If you’re using CB Insights and running more than a couple of searches a week, you’ve probably already noticed: saved searches get out of hand fast. One minute you’re saving a handful of useful queries, and the next, you’re scrolling through a graveyard of half-baked ideas and “one day I’ll look at this” alerts.
This guide is for busy analysts, researchers, product folks, and anyone else who wants to make saved searches actually work for them—without turning into a digital hoarder. We’ll walk through practical ways to segment, organize, and manage your CB Insights saved searches so you can find what you need, when you need it, and ignore the noise.
Why You Should Care About Saved Search Management
Let’s be honest: most people don’t bother organizing saved searches until it’s too late. But a little effort up front saves a lot of headaches later. Here’s why it matters:
- Faster access: You’ll find the right data without clicking through endless irrelevant searches.
- Fewer duplicates: Stop reinventing the wheel (or saving the same search five times with slightly different filters).
- Cleaner alerts: You only get notified about what actually matters to you.
- Less context switching: No more “Wait, why did I save this?” moments.
If you’re sick of search chaos, a little segmentation goes a long way.
Step 1: Audit What You’ve Already Saved
Before you start organizing, take stock of the mess. Yes, it’s tedious, but it’s the only way to cut the clutter.
How to do it:
- Go to your saved searches dashboard (usually under your profile or search menu).
- Sort by date created or last accessed. This helps you see what’s old and what you actually use.
- Open each search and ask:
- Does this still answer a question I care about?
- Is it a duplicate of something else?
- Am I getting useful alerts from this, or just noise?
What to keep: - Searches you use at least monthly - Unique, high-value queries - Anything tied to ongoing projects
What to delete or archive: - Old, one-off searches - Duplicates (keep the one with better filters, notes, or naming) - Anything you don’t even recognize
Pro tip: Don’t be precious about tossing stuff. If you haven’t touched it in months and don’t remember why you saved it, it’s probably safe to let go.
Step 2: Come Up With a Simple Segmentation System
CB Insights doesn’t give you folders (yet), but you can still segment your searches if you’re a bit creative. The trick is to use naming conventions and tags—yes, it’s basic, but it works.
What actually works:
1. Prefixes in Search Names
Start each saved search name with a short prefix that tells you what it’s for. For example:
COMP:for competitor trackingSECTOR:for industry deep-divesCLIENT:for client-specific queriesTHEME:for broader trends or topics
Example:
COMP: Stripe funding rounds 2023
SECTOR: AI-enabled drug discovery
This way, you can skim the list and spot what you need.
2. Use the Notes Field
Most saved search tools (including CB Insights) let you add a note or description. Use this for extra context:
- Who is this for?
- Why did you save it?
- What filters are key?
You’ll thank yourself in a month when you can’t remember the difference between “AI startups 2023” and “AI startups Q4”.
3. Use Built-in Tags (If Available)
As of now, CB Insights doesn’t support custom tags on saved searches, but if they add it, use them liberally. Until then, stick with naming conventions.
What doesn’t work:
- Overcomplicating your system. If you need a spreadsheet to track your saved search taxonomy, you’ve gone too far.
- Vague names like “Interesting” or “To check” (you’ll never remember what these mean).
Step 3: Set Up Alerts—But Be Ruthless
Alerts are only useful if you don’t ignore them. If you get 25 notifications a day, you’ll tune them out. Here’s how to keep them useful:
1. Only Set Alerts for Must-Know Searches
Ask yourself: If this changed, would I actually need to know right away? If not, skip the alert.
2. Tweak Frequency
You can usually set alerts to daily, weekly, or immediate. For most people, weekly is plenty—unless you’re tracking breaking news or a critical client.
3. Review Alert Settings Every Month
Build a quick monthly review into your workflow. Turn off alerts that are just noise, and dial up the ones that are actually useful.
Pro tip: If you’re getting the same alert for multiple searches, you can probably merge or consolidate them.
Step 4: Search, Filter, and Sort Like a Pro
Once you’ve cleaned up and renamed your searches, take advantage of whatever sorting and filtering features CB Insights gives you. They may not be fancy, but they help.
1. Use the Search Bar
Most dashboards have a search bar—use it! Type your prefix (COMP:, SECTOR:, etc.) to filter instantly.
2. Sort by Date Modified
Sorting by last accessed or last modified keeps your most-used searches at the top. Good for surfacing what actually matters.
3. Bulk Actions
If CB Insights lets you bulk delete or update, use it. Don’t waste time deleting old searches one by one.
Step 5: Make Saved Searches Work for Your Team
If you’re the only one using saved searches, that’s fine. But if your team shares an account or collaborates, sloppy organization can waste everyone’s time.
1. Standardize Naming Conventions
Share your naming system with the team. Otherwise, everyone invents their own, and chaos reigns.
2. Document “What’s What”
Keep a quick doc or wiki with: - Prefixes and what they mean - Which searches are “official” or must-keep - Who owns which saved search (if relevant)
3. Clean Up Together
Schedule a quarterly “spring cleaning” where everyone reviews their saved searches. It takes 10 minutes and keeps things sane.
Step 6: Know When to Start Fresh
Sometimes, your saved searches just aren’t cutting it anymore—maybe your focus has changed, or the data is stale. Don’t be afraid to wipe the slate clean.
- Archive or delete everything you haven’t used in the last quarter.
- Start with a few new, well-named searches.
- Only add more if you actually need them.
This sounds drastic, but sometimes a hard reset is better than endless tweaks.
What to Ignore
There’s a lot of advice out there about “optimizing” your saved searches. Here’s what’s not worth your energy:
- Trying to automate everything. Unless you’re managing hundreds of searches, automation is usually overkill.
- Obsessing over color-coding or emoji. It looks cute, but it doesn’t help you find stuff faster.
- Saving every possible filter combo. You’ll never check them all, and it just adds clutter.
Keep It Simple (and Don’t Stress)
You don’t need a perfect system—just one that helps you get to the right info without a lot of fuss. Most people overcomplicate things, then give up and let chaos take over.
Start with a quick audit, use clear naming, and check in once a month. If it stops working, change it up. The goal isn’t to have the prettiest saved search list—it’s to spend less time hunting for what you need, and more time actually using it.