In this article, you’ll find:
What is Intent Signal Strength
When you use UpLead’s Intent filter during a Contact or Company search, a new column appears in the results: Intent Signal Strength. This column shows a “signal bar” 
next to each contact (in contact search) or company (in company search), indicating the degree of match between your selected intent topics and the company’s intent indicators.
The purpose of this bar is to give a quick, at-a-glance measure of how well a company’s recent behaviors/interest align with your intent filters, helping you prioritize companies likely to be in the market for what you offer.
How Intent Signal Strength is Displayed
The signal appears as a bar (or “signal bar”
) near the contact's name (for Contact Search results) or near the company name (for Company Search results).The visual strength (e.g. number of “filled bars” or fullness of the bar) corresponds to how many of your selected intent topics match that company’s intent data.
A fuller bar means more topics matched, a partial/shorter bar means fewer.
How to Use Intent Filters
A more in-depth guide on how the Intent filter works can be found here: Setting Up and Using Intent Data in UpLead but in short:
Navigate to Contact Search or Company Search in UpLead.
Open the Filters panel and locate the Intent filter section.
Select one or more intent topics relevant to what you’re looking for (e.g. purchase intent, interest in certain services, industry signals, etc.).
Run the search, when results load, the new Intent Signal Strength column will appear automatically, showing signal bars for companies/contacts whose companies have intent data.
Interpreting the Signal Bar, What the Strength Means
Full Match: If you apply, say, 3 intent topics, and a company has all 3 intents matching, the signal bar will display as “full” (e.g.
).Partial Match: If you applied 10 intents but the company only matches 5, the bar will be partially filled (e.g.
). This indicates a partial, but still relevant match.Low Signal: If the company does not meet enough of your selected intent topics, the bar may be minimal (e.g.
), signalling weak or no match.
In short: the bar reflects how many of your selected intents are present, more matched intents = stronger signal.
How to Double-Check Intent Matches
If a company shows a strong or partial signal:
Click on the company scroll down to the PURCHASE INTENT FOR section.
In that section, UpLead will highlight which of your selected intent topics were matched. This gives clarity on what triggered the signal (e.g. particular purchase-intent topics, content interest, industry-related signals, etc.).
Use this to validate whether the match aligns with your targeting criteria before including the lead in outreach or lists.
FAQs
Q: Does Intent Signal Strength show up for all companies or only those with intent data?
A: The signal bar only appears when you search using the Intent filter, and only companies that have relevant intent data.
Q: If I select too many intent topics, will I get fewer companies returned?
A: Yes, since matching all (or many) intents becomes harder if you apply many filters; you may get fewer results, or only companies with partial matches (weaker signal bars).
Q: Can I rely solely on Intent Signal Strength to choose leads?
A: It’s a strong indicator, but it’s best combined with other filters (industry, technographics, etc.) and manual review of the matched intent topics on the company page before outreach.
Q: Does a full signal bar guarantee a sale-ready company?
A: Not necessarily. It means the company exhibits behavior matching your selected intent topics, which may signal interest or early-stage research. Use this as a lead quality indicator, not a guarantee.
Next Steps
Still need help? Contact UpLead Support for assistance.