SEARCH INTENT SEO
Search intent is simply how we can get into the mindset of the user when they are performing a search on Google.
SEO has moved on from the days when we optimized for search engines and has developed to now encompass optimizing for people and their search.
Our aim as SEO’s is to understand the user better as the key to search intent success.
We need to start with the user, think about what they are looking for, consider what they are looking to achieve and then create our content around that.
Once we can understand the person’s search then we can better connect the search to the audience in a more relevant and impactful way.
Search intent is a science and it’s understanding is of great value to SEO’s and content creators to align with business goals. It can be broken down into the following:
- Informational searches – when the user is carrying out initial research, finding out about something.
- Transactional searches – when the user is in buying mode and ready to make that purchase.
- Navigational searches – when the user is looking directly for your website as their destination.
SEO Search Intent – Google
Google’s corporate mission is to ‘organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful’.
Google’s belief is that Search should:
Every time you search, there are thousands, sometimes millions, of webpages with helpful information.
How Google figures out which results to show starts long before you even type, and is guided by a commitment to you to provide the best information.
Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines give an insight on how Google returns search results.
Google has broken this down for us into the following:
By using “know,” “do” and “go” as part of your research, you can bucket keywords by intent.
It can be helpful to think of queries as having one or more of the following intents.
● Know query, some of which are Know Simple queries
● Do query, when the user is trying to accomplish a goal or engage in an activity
● Website query, when the user is looking for a specific website or webpage
● Visit-in-person query, some of which are looking for a specific business or organization, some of which are looking for a category of businesses.
Understanding Search Users, Queries and Results
People use Internet search engines to perform many different tasks in different environments using different types of devices.
Keep in mind that searches can be simple or complex, and the underlying task that a person is trying to accomplish may take multiple steps to complete. It’s important to understand the query and it’s intent:
Understanding the Query
Understanding the query is the first step in evaluating the task. Remember, a query is what a user types or speaks into their device.
Queries with Multiple User Intents
Many queries have more than one likely user intent. You can use your judgment when determining if a particular intent is reasonable for queries with multiple intents. Because so many people search for so many things, it’s a good measure to do some further research into query intent as required.
How to Optimize for Search intent:
- Search terms – we need to think of the search terms that this person is going to enter when they are looking for your offering as an answer to their problem.
- Use search query data from tools like Google Analytics, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify the intent behind popular keywords.
- Get creative: we need to also think about where we need to be online to connect with the searcher.
- Monitor user behavior to see how they engage with your site and refine content accordingly.
- Evaluate your target audience.
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Spend time researching “Know,” Do” and “Go” queries so you can create content that puts you in front of the consumer at all stages of their purchasing cycle.
- Provide Value: Ensure your content answers the user’s query fully and accurately.
- Leverage Structured Data: Use schema markup to enhance how your content appears in search results (e.g., FAQs, reviews, star ratings)
- It’s important to not only optimize for keywords that drive converting traffic but also those that can provide user value and topical relevancy to the domain.
- Analyze SERPs:
- Study the top-ranking pages for your target keyword to understand what type of content Google prioritizes.
- Example: If the top results for “best running shoes” are listicles, create a comprehensive comparison list.
- Use the Right Format:
- Informational intent: Guides, tutorials, videos.
- Navigational intent: Simple, branded pages, transactional intent: Product pages, reviews, testimonials.
- Incorporate Keywords Strategically:
- Use keywords that reflect the user’s intent in titles, meta descriptions, and content.
Using Search Intent to Connect with Consumers
When it comes to Google Search users, it’s not about who they are but what they want. Through processing trillions of searches each year, Google’s algorithm has evolved to understand the intent behind each query.
The nature of the search intent query can indicate when the user is likely to make a purchase depending which is of great value to the user and SEO’s.
The changing face of the search engine results page (SERPs) can largely be attributed to search intent — SERP features exist to get a searcher from point A to point B in as few clicks as possible.
It’s more important than ever for SEOs to understand what SERP features are appearing and how they respond to intent.
By prioritizing search intent you not only connect more effectively with your audience but also build trust, improve engagement, and drive meaningful results.