What Is Search Intent? + How To Determine It

Search intent is the blueprint for content. Understanding search intent is the first step to creating good search engine optimization (SEO) content. Below, we’ll explore search intent’s definition, how to determine it, and more. Keep reading to get started!

What is search intent?

Search intent is the reason why a user enters a query into a search engine. Also known as user intent, search intent describes what users want to see, know, or learn whenever they enter a term into a search engine.

Why does search intent matter?

Search intent is the backbone of SEO, and really, the search algorithm.

Google’s goal is to answer search intent and give users the results they want. Their algorithm gets better and better at understanding intent to craft better search engine results pages (SERPs).

Without intent, it’s impossible to know what searchers are looking for when they enter terms.

Understand search intent, and you can:

• Grow your organic search rankings
• Improve your traffic (and lead) quality
• Increase your return on investment from SEO

Expert Insights From

“We recommend that you focus on creating people-first content to be successful with Google Search, rather than search engine-first content made primarily to gain search engine rankings.”

Google Search Central Source

What is an example of search intent?

You’re planning to host a get-together with friends over the weekend. Everyone is bringing something, and you’ve opted to provide dessert. What will you serve? Well, you have flour, butter, and chocolate chips.

So, you decide to make chocolate chip cookies and head to Google.

You search “chocolate chip cookie recipe.” Why? Because you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on how to make chocolate chip cookies so you’ll have something at your upcoming get-together.

Now, if your oven broke, you might search for something different, like “bakery near me.”

You have a different search intent now — a bakery in your area so you can serve dessert.

How do search engines determine search intent?

How search engines determined search intent in the 1990s and how they determine search intent now are drastically different. Back in the ’90s, search engines relied on keywords to determine a user’s intent.

Meaning that if someone searched for “jefferson starship,” search engines would return URLs most associated with that keyword using on-text mentions, external backlinks, or cloaked insertions.

Black-hat SEO thrived under this approach and resulted in algorithm updates like:

• Jagger
• Panda
• Penguin

Now, search engines like Google use a more nuanced approach to determining search intent, like through:

• Search query
• Previous searches
• Current location
• Search habits, like frequently visited sites

Whether your content aligns with a user’s search intent depends on:

• What questions you answer (and in what order)
• How you answer these questions, like with skimmable copy, visuals, or tools
• What keywords you use in headings and body copy

That’s why it’s vital to research a query’s search intent.

Types of search intent

Not all searches have the same intent behind them, just like not all users need the same information. There are a few types of search intent to know if you want to target it.

The four types of search intent are as follows:

Informational to transactional searches follow the traditional sales and marketing funnels. That means if you want to target users at different stages of the funnel, you should create content that satisfies all types of intent.

How to determine search intent

To make the most impact with your website, you need to understand search intent for your pages and industry. Here are a few tips to help you determine and target search intent:

1. Look at the SERPs
2. Consider your analytics
3. Target the sales funnel

Let’s dive in.

1. Look at the SERPs

The best way to figure out search intent is to look at what’s currently ranking. These pages are those that Google has deemed the most useful and accurate for users who enter your target keyword.

Let’s say your term is “types of tires.” The SERPs might look like this:

From these SERPs, we can see that the intent is types of tires in terms of various vehicles. Google even has added terms at the top to help narrow the search, like “types of motorcycle tires,” for example.

If you were to write a page based on these SERPs, it might be best to write across the board about different vehicles, and then break down those topics into smaller sections.

2. Consider your analytics

This tip works if you aren’t sure whether your content currently meets the search intent. If you’ve done the steps above and still want to learn more, you can look at your own analytics to see how your pages are doing.

A big indicator that your page doesn’t match intent is bounce rate — how many people land on your page and then click away. If your content doesn’t match search intent, people won’t want to read it.

Of course, bounce rate could point to other issues, but it can also help you find underperforming pages and address the search intent.

3. Target the sales funnel

Finally, if you want to think about search intent for your business, you need to outline your sales funnel. This practice will help you not only make content for all users, but aim each page at their needs.

For example, let’s say that you own a plumbing company. Not everyone will jump to calling a plumber when they have an issue — lots of people might turn to Google first. That means you should be creating content for those users as well.

Here are some examples of content that could match intent from all users:

• TOFU: Informational blog posts, how-to posts
• MOFU: Product comparison posts, service explanation pages, Q&As, pricing pages
• BOFU: Product pages, service pages, contact pages

By using content across the funnel and understanding the intent behind searches, you can gradually nudge users toward converting.

Perfect your SEO content with expert advice

If you want to master search intent, you’ve come to the right place. SEO.com has tons of free articles on all things SEO related to help you get started, like our SEO glossary. Or, you can contact us online to speak with an expert about your SEO campaign!