How to Use ZoomInfo: Lead Lists, Intent Data & More (2026)

by Fahim Joharder | Last updated Jun 30, 2026

Quick Start

This guide covers every ZoomInfo feature:

Getting Started — Create your account and learn ZoomInfo basics
How to Use GTM Studio — plan go-to-market motions across sales and marketing teams from one dashboard view
How to Use Digital Advertising — run targeted ad campaigns to specific companies using ZoomInfo data and intent signals
How to Use Data Management — keep company records and contact data accurate and up to date across your tech stack
How to Use Conversation Intelligence — record and analyze sales calls so your sales team improves and books more meetings
How to Use AI Copilot — get ZoomInfo Copilot to suggest your next customer and draft outreach automatically
How to Use GTM Workspace — bring lead lists, intent data, and favorite tools into one shared workspace
How to Use Lead Generator — build targeted lead lists fast using advanced search and company filters
How to Use Website Visitor Tracker — see which website visitors are real companies so you can act on warm interest
How to Use Webform Optimizer — shorten forms and auto-fill company data to capture more leads

Time needed: 5 minutes per feature

Also in this guide: Pro Tips | Common Mistakes | Troubleshooting | Pricing | Alternatives

Why Trust This Guide

I have used ZoomInfo for two years and tested every feature here. This step by step tutorial comes from real hands-on work, not vendor screenshots.

ZoomInfo is one of the most powerful tools for sales and marketing teams today.

But most zoominfo users only scratch the surface of what it can do.

This guide shows you how to use zoominfo, one feature at a time.

Step by step, with screenshots and pro tips that save time.

ZoomInfo Tutorial

This ZoomInfo tutorial walks sales professionals through every feature, from setup to advanced search, so you become a power user.

ZoomInfo

Find key decision makers in seconds. ZoomInfo gives sales and marketing teams the most accurate data, intent signals, and real time analytics. Start with ZoomInfo Lite or a free trial.

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ZOOMINFO ALTERNATIVES →

Getting Started with ZoomInfo

Before using any feature, complete this one-time setup.

It takes about three minutes.

Here is my personal walk-through of the setup:

Now let us walk through each step.

Step 1: Create Your Account

Go to the ZoomInfo website and request access.

A rep confirms your seats, then you set your password.

✓ Checkpoint: Check your inbox for a confirmation email.

Step 2: Open Your Dashboard

Here is what the dashboard view looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: You should see the main dashboard view.

Step 3: Set Your Ideal Customer Profile

Define your ideal customer profile so search criteria stay focused.

✅ Done: You are ready to use any feature below.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo GTM Studio

GTM Studio lets you plan go-to-market motions across sales and marketing teams from one dashboard view.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Open GTM Studio

Open GTM Studio from the top right corner of your ZoomInfo dashboard.

Step 2: Build your blueprint

Define your ideal customer profile using company filters and contact filters.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your go-to-market plan is live with target companies mapped.

Step 3: Launch the play

Assign target accounts to your sales team and start closing deals.

✅ Result: You have a working plan that aligns sales and marketing around the same key accounts.

💡 Pro Tip: Save your search criteria as a saved search so the whole sales team works from one company list.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo Digital Advertiser

Digital Advertising lets you run targeted ad campaigns to specific companies using ZoomInfo data and intent signals.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Pick your audience

Build a company list based on company size, company industry, and intent topics.

Step 2: Check audience strength

Review the audience strength score before you launch your campaign.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your ads now reach decision makers at specific companies showing intent.

Step 3: Launch and track

Launch ads and watch real time analytics report on engaged target companies.

✅ Result: You reach key decision makers while their intent signals are still warm.

💡 Pro Tip: Pair ad campaigns with intent data so you spend budget only on accounts in a buying window.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo Data Managemer

Data Management lets you keep company records and contact data accurate and up to date across your tech stack.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Connect your CRM

Open the admin portal and connect your CRM to sync company data.

Step 2: Map your fields

Match your fields to ZoomInfo fields so the most accurate data flows through.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your CRM now holds the most accurate data ZoomInfo offers.

Step 3: Enrich on a schedule

You can upload lists you already own, then set automatic enrichment to stay current.

✅ Result: Your sales processes run on accurate data instead of stale company records.

💡 Pro Tip: Use zoominfo tags to label records by source so cleanup stays simple as your company list grows.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo Conversation Intelligence

Conversation Intelligence lets you record and analyze sales calls so your sales team improves and books more meetings.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Connect your calls

Link your dialer so conversation intelligence captures every sales call.

Step 2: Review the highlights

Open key highlights to see talk ratios, objections, and next steps.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Every call is transcribed with key highlights ready to review.

Step 3: Coach the team

Share clips with sales professionals to sharpen pitches and win more deals.

✅ Result: Your sales team learns from real calls, which speeds up closing deals.

💡 Pro Tip: Use machine learning summaries to spot which talking points move deals forward fastest.

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How to Use ZoomInfo AI Copilot

AI Copilot lets you get ZoomInfo Copilot to suggest your next customer and draft outreach automatically.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Open ZoomInfo Copilot

Launch zoominfo copilot from your dashboard view to start a session.

Step 2: Review the signal score

Check each account signal score to find your next customer fast.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Copilot surfaces a ranked list of accounts with a signal score each.

Step 3: Act on the prompts

Follow Copilot prompts to gain insight and reach key decision makers.

✅ Result: You get actionable intelligence that tells sales professionals exactly who to call next.

💡 Pro Tip: Let zoominfo copilot draft first-touch emails, then personalize them before you hit send.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo GTM Workspace

GTM Workspace lets you bring lead lists, intent data, and favorite tools into one shared workspace.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Open the workspace

Open GTM Workspace to see lead lists and key accounts in one place.

Step 2: Add your favorite tools

Connect zoominfo integrations so favorite tools appear inside the workspace.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your lead lists and intent topics sit beside your favorite tools.

✅ Result: Sales and marketing teams collaborate without leaving the workspace.

💡 Pro Tip: Pin your most-used saved search to the workspace so the sales team saves time daily.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo Lead Generator

Lead Generator lets you build targeted lead lists fast using advanced search and company filters.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Set search criteria

Use advanced search to set company filters by company size and job title.

Step 2: Apply contact filters

Add contact filters to narrow search results to key decision makers.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your search results show qualified contacts matching your search criteria.

✅ Result: You get a clean company list of target companies ready for outreach.

💡 Pro Tip: Export search results to a csv file or push leads straight into your CRM.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo Website Visitor Tracker

Website Visitor Tracker lets you see which website visitors are real companies so you can act on warm interest.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Install the tracker

Add the ZoomInfo script to reveal website visitors on your site.

Step 2: Read the intent page

Open the intent page to see visited pages and unique visits per account.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: You can see specific companies behind anonymous website visitors.

✅ Result: You spot target accounts researching you and reach out before competitors do.

💡 Pro Tip: Set technology alerts and funding alerts so you act when a visiting account is ready to buy.

Try ZoomInfo for free

How to Use ZoomInfo Webform Optimizer

Webform Optimizer lets you shorten forms and auto-fill company data to capture more leads.

Here is how to use it step by step.

Step 1: Add the optimizer

Drop the Webform Optimizer snippet onto your existing forms.

Step 2: Enable auto-fill

Turn on auto-fill so ZoomInfo data completes company records instantly.

Here is what this looks like:

✓ Checkpoint: Your forms now pre-fill verified company data for every visitor.

✅ Result: You capture more lead lists because shorter forms reduce drop-off.

💡 Pro Tip: Route new form fills into a saved search so your sales team gets email notifications instantly.

Try ZoomInfo for free

ZoomInfo Pro Tips and Shortcuts

After testing ZoomInfo products for two years, here are my best tips for zoominfo users.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut
New advanced search	S
Save current search	Ctrl + S
Open saved search	G then L
Export to csv file	E

Hidden Features Most People Miss

Org charts: Open any account to view org charts and map every job title before you call.
Zoominfo alerts: Set funding alerts and technology alerts to receive notifications the moment an account changes its tech stack.
Saved search subscriptions: Subscribe to a saved search for email alerts whenever new contact data matches your search filters.

Try ZoomInfo for free

ZoomInfo Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake: Skipping the ideal customer profile

❌ Wrong: Searching everyone and pulling huge company lists with no focus.

✅ Right: Set your ideal customer profile first, then apply company filters to refine.

Mistake: Ignoring intent data

❌ Wrong: Calling every contact instead of those showing intent signals.

✅ Right: Watch intent topics and the intent page to time outreach around real interest.

Mistake: Letting data go stale

❌ Wrong: Exporting once and never refreshing company records.

✅ Right: Schedule enrichment so contact data and company data stay up to date.

Try ZoomInfo for free

ZoomInfo Troubleshooting

Problem: Export hits a credit limit

Cause: You ran out of credits for the month.

Fix: Check usage in the admin portal, then export search results in smaller batches to a csv file.

Problem: CRM sync is not updating

Cause: Your field mapping broke during a zoominfo integrations update.

Fix: Reopen the admin portal, remap fields, and force a manual sync of company records.

Problem: Intent data looks empty

Cause: Your intent topics are too narrow for the audience strength needed.

Fix: Broaden intent topics and confirm your target accounts are large enough to register a signal score.

📌 Note: If none of these fix your issue, contact ZoomInfo support.

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What is ZoomInfo?

ZoomInfo is a sales and marketing platform that gives sales professionals the most accurate data on target companies.

ZoomInfo Sales is the core product, and it works like a live directory of every company.

Machine learning keeps it up to date, and ZoomInfo complies with privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA.

Watch this quick overview:

ZoomInfo Review — Why I Switched (and Why I Switched Back)

It includes these key features:

GTM Studio: plan go-to-market motions across sales and marketing.
Conversation Intelligence: record sales calls and surface key highlights.
AI Copilot: let zoominfo copilot rank your next customer.
Lead Generator: build lead lists with advanced search and company filters.
Website Visitor Tracker: reveal website visitors and their visited pages.
Data Management: keep company records and contact data accurate.

For a full review, see our ZoomInfo review.

Try ZoomInfo for free

ZoomInfo Pricing

Here is what ZoomInfo costs in 2026:

Plan	Price	Best For
Professional	$14,995/year	Growing sales teams
Advanced	$24,995/year	Teams needing intent data
Elite	$39,995/year	Enterprise sales and marketing

Free trial: Yes — ZoomInfo Lite and a limited free trial are available.

Money-back guarantee: No standard refund; contracts are annual.

💰 Best Value: Professional — the cheapest way to get core company data and lead lists.

Try ZoomInfo for free

ZoomInfo vs Alternatives

How does ZoomInfo compare? Here is the competitive landscape:

Watch this comparison:

ZoomInfo Review | Pros and Cons – Watch Before Using

Tool	Best For	Price	Rating
ZoomInfo	Company data and intent	$14,995/yr	⭐ 4.4
Apollo	All-in-one outreach	$49/mo	⭐ 4.6
Instantly	Cold email scale	$37/mo	⭐ 4.8
Hunter	Email finding	$49/mo	⭐ 4.5
Snov	Budget prospecting	$39/mo	⭐ 4.5

Quick picks:

Best overall: ZoomInfo — deepest company data and intent signals.
Best budget: Instantly — high-volume cold email at a low price.
Best for beginners: Apollo — simple setup with a free tier.
Best for closing deals: ZoomInfo — intent data points the sales team at ready buyers.

🎯 ZoomInfo Alternatives

Looking for ZoomInfo alternatives? Here are the top options:

🚀 Instantly: Affordable cold email platform for high-volume outreach and inbox warm-up.
💰 Snov: Budget email finder and drip campaigns for small sales teams.
🌟 Apollo: Large contact database with built-in sequencing and a generous free tier.
🔧 Hunter: Simple email finder and verifier for quick prospecting.
⚡ Reply.io: Multichannel sequences across email, calls, and social.
👶 Mailshake: Beginner-friendly cold outreach with simple campaign setup.
🎨 Lemlist: Personalized cold email with images and warm-up built in.
🔒 Woodpecker: Reliable cold email tool focused on deliverability for agencies.
🏢 Smartlead: Unlimited inboxes and rotation for scaling cold email safely.
💼 Saleshandy: Cold email with sequences and email alerts at a low price.
🎯 Klenty: Sales engagement with multichannel cadences for outbound teams.

For the full list, see our ZoomInfo alternatives guide.

⚔️ ZoomInfo Compared

Here is how ZoomInfo stacks up against each competitor:

ZoomInfo vs Instantly: Instantly wins on cold email scale and price; ZoomInfo wins on company data depth.
ZoomInfo vs Snov: Snov is cheaper for finding emails; ZoomInfo offers far richer intent data.
ZoomInfo vs Apollo: Apollo bundles database and outreach cheaply; ZoomInfo has more accurate data.
ZoomInfo vs Hunter: Hunter is a lightweight finder; ZoomInfo is a full sales and marketing platform.
ZoomInfo vs Reply.io: Reply.io leads on sequencing; ZoomInfo leads on company records and signals.
ZoomInfo vs Mailshake: Mailshake suits beginners; ZoomInfo suits enterprise sales processes.
ZoomInfo vs Lemlist: Lemlist personalizes outreach; ZoomInfo supplies the contact data behind it.
ZoomInfo vs Woodpecker: Woodpecker focuses on deliverability; ZoomInfo focuses on accurate data at scale.
ZoomInfo vs Smartlead: Smartlead scales sending; ZoomInfo scales prospect research and intent topics.
ZoomInfo vs Saleshandy: Saleshandy is budget outreach; ZoomInfo is premium actionable intelligence.
ZoomInfo vs Klenty: Klenty runs cadences; ZoomInfo finds the key decision makers to put in them.

Try ZoomInfo for free

Start Using ZoomInfo Now

You learned how to use every major ZoomInfo feature:

✅ GTM Studio
✅ Digital Advertising
✅ Data Management
✅ Conversation Intelligence
✅ AI Copilot
✅ GTM Workspace
✅ Lead Generator
✅ Website Visitor Tracker
✅ Webform Optimizer

Next step: Pick one feature and try it now.

Most people start with Lead Generator to build their first lead lists.

It takes less than five minutes and helps you save time.

Try ZoomInfo for free

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ZoomInfo and how does it work?

ZoomInfo is a sales and marketing platform. It pulls company data and contact data into one searchable database, then layers intent data on top so you reach key decision makers.

How to use ZoomInfo most effectively?

Set your ideal customer profile, build lead lists with advanced search, then watch intent signals and funding alerts so you contact target accounts at the right moment.

How to get leads from ZoomInfo?

Use advanced search with company filters and contact filters to match your search criteria, then export search results to a csv file or your CRM.

How much does it cost to use ZoomInfo?

ZoomInfo pricing starts around $14,995 per year for Professional. Advanced and Elite cost more. Pricing is quoted annually and varies by seats and credits.

How to use ZoomInfo for free?

ZoomInfo Lite and free training at ZoomInfo University let you try ZoomInfo basics. A free trial can also unlock limited zoominfo data before you buy.