You've probably heard that satisfying user intent is essential to creating content that ranks well in search engines and attracts lots of traffic.
But what exactly is user intent, and how should you consider it when planning your SEO campaigns?
This article will cover everything you need to know about user intent: why it's so important, what different types there are, and how you should optimize your web pages and content accordingly.
But first, some basic information.
What is User Intent in SEO?
User intent (also known as ' search intent') refers to the intent of a user when searching for a particular search query on Google.
In other words, it describes what kind of results a user expects to find when searching. The closer the search results match the user's intent, the better the user's search engine experience will be.
Why Is User Intent Important?
Google’s core business model is built on delivering the best possible results to its users. Indeed tongliao telephone number data the company’s self-declared mission is to “organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
To achieve this goal, Google is constantly tweaking its algorithm to make it easy for searchers to find what they’re looking for. Its entire reason for existence is to satisfy user intent by returning the most relevant results it can for a given search. And as the world’s most popular search engine, it’s pretty good at what it does!
So, if you want your content to rank high on Google for a particular search query, you need to make sure it accurately reflects the intent behind that query.
While this is reason enough to optimize your content for user intent, there are some other benefits:
Increased brand loyalty: The more your website offers exactly the kind of content searchers are looking for, the more likely they are to return and spread the word.
Better click-through rates: A search result with a title and description that perfectly matches user intent will yield a higher CTR .
Lower bounce rates: When users find exactly what they want, they are more likely to stick around.
More conversions: When you fine-tune a piece of content to a specific user intent, you attract highly qualified visitors who are more ready to convert.
Better keyword research: The better you understand the search intent behind a keyword, the easier it is to tell if it is a good term for your website to target .
Why Does User Intent Matter?
What Are the Different Types of User Intent? (With Examples)
Every search on Google has a unique, underlying purpose.
However, from an SEO perspective, it is helpful to distinguish between four main categories of intent.
Informational Purpose
The most common type of search query has an informational intent behind it. These are used when a person wants to gain new information and learn more about a particular topic.
Wikipedia entries, dictionary definitions, video tutorials, and in-depth explanatory articles are standard results for such queries.
Here are some examples of informative search terms:
Difference between crocodile and alligator
How to save for a house deposit
When did JFK take office?
Commercial Research Intent
People make these searches when they are looking for a product or service that meets their needs.
Business research terms help users identify the right offer by directing them to content like product comparisons, customer reviews, and service case studies.
Here are some examples of business research search terms:
MacBook pro vs MacBook air
Best mountain bikes under $500
AccuRanker case study
Transactional Intent
Transactional searches are used when a person wants to complete a specific action, such as making a purchase, logging into a platform, or downloading a resource.
Here are some examples of transactional queries:
Where to buy new MacBook pro
Esty promo code
Netflix subscription cancellation
Cruising Intention
People use navigational searches to find a specific web page, such as a company's contact page or the sports section of a major media outlet.
Here are some examples:
Spotify customer support
Patagonia clothing About Us
AccuRanker pricing
How to Use User Intent to Improve Your Search Engine Rankings
Now let's look at what you need to do to optimize your web pages for user intent.
How to Determine User Intent?
Whether you plan to create brand new content or edit an existing page to better target a specific keyword, you first need to determine the user intent behind it.
The best way to do this is to search for the term and see what kind of results appear. Since Google’s job is to deliver results that best match user intent, you can safely assume that whatever comes up accurately reflects the intent behind that keyword.
Your first port of call should be the top three results for your target keyword, as these are what Google has determined to be the most relevant to user intent. If they’re all head-to-head product comparisons, then the search intent is definitely commercial research. However, if the top results are step-by-step how-to articles, then you should conclude that the intent is informative.
Another way to determine user intent is to examine the SERP features that appear for your target keyword . For example, Google typically displays a knowledge panel for informational searches or a shopping carousel for transactional queries.
