What are transactional queries?
Transactional queries are search queries that show that a user intends to carry out a specific action or transaction.
These types of queries are typically made by people who are ready to make a purchase, book a service, or download a product.
These queries are usually indicated by specific words such as "buy," "purchase," "book," "order," or "download."
For example, if someone searches for "buy shoes online", it means they are interested in purchasing shoes online.
Similarly, if someone searches for "book a hotel in New York", it means they are looking to reserve a hotel room in New York.
These types of queries are usually made by people who have already done their research and are at the bottom of the marketing funnel.
In other words, they are highly likely to complete a transaction because they have already decided on what they want and are actively searching for a way to make that transaction.
Importance of transactional queries
Transactional queries hold importance as they indicate that the individual conducting the search is in the final stages of making a purchase or carrying out a transaction.
These people might not have decided on the exact product they want to buy yet, but they are actively looking for options and are highly likely to make a purchase.
For businesses, ranking high on search engine results pages for transactional queries is essential because it allows them to capture potential customers who are ready to make a purchase.
This can significantly increase the chances of conversion and generate valuable organic search traffic, especially for eCommerce businesses.
Transactional queries are important because they represent a high-intent search, which means businesses that rank well for these terms can capture the demand at the exact moment when the searcher is ready to convert.
How to identify transactional queries?
To identify transactional queries, look for the following characteristics:
Queries that contain words like "buy," "order," "purchase," "download," and "subscribe," indicate that the user is looking to perform a transaction or action.
If a query includes the name of a specific product or service, it's likely that the user is interested in making a purchase or signing up.
Queries that include terms like "price," "discount," "deal," "sale," or "coupon" are often transactional in nature, as users are looking for the best deal or offer.
Queries that include terms like "credit card," "PayPal," "shipping," or "delivery" are usually transactional, as users are trying to understand the logistics of completing a transaction.
When users search for comparisons or reviews of products or services (e.g., "best," "top," "compare," "review"), they may be in the research phase but are likely getting closer to making a transaction.
Remember that not all transactional queries will include all of these elements, and some may even appear to be informational or navigational queries.
However, by considering these characteristics, you can gain a better understanding of the user's intent and develop strategies to target transactional queries effectively.
You can also use different keyword research tools to identify transactional queries like Ahrefs:
Ahrefs
Sign in to your Ahrefs account and navigate to the "Keyword Explorer" tool in the top menu. Enter your target keyword or a broad topic related to your niche, and click "Search."
Ahrefs will provide you with a list of keyword suggestions related to your target keyword. Look for keywords with transactional intent, such as those with action-oriented words like "buy," "order," "download," or "subscribe."
Click the "Filters" button to access advanced filtering options. You can add words or phrases that are commonly associated with transactional intent, such as "price," "discount," "coupon," "review," or specific brand names.
Consider the search volume of the keywords, which indicates how many people are searching for that term. Higher search volume typically means more potential traffic, but it can also mean higher competition. Balance your targeting strategy between high and low-search volume keywords.
Once you have identified transactional queries, you can export your keyword list by clicking the "Export" button. This will allow you to save the list in a CSV or Excel format for further analysis or use in your content and SEO strategies.
By following these steps, you can effectively identify transactional queries using Ahrefs and gain valuable insights into user intent, which can help inform your content, advertising, and SEO strategies.
Optimizing for transactional queries
You can optimise your content for transactional queries in the following ways:
Use Long-Tail Keywords
As mentioned, transactional queries are often more specific and targeted than other search terms.
By optimizing your content for long-tail keywords that include transactional queries, you can increase your visibility in search results and attract more qualified traffic to your site.
Include Action-Oriented Language
When creating content or designing your website, use language that is action-oriented and encourages users to take specific actions, such as "Buy Now" or "Book a Service".
This can help to attract users who are ready to make a transaction and increase the likelihood of conversion.
Optimize for Local Search
If you offer local services, it's important to optimize your content for local search queries.
This can involve including location-specific keywords and information on your website, as well as optimizing your Google My Business listing.
Use Product Structured Data
Using structured data or markup on your product pages can improve their visibility in Google search results, allowing Google to display detailed information about your products.
This is important as it can include details like the product's price, availability, and review rating.
If you have signed up for Google Merchant Center, it's essential to implement structured data to list your products on Google's "Shopping" tab and increase their exposure to potential customers who are searching for products like yours.
Provide Clear Calls to Action
To maximize the chances of conversion, make sure your website includes clear and prominent calls to action that encourage users to take specific actions.
This could involve including a prominent "Buy Now" button or a booking form on your site.
Optimize for Mobile
With more and more users searching and making transactions on mobile devices, it is important to ensure that your website is optimised for mobile devices.
This includes having a mobile-responsive design and fast loading times.
Improve User Experience
To optimize for transactional queries, you must focus on providing a seamless and frictionless user experience.
This includes optimising your website for speed and usability, providing clear and detailed product or service information, and making the checkout process as simple and straightforward as possible.
Optimize for Search Engines
You should ensure that your website and other online properties are optimized for search engines.
This involves conducting keyword research to identify the most appropriate transactional queries for your business and optimizing your website content, meta tags, and other on-page elements accordingly.
Conclusion
If you want to increase your online revenue and attract more customers who are ready to complete a transaction, it's important to understand the role of transactional queries in the online sales process and optimize for them.
This involves providing a seamless user experience, optimizing your website for search engines, and leveraging strategies like structured data and local SEO to attract and convert more customers.
By doing so, you can improve your chances of success in the competitive online marketplace.