Search Intent
The reason behind a search query - informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional. Matching your content to search intent is more important than matching exact keywords.
Why It Matters
Search intent is the single most important concept in modern SEO. Google's entire algorithm evolution has been moving toward understanding and satisfying user intent. A page that perfectly matches the intent behind a query will outrank a page with better backlinks, more content, and more exact keyword matches that doesn't match intent.
The four types: informational (learning something), navigational (finding a specific site), commercial (researching before buying), and transactional (ready to buy/do). Misidentifying intent means creating content that can never rank, no matter how good it is.
In Practice
Before creating content for any keyword, search for it and study the top results. What type of content does Google rank? If the top 10 results are all how-to guides, Google has decided this is an informational query - a product page won't rank.
Match the format, not just the topic. If top results are lists, create a list. If they're in-depth guides, create a guide. If they're product pages, create a product page. Google is telling you what format satisfies this intent.
Create different content for different intents, even when the keywords are similar. "CRM software" (commercial - wants comparisons) and "buy CRM software" (transactional - wants pricing/signup) need different pages.
Related Terms
Glossary
Keyword Research
Finding what your audience searches for - the foundation of every SEO strategy.
Glossary
Landing Page
The page a user arrives on from search - where intent matching either works or fails.
Glossary
Content Cluster
A group of related pages around a core topic, connected by internal links.
Glossary
Long-Tail Keyword
Longer, more specific search queries - lower volume but higher intent and easier to rank for.
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