Understanding the 4 Types of Search Intent for SEO Success

Natalie Welch

SEO isn't just about keywords; it's about understanding why people search.

Intent is the buzzword you need to keep in the forefront of your mind when creating or scaling up your site. The question you should always ask yourself is, “What is my ideal user looking for, and is this page providing that solution?”

There are four types of search intent to consider: informational, navigational, transactional, and commercial investigation. Knowing how these work can supercharge your SEO strategy and help you create content that matches what users are really after. Let’s crack on.

THE BASICS

What is search intent?

Before we get into the types, we need to be clear on what we mean by search (or audience) intent. It simply is the reason why your audience is searching and what they are then hoping to find. Are they asking a question to help solve a problem such as “how to recover data from my SD card”, or to find out what film you recognise that person from (on the daily in my house)? Or are they looking for help with an idea for a present or recommendations for a holiday? Are they looking to make a purchase as a result of their query, or are they simply gathering research?

There are many reasons that your audience will land on your site, and to have a robust SEO (and content) strategy, you need to consider as many as possible.

"Matching content with search intent can significantly enhance organic visibility.”

- Search Engine Journal.

Now that you understand what “search intent” is, let’s look at the four types.

SOLIDIFY YOUR INTENTIONS

The four types of search intent

Aside from the big commercial stuff, there are every day benefits to using a project management tool for your marketing system, that’ll make your life easier:

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Informational Intent: The Quest for Knowledge

People with informational intent are after specific answers. They’re the Jessica Fletchers of the internet, asking, “How do I become a B Corp?” or “What are backlinks?” These searchers aren’t ready to buy; they’re researching or learning. If your content addresses a query appropriately, you’ll build trust and authority with that user. When thinking about ideas to fit under this category, look at all the questions relevant to your offering, starting with:

How
What
Why
When
What

Then, supplement product and service pages with FAQs and create blog posts, videos, guides, and infographics that answer these questions. Search engines are looking for rich, informative and valuable content. Make it thorough and engaging, and you will become the go-to person in your industry for answers.

Navigational Intent: The Digital GPS

Navigational intent is about a user locating a specific site or page that they have probably visited before. These users know where they want to go; they need directions. Think of searches like “Facebook login”, “Digital Clean-Up Challenge“, or “Tesco opening hours”. They know specifically where they want to go.

For SEO, it’s crucial to ensure your brand and its services or products are easily found. The site structure has to be user-friendly to support a clean and clear user journey. Treat every core page on your site as its own landing page. Refrain from being unnecessarily cryptic or expecting visitors to browse to piece information together; make it obvious and straightforward.

This is your digital storefront; keep it clean, optimised and accessible.

Transactional Intent: Ready to Buy

Here comes the money! *klaxon*

Transactional intent means users know what they want/what their problem is and are ready to purchase. They’re searching for “TreatBox Birthday Advent Calendar” or “Book a Food Waste Collection”. These visitors literally have their digital wallets out and are ready to convert.

Ensure your product and services pages are optimised, with clear CTAs (Calls to Action) and compelling copy.

Reviews, detailed descriptions, FAQs and easy order or checkout processes seal the deal.

Commercial Investigation: Comparing and Considering

These users are the ones you need to work hard to convince to buy from you, as they are doing their homework before making a purchase. They search for “Content Marketing Agencies” or “Nike vs Adidas”. This audience looks at:

differences in products/services
reviews and accreditations
value proposition
your ethics

They also seek recommendations and use all this information to make a decision. Here is where all that work to ensure your E-E-A-T is accurately reflected on your website pays off (right? right??). Your content should help them decide.

Comparison articles, detailed reviews, and buying guides are your best friends here, albeit on-site or via third-party websites. Highlight benefits, and don’t shy away from discussing competitors if appropriate—honesty can win trust.

DOWN TO BUSINESS

Why search intent matters

Understanding search intent is like getting an insight into your customer’s mind. It’s about delivering precisely what your buyers (and potential buyers) need at the right moment. This, in turn, improves user experience and boosts SEO rankings.

"Effective SEO is about understanding the searcher's intent and delivering content that provides value.”
- Rand Fishkin, co-founder of Moz.

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Tips for optimising content for search intent

1. Keyword Research:

Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to find what users are searching for and the intent behind it. Test these keywords in your chosen search engine and see what else surfaces for the results. You can sometimes be surprised by what appears to be the search intent of a query and what actually comes up in the results!

2. Content Creation:

Tailor your content to meet the specific needs of the intent of the page, remembering where the user is in their journey in each type of intent (inform, navigate, transact, compare).

3. User Experience:

Ensure your site is easy to navigate, fast, and mobile-friendly. User experience plays a massive role in SEO. Assess your page layout to make sure users are getting what they need quickly. We’ve all scrolled through three pages of life-story before getting to a recipe – users will get bored and bounce.

4. Monitor and Adjust:

Use analytics to see how well your content meets user intent and adjust accordingly. Time on page, bounce rate, and conversions are all easy things to measure that will give you an idea of how well the page is performing. SEO is an ongoing process, and language is fluid, so you may find search terms or intents changing over time.

IN CONCLUSION

Bring intention to your search intent

In short, understanding and leveraging search intent can transform your SEO and content strategy. You just need to get into the minds of your searchers and start crafting content that hits the mark.

Ready to match your content with search intent?

We create considered content for our clients with thought given to SEO and target audience. Search intent is an integral part of this. If you want to find out more about how you can reframe your content to better convert your users, just get in touch.