What is search intent?
Behind every keyword lies a question or a need. Someone typing “tax return deadline” wants a date. Someone searching for “accountant bonn” probably wants to hire someone. The words are similar, but the intent is completely different.
According to Google, understanding the query is the first step before results are ranked. Google uses language models, synonyms and clues in the query itself. Words such as “pictures” or “cooking”, for example, suggest that images or recipes are wanted. For “pizza”, Google recognises a local intent and shows nearby delivery services. Location and previous searches are also taken into account.
The types of search intent
In its guidelines for search quality raters, Google describes four kinds of queries:
- Know: the person wants to find out about something or explore a topic, such as “what is an attribution model”. A special form is Know Simple: the answer fits into one or two sentences, such as “core web vitals thresholds”.
- Do: the person wants to get something done, for example buy, download, calculate or watch something, such as “calculate bmi” or “buy knee pads”.
- Website: the person is looking for a specific website or page, such as “barclays login”.
- Visit-in-person: the person is looking for a place nearby, such as “dentist” or “petrol station”.
In SEO practice, a similar classification is common: informational (to know), navigational (to find a website), transactional (to buy or sign up) and commercial (to compare offers before a decision, such as “crm software comparison”). Which classification you use is secondary. What matters is that you record the intent for each keyword.
Ambiguous and changing search intent
Many queries have more than one intent. Google gives the example of a university: some people want to visit its website, others want directions, and others want to read about its history or the application process. The results page then mixes different kinds of results.
The dominant meaning can also change over time. Someone searching for a smartphone name today usually means the latest model, not the one from ten years ago. And it depends on location: for “football”, Google shows American football in Chicago and soccer in London.
Identifying search intent
The most reliable way is to look at the current search engine results page. It shows what Google considers the right answer:
- Guides and explanatory pages point to a Know intent.
- Product pages, shopping ads and prices point to a purchase intent.
- Comparisons and reviews point to a commercial intent before buying.
- A map with businesses points to a visit-in-person intent.
- A featured snippet or a short answer at the top points to a Know Simple query.
The query itself also gives clues: words such as “buy”, “price”, “near me”, “what is”, “how to” or “vs” reveal a lot. For existing pages, Search Console shows which queries visitors actually arrive with. In a keyword analysis, the search intent should therefore be recorded for every keyword.
Building content that matches search intent
- Choose the page type: if Google only shows product pages for a keyword, a long guide will hardly rank there, and vice versa.
- Give the answer early: for Know Simple queries, the answer belongs in the first sentences, with details afterwards.
- Enable the action: for Do queries, the page needs a calculator, a form, a basket or a download, not just text.
- One intent per page: if two pages on the same website serve the same intent, they compete with each other. This is known as cannibalisation. Different intents, on the other hand, deserve their own pages.
An example: a joiner wants to be found for “fitted wardrobes”. If Google mainly shows inspiration pages with pictures, the joiner needs a page with photos of completed wardrobes. For “fitted wardrobes cost”, on the other hand, a page is needed that explains the price factors and leads to an enquiry. How such content is planned from a keyword list is described on our page on keyword analysis and content strategy.
Would you like to know which search intent lies behind your most important keywords and which content you are missing? Then get in touch with us or read more about our keyword analysis and content strategy!
