How Lookalike Searches Work
Lookalike searches allow you to input a set of reference companies or people and discover similar entities based on shared characteristics, industry context, and behavioral patterns. This helps you:
Identify potential leads that match your best customers
Build or refine ICPs
Target high-potential contacts and companies for outreach
Lookalike functionality is available for both company and people searches.
Limitations of Lookalike Searches on Ocean.io
Maximum Number of Reference Items
Company Lookalikes: You can use up to 10 reference companies per lookalike search. Using 3–5 companies from the same industry or vertical is recommended to maintain accuracy.
People Lookalikes: Similarly, you can use up to 10 LinkedIn profiles as references for people lookalikes.
API and Automation for Advanced Searches
For users needing to analyze more than 10 reference companies or people, the Ocean.io API provides advanced functionality:
Enables integration and automation for larger-scale analyses
Compatible with tools like Clay for enhanced workflows
API queries automatically spend credits per request, including any applied filters
This is ideal for high-volume campaigns or automated processes that cannot be performed through the platform interface.
Optimizing Results and Building an ICP
Ocean.io allows you to build detailed ICPs through lookalike searches at both the company and individual contact levels:
Company Lookalike Searches: Input up to 10 reference companies to generate similar companies. Refine results using filters like industry, region, or size.
People Lookalike Searches: Input up to 10 LinkedIn profiles to find similar individuals at comparable companies. Switch to the People tab to access key decision-makers and enrich contact details such as emails and phone numbers.
By combining company and people lookalikes, you can refine your ICP to identify both the types of companies and the roles that best match your business objectives.