If you understand the concept of search intent, you can create high-quality content that your potential customers can’t resist on Search Engine Result Pages. While keyword research focuses on what your audience is searching for, search intent is more concerned about why they are searching for that keyword.
Interestingly, search intent is one of the most critical SEO ranking factors. And if you don’t understand how the concept works, every other SEO strategy you implement may not get you the desired result.
One thing about Google algorithms is that they are smart. From searchers’ keywords, Google can tell the answer they are looking for.
And if you understand why people are searching for a particular keyword, search engines will always match your content with the right audience.
Understanding your audience’s search intent is what differentiates highly converting content from others.
Unfortunately, search intent is one of the most underutilized SEO strategies to boost your website traffic and increase conversion.
You will always have an unfair advantage over your competitors if you consider your audience’s search intent whenever you create content.
What is Search Intent?
Search Intent is an SEO concept that helps you understand the reason behind a search query. It tells you why your audience is searching for a particular keyword.
Sometimes, the search intent of a keyword could be to buy a product, read reviews, find a particular website, learn about something, etc.
If you read through Google’s Mission – (“To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”), you will realize that Google is in existence just to provide users with the most relevant search results for their query.
So, if you want Google to favor your website, you should regularly create content that is relevant to search queries.
Did you know that Google dedicates 17% of their Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines to understanding their user intent? Well, that tells you how much search intent matters to Google.
Types of Search Intent
Generally, search intent helps Google match whatever content you are creating with what people are searching for.
And here are the 4 types of search intents you should consider whenever you are creating content for your website;
Read Also: 6 Tips to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search
#1. Informational
Generally, most queries on the internet are done by people who are searching for information. According to reports, more than 80% of search queries on the internet are informational.
People always turn to the internet whenever they are looking for quick information. It could be information about SEO, weather, parenting, running a business, tourist locations; you name it.
And searchers with informational intent usually ask specific questions. Examples of informational intent queries are;
- How to set up 301 redirects on WordPress websites?
- What is the capital of Russia?
- How to get funding for your startup?
- How do you measure customer service?
If you search for any of these terms or something related to them, Google doesn’t just show you the result relating to the information you search for.
The search engine giant will go the extra mile to give you more specific results. For instance, if you search for tomato sauce, Google will not only show you results about the history of tomato sauce, it will show you search results related to recipes. Google knows that the search intent for the keywords “tomato sauce” is to learn more about the recipe.
If you search for more technical terms like “how to set up 301 redirects on WordPress websites?” they will include images and videos. Yeah, that is how smart Google can be.
Additionally, informational search queries are not always in question formats. They could be phrases like living in Paris, business plan format, startup fundraising ideas, etc.
#2. Navigational
People with navigational search intent already know the website they want to visit but can’t remember the exact URL.
So they just type the name of the website on Google Search to get the URL.
Surprisingly, people with navigational search intent may even know the URL but are too lazy to type it. They would prefer Google search result pages to return the link for easy access.
Navigational intent search queries could be Facebook login, Google analytics, Zappos, CoSchedule login, Grammarly, etc.
If your website isn’t the site people are looking for, ranking high for a navigational search intent may not impact your website traffic.
Like I mentioned earlier, users with navigational intent already have a destination in mind. For instance, if your website ranks for keywords like Facebook login, Grammarly login, Google analytics, etc., the click-through rate will be very poor.
#3. Transactional
People often turn to Google whenever they want to shop online or offline. And the search queries these people make have transactional intent.
Transactional intent users are highly valuable because they are ready to buy at that particular moment. At this stage, these users already know what they want to buy, and they are just looking for the right place to get it.
Examples of transactional queries are; affordable Bluetooth headphones, Amazon coupon code, best-priced smart desk, etc.
#4. Commercial Investigation
With information at our fingertips, people tend to do commercial investigations before making their buying decision.
At that particular moment, searchers with commercial investigation intent aren’t ready to buy.
They are still comparing prices, features, and round-ups to make the right decision.
As a content creator, you must understand the keywords your potential audience uses in their search queries; it will give you insights into their search intent.
And the more you create intent-specific content; the more Google will expose your website to people with matching search intent.
If you are too busy to create your content, the Tycoono Content Writing Team can help you with your content creation. We will help you create high-quality intent specific content that will expose your services to the right audience.
