A lot of marketers are guilty of paying too much attention to keyword volumes and not enough to what the content should cover. As a result, they produce large volumes of content that lack engagement and don't convert. That’s even true for pieces that are well-written.
That’s what happens when marketers ignore keyword intent, which is the missing element of the puzzle. Knowing not just what your audience is searching for but also why they want the information can transform your content strategy.
Below, I’ll share my deep dive into keyword intent. Here’s all you need to know about getting it right.
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What is keyword intent?
Keyword intent — or, as others call it, search intent — reflects what a user wants to find in search results. Their goal might be learning about a specific topic, making a purchase, or comparing options.
By understanding keyword intent, marketers can create content that matches searchers’ expectations. This should lead to higher rankings and more user engagement.
The Importance of Keyword Intent
In my opinion, keyword intent doesn’t get the credit it deserves when it comes to its impact on SEO. Getting it right is one of the must-haves in order to secure high search ranking results. How so? Think of the very way search engines work.
Google and its counterparts aim to show users relevant content and pages that help answer their questions. If you address a specific problem or topic with a keyword that’s relevant to the person’s intent, then Google can tell and consider it in the engine’s rankings.
Also, on top of “just” pleasing search engines, remember that understanding keyword intent helps you position yourself for phrases that relate to your offer. For example, we want HubSpot to appear in searches for “CRM.”
Beyond that, we want to optimize for more specific intents, like “how to keep my small business organized” or “how to organize my contacts.”
Types of Keyword Intent
There are four main categories for intent:
Informational
As the name suggests, this intent type applies to queries people tap into the search bar to get information on a subject. They either have a very simple question, like, “How long is a direct flight from NY to LA?”
The searcher either wants a straightforward answer or to go deeper into a topic. Think of queries like “benefits of vitamin D.” That’s a jumping-off point for more research.
Navigational
These keywords are often “branded,” or related to a company’s website or a dedicated webpage. In fact, just recently, I saw a post from Ahrefs CMO Tim Soulo, who shared that 36.9% of all U.S. searches include a company name. That’s quite a lot!)
For example, a person who wants to log into their Slack account via a web browser could tap “Slack login page” into the search bar. Their intent is to get directed straight to the login subpage instead of going to the commercial site and finding the login feature themselves.
Similarly, someone who purchased a dress in Zara but it doesn’t fit well could search for “Zara return policy.” A person who wants to try on Nike shoes could Google “Nike store near me.” The goal here is to appear for those branded terms (especially since competitors might try to rank for your branded phrases).
Transactional
Recently, I spent hours looking for a dash cam. I knew exactly what model I wanted to buy, but I wanted to find the best deal.
After visiting a few sites, I went with a distributor who offered the lowest price and bought the camera immediately. My search intent was transactional — I knew what I wanted, and I wanted to buy it ASAP.
Commercial
Commercial intent is similar to transactional intent, except that people might not be quite ready to buy yet, so they evaluate their options.
Going back to the camera example. I am not a “car camera” specialist, so before finding the model that I liked I had to run “a little” research. In truth, I spent hours going through camera rankings and reviews, until I found the right one. I didn’t buy it then. I waited a few days until I was absolutely sure it was the “one.”
How to Identify Keyword Intent
Analyze SERP results and dive into the query’s language.
I always start with search results. If I were to write a piece on “best real estate agencies in Spain,” I would Google this phrase before deciding on the content format. Here is what I would get:
We can clearly see that search results include a list of real estate agencies worth working with. Users running this type of query are evaluating their options — this means their intent is commercial.
The best type of content to target this phrase would be reviews, case studies, testimonials, or comparison pages. Anything that could help users make an informed decision on which agency to work with.
If we dive deeper into each result, we can also notice that they include words like “pros,” “cons,” “best,” and “comparison,” which further confirms that the intent is, in fact, commercial.
Use a tool.
If you feel like you need some extra help identifying intent, tools like Semrush or Ahrefs work wonders. Both have features that assign intent to keywords automatically. If you already use either of these tools, then this will definitely be the easiest (and fastest) option.
Alternatively, you could also ask ChatGPT for help. It does a good job of analyzing language and meaning thanks to natural language processing (NLP). The chatbot can sort phrases according to keyword intent types.
That’s what I did when I ran an SEO audit for a client earlier this year. I provided ChatGPT with an export of keywords that the brand was already ranking for, along with terms that they wanted to create content on. I provided ChatGPT with the four keyword intent categories I shared earlier in this blog and asked it to add a relevant tag to each keyword.
Whether you use dedicated keyword software or ChatGPT, I’d like to share some advice. As neither Ahrefs, Semrush, or ChatGPT are human, they might make mistakes when identifying intent. So, whenever possible, verify its output.
Tips for Optimizing for Keyword Intent
Here are some practical tips on how to build a content and SEO strategy that incorporates keyword intent.
Pick the right content format.
The best way to check which formats work is to run a search for the phrase you want to target in Google. What type of content dominates the top 10 results? If most sources feature a listicle or a how-to resource, do the same.
It means that readers engage with this type of content and find it useful. Google takes note of this quickly, and will boost ranks for what’s proven to work. Bonus points: If you follow the same article or page structure, make sure it’s also more insightful than your competitors.
As a rule of thumb, there are certain formats that are particularly suitable for specific keyword intents. For example:
- How-to guides or blog posts — informational keywords, where you introduce a site visitor to a topic and build out your expert image.
- Landing pages and product listings — transactional keywords. These pages don’t necessarily have to be very short; you can optimize them primarily for transactional phrases and use additional keywords in the description or FAQs.
- Comparison pages, articles, or reviews — commercial keywords.
Arguably, the most popular type is “[Tool A] vs [Tool B]” landing pages, where users who are familiar with two brands get an overview of both. These pages can convince users to choose one solution over another; just make sure they stay objective and aren’t too salesy.
Use intent-focused language.
Using intent-focused language means adjusting your vocabulary, tone of voice, and calls-to-action to your searcher’s goals. It will help you achieve better SEO rankings and, hopefully, improve conversions.
Let’s take a look at the type of language you should use based on the intent type:
- For informational intent, go with clear, instructional phrases, such as “Learn how to” or “Discover tips for.” As for the CTAs, you could consider ”Read the full guide” or “Explore similar topics,” both of which encourage further topic exploration.
- For navigational intent, use brand-specific terms, navigation hints, or direct links like “Login to [Brand Name].” For CTAs, consider “Go to the homepage or ”Access your account."
- For transactional intent, focus on action-driven terms like “Buy now,” “Sign up today,” or “Get started.”
- For commercial intent, use comparative and trust-building phrases like “Compare the best,” “Why choose,” or “Top-rated options for.” Your CTAs might include terms like “See how it compares” or “Check out customer reviews.”
Optimize meta tags.
Don’t forget about meta titles and descriptions. If you do, Google will simply generate one automatically from the page content. However, it might not align with what you’d like to say. Here are a few tips on how to optimize meta tags:
- Make sure they reflect the search intent.
- Promise value by focusing on key benefits and solutions your content provides.
- Use action-oriented language to guide users on what to do next.
Here is an example of meta tags for a target keyword with an informational intent – “How to build a Progressive Web App.”
- Meta title – “How to build a progressive web app (PWA) – a step-by-step guide”
- Meta description – “Learn how to build a Progressive Web App (PWA) with this comprehensive guide. Discover key tools, service worker setup, and caching strategies to create a robust offline app.”
Creating a meta tag for each content format will have a positive impact on your click-through-rate, as visitors will know before entering the site if the content addresses their needs. This should also reduce your bounce rate.
Add structured data.
Google, Bing, Yandex, and Yahoo all use structured data to understand what a page is about and to learn about the brand, people, products, and companies that are mentioned in the description. A popular type includes schema markup, which is often hidden in the code as supplemental information.
While structured data is not seen by the site visitor, you can still use it to make useful information (packed with relevant keywords) very much public.
Let’s think about frequently asked question modules as an example. That’s what a software agency I cooperated with recently did for their new landing pages. I helped our client write the new website copy, which featured an FAQ section.
Not only does this approach let brands use relevant keywords, but it also helps answer common questions from prospects. Here’s an example.
Focus on user experience.
Last but not least, optimizing your site for keyword intent also means tailoring your layout to the type of information you want to convey.
This means selecting the right formatting or visuals to make complex or comprehensive information as digestible as possible.
For example, the comparison pages I’ve already mentioned are great candidates for a chart or table. Instead of expecting your reader to go through a paragraph, you make the information scannable, reducing the user’s effort.
Verifying Keyword Intent Is a Must-Have for Your SEO Strategy
It’s my hope that keyword intent will stop being the content marketing underdog and that more brands will understand just how much it can do to optimize SEO.
It’s worth taking the time to verify a user’s search intent whenever you’re considering writing an article or publishing a landing page.
Ask yourself – what goals do my prospects have when tapping the keyword into Google? And, once they land on my page, how can I make it worth their while? If you can answer these two questions, you’ll already have a head start. Good luck!