Search intent is a critical tool for understanding your audience’s needs.
Knowing what they’re typing in search engines (keyword intent) like Google can help you create content based on that query.
Without understanding your audience’s needs, it can be challenging to create content that appeals to them and drives them further down the funnel.
With search intent data, you can understand what potential customers are typing into Google and create content around those topics.
This will enable you to better help them solve their problems and create the right messages for them at the right time.
What is Search Intent?
Search intent is a searcher’s intention when they type in a query. There are four different types of search intent which we will explain later on.
For instance, let’s see what comes up in Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) when we type in the keyword ‘how to create a Shopify store’ into Google.
The first four results are all from YouTube, which tells us that the preferred way to consume content for this topic is through video.
So the above is one manual strategy to identify search intent, but since there is so much more that goes into it, tools can provide further analysis of search intent.
The Different Types of Search Intent
Semrush has a great keyword overview tool that can help you identify the search intent for a specific keyword.
For example, we typed in the keyword ‘how to create a Shopify store’ and the data shows that the search intent for this query is informational.
Types of Search Intent
| Informational | Navigational | Commercial | Transactional |
| Searchers want specific information and answers to their queries. | Searchers want a specific site or page. | Searchers want to browse different products and services. | Searchers want or intend to take action (buyer intent focused). |
| ‘how to create a Shopify store’ | ‘Shopify’ | ‘shopify store’ | ‘Shopify pricing’ |
The last one shows that there can be more than one search intent for a keyword.
Does this make you think of anything? The sales funnel or buyer’s journey.
- The searcher realises they have a problem and begins to look for specific information (informational intent)
- Then they look for a specific site or page on that problem (navigational intent)
- They then search for other alternatives and solutions (commercial intent)
- Then they realise they are ready to make a decision and convert (transactional intent)
It’s important to create content and a strategy around each search intent for those who are on different levels of the funnel.
For example, those at the top of the funnel have either just realised that they have a problem, or have just become aware of your brand.
Whereas those further down the funnel may still be a little unsure as to how to solve their problem and are still looking for more information.
And those at the bottom of the funnel are likely to have done a lot of research and are ready to make a decision.
So by splitting this into three tiers, ask yourself:
- Top of the Funnel (TOFU): How does somebody first realise that they have this problem? What questions or search terms are they typing into Google?
- Middle of the Funnel (MOFU): What makes them decide that they want to learn more about this topic? What search terms do they type into Google now? What other kind of information are they looking for?
- Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU): What makes them decide that this is the solution for them? What do they search for when they are ready to buy? What kind of information do they expect to make this decision?
Each piece of content that you create is meant to guide them from the top of the funnel to the bottom.
It’s important to understand your audience’s needs in order to create content that appeals to them and drives them further down the funnel.
By understanding search intent, you can get a glimpse into what people are interested in and craft content around those topics.
This data is essential for businesses who want to improve their website traffic and increase leads and sales.
Have you started using search intent data in your marketing strategy? If not, now is the time!
Now that you know what search intent is, you can start to implement them into your SEO strategy. Proceed to the next section of the KAMG SEO Content Hub to begin to learn how to use keywords in your content.
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