This is why user intent is high on Google’s priority list. It’s also a top priority for marketers looking to succeed in the current SEO landscape.
Informational Intent
Users who search with informational intent are looking for a specific piece of content that answers their question. For example, a user searching for "what are acai berries?" is seeking an informative article that explains the nutritional benefits of this fruit. These searches are typically done at the top of the funnel, as users are in the awareness stage. Keywords with informational intent should be used throughout a blog post or article to drive traffic and create engagement.
Sometimes, the search intent isn't as clear as a question word (what, when, or how). However, some keywords may have been transactional in the past but now have informational search intent. This is due to seasonal, social, or market factors that change the intent over time. For instance, in the past, a keyword like "hand sanitizer" might have had transactional intent, but now, searches for this term usually have informational intent because people are looking for how to make it at home.
As a result, this is why it's important to conduct thorough keyword research and analyze the search trends over time for any keywords you plan on using in your content. This will help you determine if your content is going to be helpful or irrelevant for the target audience.
Often, searches with informational intent include navigational intentions, such as the name of a website. For example, someone searching for "Facebook" is probably trying to navigate to the website of that same name. Searches such as this one should be used to drive traffic to your site and increase brand recognition.
Commercial searches are similar to informational ones but have a more clear commercial purpose. For example, a person searching for "best dishwasher" is likely to purchase the product eventually. They are likely conducting comparative research to decide which brand and model is the best fit for their needs. Understanding this intent can help you provide relevant, useful content that meets your potential customers' needs and increases the likelihood of conversions. Ultimately, it's the most important type of search intent to understand when it comes to your content marketing strategy.
Commercial Intent
Commercial intent keywords are those that searchers type into Google with the aim of buying a product or service. This is the most lucrative of all the intent types, because it tells you that a prospective customer has money burning a hole in their pocket and they want what you have on offer. This is a big indicator that they are ready to buy, and you should consider trying to rank for these keywords in both your organic and PPC campaigns.
However, it is important to note that not all queries with commercial intent are created equal. As such, a lot of marketers tend to get confused when looking at search volume trends and seeing that some commercial intent keywords have very low search volume, while others have high search volume. This is because some queries have high commercial intent but are not yet in the consideration stage (i.e., they are looking for third-party reviews of a product) while others have low commercial intent but are in the consideration stage (i.e., "buy iPhone").
To help overcome this confusion, marketers can use keyword intent analysis tools to identify the search intent behind a query. For example, content marketing platform Content Harmony offers a Keyword Intent Explorer that allows marketers to plug in a specific keyword and then see the different search intent categories assigned to it. The tool then lists the most promising keywords for each category, and gives the estimated effort required to rank for them.
Another way to surface commercial intent keywords is to analyze the existing searches done by your potential customers. This can be done by using the Google Autocomplete feature, which returns the most popular searches for a given term. You can then filter these searches by the intent categories listed above to find out which queries have a high commercial intent.
Once you have identified a list of commercial intent keywords, you can pass them to your marketing or sales team for further investigation. Depending on the intent of the query, you may need to create new landing pages, product listings, or other content types. You may also need to update existing pages in order to meet the needs of the searcher.
Navigational Intent
People who search with navigational intent are usually in the early stages of the sales funnel. They are looking for a product or brand name and want to go directly to that website. For example, someone searching for “logitech mouse” may be ready to purchase one; someone who searches for “mcdonalds” might be planning to drive to the nearest location or want to go to their website. Whether your business offers a product or service, you should focus on ranking for these types of searches.
If you’re not sure which type of keywords to target, try analyzing the top-ranking pages and determining their format, tone, keyword use, and angle. This can help you identify the search intent for a specific query and determine how to create content that will meet that intent.
Navigational intent searches often involve keywords that include the brand or website name, such as “Twitter,” “Facebook,” and “Google.” When a user types these types of terms into Google, the search engine understands that they are seeking a particular brand or page. It will display the results most relevant to their needs.
This is also true for searches that combine transactional and informational search intent, such as searches for a “music festival” or “movie theater.” These users are searching for more information about the product or event they’re interested in, but aren’t necessarily ready to make a purchase at this time.
Understanding the underlying intent behind a keyword search is essential for a successful SEO and content marketing strategy. The goal is to develop high-quality, valuable content that meets the needs of your target audience. By targeting the right keywords, you’ll improve your search engine rankings and increase conversions. As the competitive nature of digital marketing continues to evolve, the need to understand the intent behind search queries will only become more important.
Transactional Intent
Search intent is a powerful factor when creating content. It helps marketers understand why people type certain words into a search engine, which can then match them with results that best satisfy their intent.
Understanding search intent can be difficult, though. Different users may use the same keywords in different ways, and each user’s intent will be slightly different from the next. Luckily, Google’s search results pages are a goldmine of user intent information. These boxes that appear below the search bar provide clues to what users were hoping to accomplish by typing a specific keyword into the Google search box.
Some of these boxes include a question, like “how do you care for a fiddle leaf fig?” or “where can I buy dog food online?” This indicates that the user was hoping to find a product to purchase. By targeting these types of keywords, businesses can reach users who are ready to make a transaction.
Other search intents include commercial investigating intent, where users are looking for a product but haven’t yet made a decision to purchase. This type of search can be spotted by keywords including “buy” or “order,” as well as search terms that indicate how the product is used, such as “what is the best SEO plugin?”
Navigational intent, which is more obvious than informational or commercial investigating, is the most common type of search. These are searches that are designed to help users navigate a particular website or webpage, such as “what is data center?” or “where can I get chest of drawers in white from Ikea?”
When determining search intent, marketers should always keep in mind that the goal of a search query is not necessarily to gain visibility on Google’s SERPs but rather to find a solution to their problem. Understanding search intent allows marketers to create relevant and effective content that will improve their chances of ranking and attracting the right audience. This will lead to a higher conversion rate and an overall better experience for both searchers and marketers alike.