What Is Web Search?
Web Search is Alta’s AI-powered prospect sourcing tool that helps you find leads using plain-language searches, without needing to manually apply filters.
Instead of building an audience using structured filters, you can simply describe the type of prospects you are looking for. Alta will scan the web and identify matching prospects for your campaign.
Web Search is especially useful for finding:
Niche audiences
Prospects based on recent activity or buying signals
Roles or company types that are difficult to target with standard filters
How to Use Web Search
Step 1: Select Web Search
In the Audience step of the campaign builder, select Web Search as your source.
Step 2: Enter Your Search Query
Describe your ideal prospect in plain English.
Examples:
VP of Sales at mid-market B2B software companies in the USFounders of fintech startups that recently raised Series AHead of Operations at logistics companies with 50–500 employees
For best results, include details such as:
Job title or role
Company type
Industry
Company size
Location
Recent signals, such as funding, hiring, or relevant online activity
Step 3: Add Additional Criteria
You can use Add Criteria to include extra conditions that help qualify your prospects.
Examples:
Company is hiring engineersRecently posted about AI on LinkedInCompany LinkedIn page has 500+ followers
You can add multiple criteria and edit them at any time while the campaign is still in draft.
Step 4: Run the Search
Click Search to start sourcing prospects.
Results may take a minute to populate, depending on the complexity of your query and criteria.
Tips for Better Results
To get higher-quality results from Web Search:
Be specific in your search query.
Include the role, industry, company type, and location when relevant.
Use recent signals when you are looking for prospects based on activity or intent.
Use Additional Criteria to better qualify your prospects.
Review the results before launching, as some matches may still require approval or adjustment.
Web Search is optimized for precision over volume, so detailed queries usually perform better than broad searches.
Web Search vs. ICP/Search Criteria
Web Search and ICP/Search Criteria are both used to find prospects, but they work differently.
Source | How It Works | Best For |
ICP/Search Criteria | Uses structured database filters | Standard audience targeting based on role, location, industry, company size, and similar filters |
Web Search | Uses AI to search the open web based on a plain-language query | Contextual, niche, or signal-based prospecting |
Use Web Search when you need more flexibility or when your target audience is better described in natural language than through standard filters.
FAQs
Can I edit my search after running it?
Yes. You can update your search query or additional criteria while the campaign is still in draft.
How is Web Search different from ICP/Search Criteria?
ICP/Search Criteria uses structured database filters.
Web Search uses AI to search the open web, which makes it better for contextual searches, niche audiences, and signal-based prospecting.
Can I change the source after a campaign is active?
No. The audience source is selected during the draft stage.
To use a different source, you will need to create or relaunch the campaign with the updated audience settings.