What is Search Intent and Why Does it Matter?
If you're responsible for your company's digital marketing strategy, then you know that SEO is a crucial part of that strategy. But in order to create successful SEO content and campaigns, you first need to understand the concept of search intent. Search intent is basically what a person is looking for when they perform a search online. It's important to understand search intent because it can help you create content that ranks higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), which ultimately leads to more website visitors and conversions.
There are four main types of search intent:
- navigational
- informational
- commercial
- transactional
Let's take a closer look at each one.
Navigational Intent
Navigational intent is when someone is looking for a specific website or web page. For example, if someone types "Facebook" into Google, they are likely looking for the Facebook homepage. If someone types "Twitter trending topics," they are likely looking for Twitter's list of trending topics. When creating content with navigational intent in mind, it's important to make sure that your website or web page is optimized for the relevant keyword(s).
Informational Intent
Informational intent is when someone is looking for information on a particular topic. For example, if someone types "What is SEO?" into Google, they are likely looking for an article or blog post that will explain what SEO is and how it works. When creating content with informational intent in mind, it's important to make sure that your article or blog post is well-researched and provides accurate information.
Commercial Intent
Commercial intent is when someone is considering making a purchase. For example, if someone types "best coffee maker" into Google, they are likely comparison shopping for a coffee maker to buy. When creating content with commercial intent in mind, it's important to include product reviews and comparisons as well as pricing information.
Transactional Intent
Transactional intent is when someone is ready to make a purchase. For example, if someone types "buy coffee maker" into Google, they have already decided that they want to buy a coffee maker and are just looking for the best place to buy it from. When creating content with transactional intent in mind, it's important to include links to product pages as well as coupon codes or other discounts that may be available.
As you can see, understanding search intent is crucial to creating successful SEO content and campaigns. Keep these four types of search intent in mind the next time you're brainstorming ideas for new blog posts or web pages—and you'll be well on your way to increasing your website's traffic and conversion rate in no time!