TO SET UP A SEARCH FOR ANY NEW ICP
-
Start with Company Search to build an account list
- Keywords first (most powerful for niche targeting)
- Add Industry to narrow
- Add Employee Count to hit your sweet spot
- Add Location
- Save as a named list
-
Then People Search within those accounts
- Job Title with Boolean for decision-maker titles
- Seniority to filter by level
- Has Email = Yes (Apollo) to ensure reachability
- Save to a separate leads list
-
Cross-reference with Sales Nav for warm signals
- Same accounts → Lead Search with Spotlight filters
- Changed jobs + Posted on LinkedIn = warmest leads
- Use these for InMail priority
Pro Tip: Apollo’s keyword filter searches the company’s ACTUAL WEBSITE, not just their self-reported industry tag. This is incredibly powerful for niche ICPs. A title company tagged as “Real Estate” in Apollo will still show up if you search keyword “escrow” — because that word appears on their website. Always start with Keywords for any niche vertical.