Filtering Criteria

Configure precise filtering criteria to receive only the news articles that matter to your application. This guide covers all available filtering options for finlight webhooks.

QUERYSearch Terms

Query

  • Name
    query
    Type
    string
    Description

    Search terms to match article content. Supports boolean operators (AND, OR) and parentheses for complex queries.

Examples:

  • Simple: "Apple earnings"
  • Complex: "(Apple OR iPhone) AND (earnings OR revenue)"
  • Exclusion: "Tesla NOT recall"

For advanced query syntax, see the query building guide.

SOURCESInclude/Exclude

Source Filtering

  • Name
    sources
    Type
    string[]
    Description

    Array of news source domains to include. Only articles from these sources will be delivered.

  • Name
    excludeSources
    Type
    string[]
    Description

    Array of news source domains to exclude. Articles from these sources will be filtered out.

Examples:

  • Include trusted sources: ["www.reuters.com", "www.bloomberg.com", "www.cnbc.com"]
  • Exclude blogs: ["example-blog.com", "unreliable-news.com"]

Browse all available sources at app.finlight.me/sources.

TICKERSStock Symbols

Ticker

  • Name
    tickers
    Type
    string[]
    Description

    Array of stock ticker symbols. Articles mentioning these companies will be prioritized for delivery.

Examples:

  • Tech companies: ["AAPL", "GOOGL", "MSFT", "AMZN"]
  • Financial sector: ["JPM", "BAC", "GS", "WFC"]
  • Single focus: ["TSLA"]
LANGUAGELocale

Language Selection

  • Name
    language
    Type
    string
    Description

    Language code in ISO 639-1 format. Only articles in the specified language will be delivered.

Common Languages:

  • English: "en"
  • German: "de"
INCLUDE_CONTENTFull Text

Include Content

  • Name
    includeContent
    Type
    boolean
    Description

    Include the full article text in webhook payloads. Note: This adds the content attribute to the payload but doesn't guarantee content availability - articles may still have empty content. For guaranteed content, combine with "Exclude Empty Content" option.

Impact:

  • Enabled: Content attribute included in payload (larger payloads, may be empty)
  • Disabled: Only title, summary, and metadata (smaller payloads)
INCLUDE_ENTITIESCompanies & People

Include Entities

  • Name
    includeEntities
    Type
    boolean
    Description

    Include extracted entities (companies, people, locations) found in articles.

Entity Types:

  • Companies with ticker symbols
  • People mentioned in articles
  • Geographic locations
  • Organizations and institutions
EXCLUDE_EMPTYQuality Filter

Exclude Empty Content

  • Name
    excludeEmptyContent
    Type
    boolean
    Description

    Skip articles that have no substantial content scraped. Filters out low-quality or paywall-blocked articles.

Benefits:

  • Reduces noise from incomplete articles
  • Ensures meaningful content delivery
  • Improves overall webhook quality
BEST_PRACTICESOptimization Tips

Best Practices

Start Simple

Begin with basic filtering and gradually add complexity:

  1. Single Query - Start with one search term
  2. Add Sources - Include trusted news sources
  3. Refine Content - Enable content options as needed
  4. Monitor Results - Track delivery volume and relevance

Combine Filters Effectively

For Breaking News:

query: "breaking OR urgent OR alert"
excludeEmptyContent: true
includeContent: true

For Company Research:

tickers: ["AAPL", "GOOGL"]
includeEntities: true
sources: ["www.reuters.com", "www.bloomberg.com"]

For Market Analysis:

query: "earnings OR revenue OR guidance"
includeContent: true

Avoid Over-Filtering

Common Mistakes:

  • Too many exclude sources (might miss important news)
  • Overly complex queries (can miss relevant articles)
  • Too restrictive combinations (may result in no deliveries)

Best Approach:

  • Test filters with broader criteria first
  • Use dashboard analytics to refine over time
  • Balance precision with coverage

Need Help?

For webhook setup guidance, visit the main webhooks page. For implementation details, check the authentication guide and testing guide.