What Is Search Intent?

Q: What are the four types of search intent?

The four types are informational (seeking knowledge, like 'what is SEO'), navigational (looking for a specific website, like 'Conbersa login'), transactional (ready to take action, like 'buy social media tool'), and commercial investigation (comparing options, like 'Buffer vs Hootsuite'). Each type requires different content formats and approaches to satisfy the searcher.

Q: Why does search intent matter for SEO?

Google ranks content that matches search intent higher than content that does not, regardless of other SEO signals. A product page will not rank for an informational query, and a blog post will not rank for a transactional query. Matching intent is the most important on-page SEO factor because it determines whether your content satisfies the user's actual need.

Q: How do you determine the search intent of a keyword?

Search the keyword in Google and analyze the top-ranking results. If the top results are blog posts and guides, the intent is informational. If they are product pages, the intent is transactional. If they are comparison articles, the intent is commercial investigation. The SERP itself is the most reliable indicator of what Google considers the correct intent for any keyword.

Search intent (also called user intent or keyword intent) is the underlying purpose behind a search query - what the user actually wants to accomplish when they type something into a search engine. It is the difference between someone searching "what is a backlink" (they want to learn) and someone searching "buy backlinks" (they want to purchase a service). Understanding search intent is the foundation of effective SEO because Google's entire ranking system is designed to match results to intent. According to Google's own Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, satisfying user intent is the primary criteria for evaluating search result quality.

What Are the Four Types of Search Intent?

Search intent falls into four categories, each requiring a different content approach:

Informational Intent

The user wants to learn something. These queries typically start with "what is," "how to," "why does," or "when should." Examples: "what is social media automation," "how does the Facebook algorithm work."

Best content format: Blog posts, guides, explainer articles, and learn pages. The content should answer the question thoroughly and concisely.

Informational queries make up the majority of all searches - estimates from Moz suggest roughly 80% of search queries are informational.

Navigational Intent

The user wants to find a specific website or page. Examples: "Conbersa login," "Buffer pricing page," "LinkedIn settings."

Best content format: Ensure your branded pages are well-optimized so users find the right page. Not much optimization is needed beyond having a clear site structure.

Transactional Intent

The user is ready to take action - buy something, sign up, download, or subscribe. Examples: "buy social media management tool," "sign up for Buffer," "download content calendar template."

Best content format: Product pages, pricing pages, sign-up forms, and landing pages. The content should make it easy to complete the desired action.

Commercial Investigation

The user is researching options before making a decision. Examples: "Buffer vs Hootsuite," "best social media tools for startups," "Conbersa reviews."

Best content format: Comparison articles, review roundups, and "best of" lists. The content should help the user evaluate options objectively.

Why Does Search Intent Matter for SEO?

Search intent is the most important ranking factor that most startups ignore. You can have perfect on-page SEO, strong backlinks, and high domain authority - but if your content does not match the intent behind the query, it will not rank.

Google determines intent by analyzing user behavior. If users click on a result and immediately bounce back to the search page, Google interprets that as an intent mismatch and demotes the result. If users click and stay engaged, Google promotes it.

This is why a product page will never rank for "what is search intent" - the intent is informational, and users expect educational content. Similarly, a 2,000-word blog post will not rank for "buy Buffer subscription" - the intent is transactional, and users expect a sign-up page.

The SERP Is Your Intent Guide

The fastest way to determine search intent is to search the keyword yourself and look at what currently ranks. If the top 10 results are all blog posts, Google has determined the intent is informational. If they are product pages, the intent is transactional. If they are comparison articles, the intent is commercial.

Do not fight the SERP. Create the type of content that matches what already ranks. This is a foundational principle of keyword research.

How Do You Match Content to Search Intent?

Map Keywords to Content Types

During keyword clustering, group keywords by intent and assign appropriate content types to each cluster:

Informational keywords → Learn pages, blog posts, guides
Commercial keywords → Comparison pages, review articles
Transactional keywords → Product pages, landing pages, pricing pages
Navigational keywords → Ensure proper site structure and branded pages

Align Format with Expectations

Beyond content type, match the format users expect. If the top-ranking results for your target keyword are listicles, create a listicle. If they are step-by-step guides, create a guide. If they feature tables and charts, include those elements.

Satisfy Intent Quickly

Address the user's intent in the first paragraph. If someone searches "what is search intent," the first sentence should define search intent. Do not bury the answer below three paragraphs of introduction. Search engines and users both reward content that gets to the point.

This principle extends to AI search. Generative engine optimization relies heavily on content that provides clear, extractable answers at the top of the page - because that is what AI models pull for their responses.

How Does Search Intent Relate to AI Search?

AI search engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity interpret intent differently than traditional search. They often combine multiple intent types in a single response - answering the informational question while also suggesting products or comparing options. This means your content needs to serve multiple intents within the same piece.

Building topical authority across all intent types for your niche ensures that AI models have comprehensive source material from your domain to cite, regardless of how they interpret the user's query.