What is search intent?
Search intent is the underlying purpose of a search query:does someone want information, visit a specific website, compare options or buy something?Google assesses how well a page matches that intention.Content that precisely answers the search intent ranks better than content that only contains the keyword.The types of search intentYou usually distinguish four types:
informational (wanting
to know something), navigational (searching for a specific site), commercial (comparing before purchasing) and transactional (ready to buy or request).Each type requires a different kind of page and message.Why is search intent so important?If your content does not match
the intention, you will not rank, no
matter how good the text is.Someone looking for “what is SEO” wants an explanation, not a sales page.Correctly assessing search intent is therefore a core part of keyword research.Determine search intentThe quickest check is to view the search results page itself:keyword researchshows (guides, product pages, comparisons) reveals what intention Google
expects for that
search term.You tailor your content accordingly.Can a keyword have multiple intents?Yes.With mixed intent, Google shows different types of results.Then choose the dominant intention or cover several.How do youContent Marketingdo they
provide the same type of answer as
you?