31 Dec The Power of Search Intent for SEO: What Does it Mean?
Search intent has never been as important as it is now. In previous years, businesses were able to rank for pages that did not necessarily match a user’s search intent. However, Google is becoming more and more sophisticated to ensure searchers are happy with the results they see for a particular inquiry. A major way Google does this by presenting the right results for the right search intent. Google has gathered massive amounts of user data, and they continuously test user satisfaction, making it crucial for web creators to pay attention to the search intent for SEO.
Google’s algorithm has innovated the way users search on the platform and evolve user behavior. The ever-changing nature of Google search and user needs requires businesses to be adaptable in their online marketing and SEO strategies, as well as ongoing dedication to learning new trends.
Understanding Search Intent for SEO
The foundation for any successful SEO strategy is a solid understanding of search intent. Search intent is the “why” behind a user’s search query. It is often categorized as informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial:
Informational Intent: These types of queries are to learn information about a subject or topic. This is the most common type of search, and it often has the largest search volumes. Users that make informational searches are looking for pages rich in content that answer their questions clearly, and SERPs will reflect that.
Navigational Intent: Users with navigational intent know which brand they are looking for, but they need a bit of help to get to a specific web page. These types of searches often include queries with specified brand names, products, or services.
Commercial Intent: Queries with commercial intent act as a mix of both informational and transactional intent. In this instance, the user is looking to make a purchase, but they are also open to informational pages are to help them make their decision.
Transactional Intent: Transactional intent queries relate to users seeking to make a specific purchase. There SERPs are often solely commercial pages, i.e. products, services and subscription pages.
Using those four categories in relation to creating focus key phrases will maximize your business’s efforts online. Additionally, in order to shift focus of matching content to search intent, companies should ask the following questions:
- Should your web page rank in the pages results for your focus keyword?
- Will users gain relevant information for their search inquiry from your content?
- Will ranking for that keyword help your business in a meaningful way?
As a business, ask yourself these questions as you build your own SEO campaign to make sure you acknowledge search intent for SEO.
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