What Is Search Intent?
Search intent is the object or target a user has in mind while entering a specific query into a search engine.
A user wants to reach a goal with one keyword or keyphrase in mind, you just have to figure out what the user wants.
Is it about getting information about something or learning a particular topic? Is it about buying something or moving around the web?
You must bear all such questions in mind putting yourself in the user’s shoes.
Example
A user searches ‘cookies’, it could refer to either internet cookies or the food item.
The intent of the query or a search phrase including ‘cookies’ can be getting information about internet/web cookies.
Likewise, the intent of the cookie recipe will be different and that of stores selling the best cookies will be different.
Ultimately, it all boils down to the fact that search engines like Google are smart enough to figure out and bring the best suitable results to the user.
Types of Search Intent
We can divide search intent into four main parts.
Informational
Informational searches have the intent of looking into a topic, learning about it, or knowing more about it. They usually contain what, when, who, which, how, where, etc.
For instance:
Who won World War 1?
When was President Kennedy assassinated?
How long is the Nile River?
In addition to questions, an informative search may consist of main words only like United Nations, Seven Wonders of the World, or 2022 US Elections, etc.
Transactional
The intent of transactional searches can be to buy something online or go in person to buy or pay for something.
A user will only do a transactional search when he/she has made the decision to buy and has the knowledge before searching for it.
They may or may not contain words like buy, purchase, price, etc.
For example:
“Buy fuse bead kit online”
“Spy camera glasses”
“Sydney to Melbourne flights”
Navigational
Navigational intent only directs the user to a certain URL they want to visit. Usually, a user knows before typing a search query where he/she wants to go.
This way, they will either let SERPs guide them or directly enter the corresponding URL.
Examples of such searches can be:
“Facebook login”
“Linkedin signup”
“bbc.com”
“Dolce & Gabbana”
Commercial
Commercial intent comes right before transactional intent in which a user is still making a buying decision.
They may like to consider and look into a lot of options. More precisely, it represents an investigation phase that can make or break the buying decision.
In search queries, a user may search for reviews of people, compare prices, or compare features. It can also be ‘local search intent’.
For example:
“Best cellphone companies 2022”
“Restaurants near me”
“iPhone 13 reviews”
These types of searches are critical in the decision-making process and can ultimately influence the user's final buying decision.
Search Intent | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
Informational | To gather information on a topic | How to make pizza dough, Who won the Oscar for Best Actor in 2021 |
Transactional | To make a purchase or conduct a transaction | Buy running shoes online, Pay electricity bill |
Navigational | To locate a specific website or URL | Facebook login, SEODebate |
Commercial | To research and compare products or services before making a purchase | Best smartphones under $500, Car rental services near me |
Google Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines and Search Intent
Google's Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines distinguish between four types of search queries: "Know," "Do," "Website," and "Visit-in-person."
These categories are slightly different from the commonly used informational, transactional, and navigational categories.
"Know" queries refer to searches where users want to get information about a particular topic, which corresponds to the informational intent. Examples of "Know" queries include "What is the capital of France?" or "How to make a cake?"
"Do" queries refer to searches where users want to perform an action, which corresponds to the transactional intent. Examples of "Do" queries include "Buy a new laptop" or "Book a hotel room."
"Website" queries refer to searches where users want to visit a specific website or URL, which corresponds to the navigational intent. Examples of "Website" queries include "Facebook login" or "SEODebate.com"
"Visit-in-person" queries refer to searches where users want to visit a specific physical place, which is not covered by the traditional categories. Examples of "Visit-in-person" queries include "Restaurants near me" or "Gas stations in my area."
How does Google know about the search intent?
There are several ways that search engines like Google can determine the intent behind a user's search query.
One way is through the user's location. For example, if a user searches for "mobile shop" without specifying a location, the top results will show nearby shops based on the user's location.
Google's third-party quality raters also play a role in evaluating search intent. These raters provide feedback and recommendations to Google, which conducts tests to improve the search results based on their evaluation. While the third-party raters do not directly affect the rankings, they indirectly facilitate the evaluation process.
Popular searches also inform Google's algorithm and help determine the searcher's intent. The most popular results for a particular phrase will appear at the top positions, and the most accurate query may be answered in featured snippets.
In short, search engines use a combination of factors to determine the intent behind a user's search query and provide the most relevant results.
Role of Search Intent in SEO
SEO is all about improving your website's rankings and driving more traffic. However, achieving these goals is not possible without a solid understanding of search intent.
Understanding and optimizing for search intent can have a significant impact on your website's bounce rates.
Bounce rate refers to the number of visitors who click on your website's URL but leave without finding the information they need.
Aligning your content with search intent can reduce bounce rates and keep visitors engaged on your website.
Creating content that meets the needs of your audience can also help establish your website's credibility and reliability with both users and search engines.
By optimizing your website for search intent, you can improve your rankings, reach featured snippets, drive more traffic, establish greater credibility, and ultimately, gain more authority in your industry.
How to execute it?
You need to carefully execute this important step in SEO. Here are a few ways to apply search intent.
Keyword research
Keyword research is a critical first step in SEO and can be conducted using various tools.
When conducting keyword research, it is important to consider the search volume and relevancy of the keywords to your services.
Opting for low-volume keywords with low competition can be beneficial, but it is essential to strike a balance between search volume and competition. If the search volume is too low, your SEO efforts may be unsuccessful.
Another useful tip is to focus on long-tail keywords. These keywords are more specific and less competitive than broader keywords.
Searchers are often precise in their queries, and using long-tail keywords can improve your rankings if your content aligns with their search intent.
Analyze the SERPs
To ensure that your content aligns with user search intent, it is essential to analyze the SERPs and your competitors' websites.
One method for examining the SERP involves searching for a variety of related keywords on Google to determine if they should have separate pages or be consolidated into a single URL.
Moreover, it is essential to check the SERP to see if there is a dominant type of intent or multiple intents.
Observe any unique SERP features, such as Knowledge Panels or featured snippets, to gain an understanding of how Google interprets the keyword.
It is also important to take note of any definitional URLs, such as Wikipedia.
To further understand the SERP, examine the titles of the content that ranks and determine if there is a common format.
For instance
do product pages, blogs, listicles, or step-by-step tutorials dominate the search results?
Is the content tailored to a specific audience or broad?
Does it address a particular industry or location?
Examining the top 10 search results can offer valuable insights into the competitive environment and assist you in crafting content that differentiates itself and corresponds with user search intent.
Marketing research
After selecting targeted keywords for your website, it is crucial to identify your competitors.
You need to be specific about the competitors who are also competing for traffic using the same keywords.
Comparing the traffic of each site and analyzing the variance in search intent can provide valuable insights for your keyword selection.
By analyzing your competitors' websites, you can identify their strengths and weaknesses and learn from their SEO strategies.
Understanding their approach to content creation, link building, and keyword targeting can help you refine your own SEO strategy and gain a competitive edge.
Go through and update the old content
As a webmaster, SEO is an ongoing process, and you must remain consistent in your efforts to maintain a high-ranking website.
This is because search engine rankings and their criteria often fluctuate over time.
To keep up with these changes, it is crucial to update your website's content regularly and apply SEO techniques where necessary.
This may involve updating keywords, optimizing meta tags, and improving your website's overall user experience.
Staying up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and techniques is also critical for maintaining your website's ranking.
This may involve keeping an eye on algorithm updates and industry best practices and adjusting your SEO strategy accordingly.
Conclusion
Search intent is all about understanding what people are looking for when they type something into a search engine like Google.
Websites need to create content that matches what people are searching for. This helps the website show up higher in the search results and get more visitors.
To do this well, website owners need to research what people are searching for, look at what other websites are doing, and make sure they provide relevant and high-quality content.