Search intent
In short
Search intent is the underlying goal a person has when they type a query into a search engine. It explains why someone searches, not just which words they use. Common types are informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional.
For B2B marketers, search intent decides which page can rank and convert. A buyer searching "what is account scoring" wants an explanation, while one searching "account scoring software pricing" wants to evaluate vendors. One page rarely serves both.
The four types of search intent
- Informational: The searcher wants to learn. Examples: "what is lead scoring", "how to build a target account list". Blog posts and glossary pages fit.
- Navigational: The searcher wants a specific site or page, such as a vendor login or a product docs page.
- Commercial: The searcher is comparing options. Examples: "best sales intelligence tools", "X vs Y". Comparison and alternative pages fit.
- Transactional: The searcher is ready to act: "request a demo", "pricing", "free trial". Landing pages and pricing pages fit.
How to identify the intent behind a keyword
1. Read the search results
Search the keyword yourself and look at what ranks. If the top ten are all how-to guides, the intent is informational and a product page will struggle.
2. Look at the format
Listicles, comparison tables, tools, and videos each signal a different expectation. Match the dominant format.
3. Check the modifiers
Words like "best", "vs", "pricing", "template", "examples", and "how to" tell you the stage the searcher is in.
Mapping search intent to the buyer journey
Intent maps loosely to the funnel. Informational queries sit at the top, commercial queries in the middle, and transactional queries near the bottom. Plan content for each stage so you capture buyers who search at different moments, then link the pages together so a reader can move forward.
Search intent is not the same as buyer intent. Search intent describes one query on a search engine. Buyer intent describes research behavior across many sources that suggests a company is in market.
Common mistakes
- Targeting by volume only: A high-volume keyword with the wrong intent brings traffic that never converts.
- One page for every intent: A page that tries to educate and sell at once usually ranks for neither.
- Ignoring intent shifts: Search results change. Recheck important keywords every few months.
Search intent FAQs
What is search intent in SEO?
Search intent is the reason behind a search query: what the person wants to learn, find, compare, or buy. Search engines try to show results that satisfy that goal, so content that matches the intent of a query has a better chance of ranking.
What are the 4 types of search intent?
The four common types are informational (learn something), navigational (find a specific site), commercial (compare options before buying), and transactional (take an action such as buying or signing up). Most keywords lean toward one of these.
How do you find the search intent of a keyword?
Search the keyword and study the top results. Note the content format, the angle, and the modifiers in the query. If results are guides, the intent is informational. If they are product or pricing pages, it is transactional.
Is search intent the same as buyer intent?
No. Search intent is the goal behind a single query on a search engine. Buyer intent is a broader signal, built from behavior across many channels, that a company is researching a purchase. Search intent can be one input to buyer intent.
