Understanding Search Intent | The Digital Clicks Blog
Understanding user intent while they search is an important aspect of SEO and PPC, as while Google’s and other search engines' algorithms continue to be updated, the general reasons for searching and means of searching remain similar. There are generally 3 accepted 'intents' while searching. If queries are 'navigational', users know exactly what they are looking for. In terms of brands, this is fairly safe traffic that will more than likely be using a brand name or feature to search. There isn’t a lot of room to coerce these searchers. Sometimes searches might not know the URL of the website they are looking for, but if the name typed into the search engine is correct, more often than not, they will be delivered to their destination. At this level, search engines are used as directories. With the potential for conversion low, outside of the brand being searched. Information-based queries generally seek answers alone and range potentially infinitely in content. The aim is not to instantly partake in a transaction, so traffic may still be difficult to convert. As the information itself is the end goal, it is usually enough to satisfy the user. There is a crossover potential; however, as informational queries might sometimes be based on products or services, they are often indicative of a commercial intent. While they are not directly queried with a transaction in mind, they may build to a later decision. Examples of this type of search are product reviews or what’s available to buy in a given location. In terms of SEO, informational queries can result in positive impressions of your site from external reviewers. If brands produce quality content themselves, there is a chance to drive traffic to your website. Even if the intent isn't directly commercial, if the content is useful, there might be link-building opportunities. In terms of product or search-related informational queries, there is the potential to swing a potential customer’s purchasing decision depending on the sentiment of the content found. Transactional queries can be most easily tied to conversion and aren't simply limited to monetary transactions. This type of query can be as simple as aiming to join an email list or download a piece of software. At its most basic, a transactional query aims to obtain more than immediate information alone, and as this is the case, this type of search query is likely to be the most closely tied to ROI. In understanding these different types of search intent, purveyors of online marketing should be able to apply the types to their keyword lists. In having a clearer idea of which keywords relate to each category, creative advertising agencies will be more aware of which keywords are likely to lead to the highest levels of conversion (whatever the ‘conversion’ may be) and will have a clearer idea of the thought processes of users when developing their PPC and SEO efforts.