What are the types of search intent?
Most people sort searches into four types. Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines use a similar set, describing Know, Do, Website and Visit-in-person queries.
| Intent | What the searcher wants | Example search |
|---|---|---|
| Informational | To learn or understand something | how does compound interest work |
| Commercial | To compare options before deciding | best budgeting app for couples |
| Transactional | To buy, sign up or download | buy running shoes size 10 |
| Navigational | To reach a specific site or page | gmail login |
Why does search intent matter?
A page that does not match intent struggles to rank, however well written it is. If people searching a term want a list of products and you offer a long essay, search engines will prefer the lists.
Ahrefs’ study of around 14 billion pages found that 96.55% got no traffic from Google, and named a mismatch with search intent as one of the main reasons.
How do you work out the intent behind a search?
Look at what already ranks, because the results show what search engines think people want.
- 1Search the term in a private browser window.
- 2Note the type of page in the top results: guides, product pages, comparison lists, tools or videos.
- 3Note the format: step-by-step, list, single answer, or long explainer.
- 4Check which features appear, such as answer boxes, shopping results or maps.
- 5Shape your page to fit that pattern, then make it more useful than what is there.
What does an intent mismatch look like?
Here is an example of a page that changed format to match intent.
| Before | After | |
|---|---|---|
| Search | best project management tool | best project management tool |
| Page format | Product page for one tool | Comparison of seven tools |
| Average position | 38 | 9 |
| Clicks a month | 4 | 96 |
Frequently asked questions
Can a search have more than one intent?
Yes. A search like “coffee” could mean learning about it, buying it or finding a café. The results for such searches usually show a mix of page types.
Does search intent change over time?
It can. A search that once wanted news may later want guides. If a page slowly loses rankings, re-check what the top results now look like.
Should one page target more than one intent?
Usually not. A page that tries to teach, compare and sell at once tends to do none of them well. Separate pages linked together work better.
Is search intent the same as keyword research?
No. Keyword research finds what people search for. Search intent is about why they search, which tells you what kind of page to make.