The Shark Tank

When you are using a search engine, you have an intent behind your search query. In other words, you have a specific goal that you are trying to accomplish using the search. Even when you’re typing quickly, and the words seem gibberish, Google somehow understands exactly what you mean and produces relevant results.

The Four Types of Search Queries

When people use a search engine, there are four broad categories of reasonings behind the query.

1. Informational

This is one of the most common types of search intent. People with informational intent are looking for new information about a particular topic. Some examples are: “How do I become a fashion designer,” “What is the largest city in America,” and “Top ten rainy day activities.”

2. Commercial

This intent refers to when a user wants to do some research before making a purchase. Some examples are: “best cars for big families,” “simple room décor,” and “durable screen protectors.”

3. Navigational

Navigational search intent means that a user is using Google to find another website or page. A few examples include: “Instagram,” “American Psychological Association,” and “Amazon.”

4. Transactional

Transactional search intent refers to when a user is ready to make a purchase and searches for a specific product or brand. Examples of this include: “cheap blenders,” “buy the latest Apple watch,” and “coupons for high-rise jeans.”

Why is Search Intent Important?

By prioritizing search intent, Google is more likely to show your page as a result of the queries you’re targeting. Google prioritizes relevant content, so if the content aligns with search intent (the users’ needs), the content should rank higher in the search results.

Understanding search intent can help you develop a more effective content strategy that uses keywords that align with your customers’ needs. By prioritizing customer needs, your content will be more relevant, resulting in higher search result rankings.

Ensuring your content aligns with the search intent requires you to step back and put yourself in the users’ shoes. Think about how they might search in order to land on your page. The easiest way to figure out what Google believes the user wants to see is to conduct a SERP analysis. This is just one of the many ways to enhance your SEO strategy to align with search intent. By doing keyword research before creating the content, determining where customers are in the marketing funnel, and adopting a user perspective, you can better match your customers’ needs and rank higher in Google’s search results.