Search Intent

Definition

Search intent (also called “user intent” or “query intent”) is the underlying goal behind a search query. When someone types a keyword into Google, they want one of a small number of things. Understanding which thing they want determines what content you should create.

Google’s ranking algorithm attempts to serve results that match intent. If your content type does not match the intent, it will not rank — regardless of how well-optimised it is on other metrics.

The four intent classes

1. Informational — the user wants to learn something.

• Example: “what is keyword research”
• Content type that ranks: blog posts, guides, how-tos, glossary entries
• This page is informational. So is most of the /learn/ curriculum on this site.

2. Navigational — the user is looking for a specific website or brand.

• Example: “ahrefs login” or “semrush keyword planner”
• Content type that ranks: the official website or the most authoritative brand page
• Do not target navigational intent as an affiliate — you will lose to the brand’s own site.

3. Commercial investigation — the user is researching a purchase decision but has not decided yet.

• Example: “best keyword research tool” or “ahrefs vs semrush”
• Content type that ranks: listicles, comparison posts, reviews with verdict summaries
• This is the primary intent for affiliate sites. Most of the /compare/ pages serve this intent.

4. Transactional — the user is ready to buy or sign up.

• Example: “ahrefs free trial” or “semrush promo code”
• Content type that ranks: landing pages, review pages with affiliate CTAs, coupon pages
• Highest conversion intent; highest CPC for Google Ads. keyword research tool free trial at £92.72 CPC is transactional.

Why intent matching matters more than keyword matching

Consider these two searches:

• “keyword research” — could be informational (what is it?) or commercial (what tool should I use?)
• “keyword research tool for beginners under £20” — commercial investigation with clear budget signal

Writing a comparison article for “keyword research” will compete with Backlinko and Ahrefs’ blog. Writing a comparison article for “keyword research tool for beginners under £20” competes with almost nobody. Same topic, vastly different intent granularity — and the more specific intent is easier to own AND converts at a higher rate.

How to diagnose intent

Look at the top 5 organic results for your target keyword. The content type of those results tells you what Google has decided the intent is:

• If all top results are blog posts: informational or commercial
• If the top results are product pages: transactional
• If the top result is the brand’s official page: navigational — do not target this

Never write content that conflicts with the dominant intent of the SERP.

Related reading

• SERP — the page where intent matching is enforced
• Search volume — the demand side of the keyword equation
• Long-tail keyword — where intent is most specific and easiest to match