If you spend your days hunting for new leads, you know that speed is half the battle. The sooner you know about a new prospect, the better your odds. That's where setting up alerts in ZoomInfo comes in. But, like most tools, it’s only as good as your setup. Here’s how to get alerts working for you—without the fluff, the jargon, or the unnecessary headaches.
Why bother with alerts in ZoomInfo?
Let’s keep it simple: Alerts are supposed to save you time and help you stay on top of fresh leads. The reality? Done right, they help you catch new opportunities before your competitors. Done poorly, you get buried in noise and spammy notifications. This guide is for sales reps, SDRs, recruiters, and anyone tired of missing out or sifting through useless leads.
Step 1: Get your ZoomInfo account ready
You’ll need an active ZoomInfo account with access to the features described here. If you’re on a limited plan, you might not see all the options below. (ZoomInfo loves to tuck features behind paywalls—don’t shoot the messenger.)
- Double-check your login and permissions.
- If you’re part of a team, see if your admin has restricted alert creation.
- Make sure your email and notification preferences in ZoomInfo are up to date.
Pro tip: If you’re just getting started, poke around the platform before setting up alerts. It’s easy to get overwhelmed if you try to do everything at once.
Step 2: Decide what you actually want to be alerted about
This is where most people mess up. Too many alerts and you’ll start ignoring all of them. Too few, and you miss the leads you care about. Ask yourself:
- Are you hunting for new companies in a certain industry?
- Do you care more about job changes, funding, or specific technologies?
- Are you focused on a certain region, company size, or department?
Jot down your must-haves. You can always tweak later, but start with a tight focus.
Step 3: Create a targeted search in ZoomInfo
Before you can set up an alert, you need to save a search that actually reflects the leads you want. Here’s how:
- Log in to ZoomInfo.
- Go to the “Search” tab. Choose either “Companies” or “Contacts” depending on your target.
- Use the filters on the left to narrow things down. Key filters to consider:
- Industry
- Company size
- Geography
- Job title or function
- Technologies used
- Recent funding events
- Preview your results. Are these the kind of leads you want to get pinged about?
- Click Save Search. Give your search a clear, specific name—future you will thank you.
What to ignore: Don’t go wild with every filter. The more complicated your search, the more likely you’ll miss good leads (or get stuck with none at all).
Step 4: Set up an alert from your saved search
Now, let’s turn that search into an alert:
- Find your saved search (usually under “Saved Searches” or a similar menu).
- Next to the saved search, look for a bell icon or an “Alert” button. Click it.
- Choose how often you want updates—daily, weekly, or in real time.
- Real-time is great in theory, but unless you absolutely need instant notice, daily or weekly is less distracting.
- Pick your delivery method—usually email, but sometimes in-app notifications or integrations with tools like Slack.
- Double-check your settings, then confirm.
Reality check: ZoomInfo’s real-time alerts aren’t always instant. Sometimes there’s a lag. Don’t bank on using these for truly time-sensitive outreach unless you’ve tested it and know how fast they show up.
Step 5: Fine-tune your alert settings
You don’t want your inbox blowing up with irrelevant updates. Here’s how to keep things sane:
- Edit your saved search filters if you’re getting junk leads.
- Change alert frequency if you’re overwhelmed (or missing things).
- Try setting up a few different alerts for different lead types, but keep it manageable.
Most platforms, including ZoomInfo, let you pause or delete alerts if something’s not working. Don’t be afraid to kill an alert and start over.
Pro tip: If you’re using a team account, coordinate who gets which alerts. Nothing’s worse than five people chasing the same “hot” lead because everyone got the same email.
Step 6: Integrate alerts with your workflow
Setting up alerts is pointless if you don’t act on them. Here’s how to avoid dropping the ball:
- Set aside 5–10 minutes a day to check your ZoomInfo alerts.
- If your alerts are going to email, consider setting up filters or folders to keep them organized.
- If your team uses Slack or another chat tool, see if ZoomInfo can send alerts there.
- For serious power users: Use ZoomInfo’s integrations to push leads straight into your CRM (like Salesforce or HubSpot). Just know that these integrations can be finicky and may require admin help.
What doesn't work: Relying solely on alerts for your lead pipeline. They’re a supplement, not a replacement for proactive outreach.
Step 7: Adjust and improve over time
Most people set up alerts once and never touch them again. Don’t be that person. Every few weeks:
- Review which alerts are actually surfacing good leads.
- Kill or tweak the ones producing junk.
- Experiment with new filters as your target market evolves.
This is especially true if your company pivots, you change territories, or the market shifts.
What to watch out for
Let’s be honest—no tool is perfect. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- False positives: You’ll get leads that look great on paper but go nowhere. That’s normal. Don’t chase every shiny object.
- Data freshness: ZoomInfo’s data is generally good, but not flawless. If you see outdated info, don’t be shocked.
- Feature creep: Don’t let “cool” features distract from your actual goal—finding leads you can close.
Quick troubleshooting
- Not getting alerts? Double-check your filters, notification settings, and email spam folder.
- Too many alerts? Tighten your search filters or dial back the frequency.
- Getting duplicates? Make sure you’re not overlapping searches or alerts.
If all else fails, ZoomInfo’s support is...well, hit or miss. Sometimes it’s faster to Google your specific issue or ask a teammate who’s been through it.
Wrapping up
Setting up alerts in ZoomInfo can be a huge time-saver—or a giant mess. Start simple. Get picky about what you want to know, and don’t hesitate to tweak as you go. The best alerts are the ones you actually use, not the ones that look fancy in a dashboard. Iterate, pay attention, and you’ll spend less time searching—and more time closing.