Search Intent: Why It's So Important and How to Determine It

1. Definition: What is search intention?
2. Why is search intention so important for SEO?
3. The terms search intention (Search Intent) and user intention (User Intent) are often used synonymously. Strictly speaking, however, they are not the same.
4. Search engines really have it tough. Firstly, millions of search queries are made everyday. Secondly, a large portion of the search queries are new (
5. There are various categorizations that are meant to help understand the Search Intent and to consider it for Search Engine Optimization.
6. As already mentioned: In most cases, it is not enough to classify a keyword into one of the categories for the search engine optimization of your page.
7. There are two central strategies to uncover the Search Intent behind a keyword:
8. Of course, you should document the elicited search intention and continue to work with it. Where and how is the best way to do this?
9. So, you have now compiled a range of insights as to why your target group is searching for a term and what they expect. Now the task is to translate this knowledge into a plan for your content.
10. Let's have a look at a few examples of content that perfectly covers different search intentions around the topic of wedding.
11. Finally, we want to inform you about some mistakes that are often made in connection with search intention and that you should avoid:
12. Conclusion

The analysis of the search intention is an important part of Search Engine Optimization. Knowing it, you can align your own website content accordingly and thus generate more organic traffic. In this article, our guest author and SEO expert Elena Geiger explains how you can find out the search intention (alternatively called user intention) and successfully use it for your content creation and optimization.

Definition: What is search intention?

The search intention (also known as Search Intent, User Intent or Keyword Intent) is the intention with which a user enters a term into the search engine. This intention can be, for example, the search for information or a purchase - so it can be transactional/commercial, navigational or informational.

Why is search intention so important for SEO?

If you deal with search engine optimization, you will sooner or later stumble over the term search intention. But how important is Search Intent really if you want to successfully do SEO?

Short and clear: It is very important.

Because search engines are only successful when they can deliver what their users want. Therefore, the algorithms were programmed to understand the user intention behind each search query (=Keyword) and serve it as best as possible by displaying the most relevant results at the top.

For website operators, this means that they must provide appropriate content for the keywords relevant to them.

Of course, the prerequisite for this is that they know and understand the search intention themselves. With this knowledge, they can then align both their content and the corresponding SERP snippets with the search intent. If they can inspire the users with this, the search engine will register this in turn and position the content higher.

The search intention is also an important indicator to decide whether optimizing for a certain keyword makes sense at all, . Only if the search intention can be fulfilled it makes sense. If, for example, the user intention is a comparison of insurance providers, a single insurance provider will not be able to deliver this type of content and must leave the field to independent publishers.Behind the search query „best car insurance“ there is the need for a comparison of providers – therefore no insurance provider makes it to one of the top positions. Source: google.de

 

Search intention vs. User intention – what is the difference?

The terms search intention (Search Intent) and user intention (User Intent) are often used synonymously. Strictly speaking, however, they are not the same.

The search intention refers only to a single search query and is therefore a part of the user intention, which can include many subordinate intentions.

Here is an example: You want to buy a washing machine and collect lots of information in order to make a good purchase decision (user intention).

So you do lots of different search queries, which can have different search intentions, e.g.

finding out which types of washing machines there are

• finding out what to look out for when buying a washing machine
• understanding what Energy class A means
• comparing prices of washing machines
• visiting the website of Bosch to find out about their range
• … and so on and so forth.

How do search engines recognize the Search Intent?

Search engines really have it tough. Firstly, millions of search queries are made everyday. Secondly, a large portion of the search queries are new (

In 2019, Google announced, that 15% of the daily search queries are made for the first time). Thirdly, certain terms can have multiple meanings (is „Don Camillo“ meant to be the film or the restaurant around the corner?). Fourthly, changes in the world can lead to changes in search intentions.So how do Google and Co. manage to know the intention behind every single request?

First of all, they need to understand the search query and its context – and the algorithms of the search engines (especially Google) are quite good at this thanks to

technologies like Natural Language Processing (NLP). This allows Google to distinguish between the search query „flight berlin graz“ and „flight graz berlin“ and displays the corresponding flight options.But of course that alone is not enough.

That's why Google uses

user behavior analysis – i.e. the way users interact with the search results and with websites. This includes data such asClick-Through Rate

• (if a snippet is clicked, it has probably satisfied the search intention)Dwell Time
• (the longer a user stays on a page, the more relevant the content seems to be)Bounce Rate
•  (if a user bounces right back, the content probably didn't fit)So search intentions can be anticipated and with each new search query checked and corrected. And the more often a specific query has been made, the more data Google has and the better the search intention can be determined.

What types of search intention are there?

There are various categorizations that are meant to help understand the Search Intent and to consider it for Search Engine Optimization.

But first things first: Even though these categorizations are useful to roughly sort out the intentions behind search queries, they are not enough to understand them sufficiently and to create 100% fitting content. Nevertheless, let’s take a closer look at the two most common models.

One widely used categorization comes from a

study by the Pennsylvania State University from 2008:Another comes from Google itself – it is somewhat more detailed with 5 categories:

Knowing the different types of search queries will certainly help you with the

Keyword research and derivation of SEO measures. However, categorizations (the purpose of which is to reduce complexity) often mask the fact that what we are dealing with is actually a complex topic. And this is exactly what …The problem with search intentions is

As already mentioned: In most cases, it is not enough to classify a keyword into one of the categories for the search engine optimization of your page.

Depending on the keyword, it is not so easy to REALLY and DEEPLY understand the intention behind it.

This is also due to the fact that search intentions are often very multifaceted. Perhaps they can be superficially classified into one of the categories mentioned above, but actually there is more behind them.An example:

The search query „seo consultation costs“ could be a know-simple-request, which can be answered in 1-2 sentences. That seems to be the case according to the Featured Snippet, which Google displays at the top of the search results:

The search intention for the keyword „seo consultation costs“ is more complex than it seems at first glance. Source: google.de

 

But if you look more into the target group and the competition for this query, it becomes clear that the answer must be significantly more complex.

Who types „costs seo consultation“ into the search line, often does not only want to know if he or she can afford a SEO-consultation and how much budget is to plan.

But also,

how the prices for an SEO consultation are composed

• if the offer recently made by a service provider is serious, overpriced or fair
• what you get for which budget
• if or when the high costs are worth it
• how he/she can justify the cost of an SEO consultation to the C-level
• how consultation for search engine optimization is billed
• So the seemingly simple search query might contain a lot of subtext. These intentions should be considered in order to satisfy the user. And you could bet that the majority will not just read the Featured Snippet and then end the search, but will click on one of the top results and take a closer look at the content.

The search intention is often completely different than we initially think.

… for example, with less known proper names. With the keyword

cd baby the majority does not mean a sound carrier with calming music for babies, but the music label with the same name. You quickly realize this as soon as you look at the search results.The SERPs reveal the true (sometimes surprising) search intention. Source: google.de

 

And sometimes, a keyword has several intentions.

This often happens with Website and Visit-in-Person queries. Who googles

dm, either wants to be navigated to a store on site or to the online shop. And someone who searches for a specific restaurant might want to know the way there or wants to view the menu online.All these possibilities must be kept in mind when we work with search intentions.

How do you recognize the search intention?

There are two central strategies to uncover the Search Intent behind a keyword:

Analyze SERPs

1. Survey target group
2. Let’s explain this in more detail:

Analyze SERPs

Since Google itself interprets the search intention and accordingly compiles the search results (

Search Engine Results Page = SERPs), these are a pretty good indicator of the user's expectations.Often the

• composition of the results on page 1, gives away the direction of the search intention: Product placements and online shops on the top positions → Buy intention
• Google Maps → Visit of a place
• Knowledge Panel (shows information about individuals, organizations, or things) → Search for these information
• Videos → Often with explanatory topics or entertainment
• Direct Answer (Google directly delivers the answer) → Know Simple 
• Example for Google Direct Answer. Source: google.de

 

To determine the intent even more precisely, particularly look at the top 3 search results and analyze what they have in common. These are success factors you can use for your own content.

How are the title and meta description formulated? (→ these seemed to have convinced the user)

• Which questions are answered in the content?
• What format(s) is it (e.g. definition, instruction, calculator, comparison, product page …)
• What media formats are used and how often (e.g. many inspiring pictures, infographic, videos …)
• How comprehensive is the content (is it, for example, a short definition or a comprehensive article that illuminates many different aspects)?
• Survey target group

The direct questioning of the people you eventually want to delight with your content can deliver valuable insights beyond the SERP analysis.

You can approach the horse from two sides:

„What kind of content would you expect if you googled

• kitchen planning ? What information do you need? How should the information be prepared so that you are 100% satisfied?“„What did you enter into the search engine when you googled for options for planning a kitchen?“
• Such an interview should ideally cover various topics and phases of the customer journey.

Important:

If possible, dig deeper. This way you get as accurate a picture as possible of the search behavior and of the expectations and preferences of your target group. The more people you survey, the more substantial your insights are, of course.How do you work with the search intention findings?

Of course, you should document the elicited search intention and continue to work with it. Where and how is the best way to do this?

I recommend integrating the Search Intent as an extra column in your keyword map. A keyword map is a table containing the keywords relevant to you along with the associated data. These should be grouped into keyword clusters (also called keyword sets) and assigned to URLs.

If you don’t have a keyword map, create one – it is essential for targeted content creation and optimization.

Since all keywords belonging to the same keyword cluster should have the same search intention, define it per cluster or focus keyword, which you have set for each cluster.

The information about the search intention can be more detailed. It’s important that you (or the people who will later create the content) get a pretty clear picture of what kind of content is needed. So, it makes sense to create additional columns where factors for successful content are defined. 

How to align your content with the search intention

So, you have now compiled a range of insights as to why your target group is searching for a term and what they expect. Now the task is to translate this knowledge into a plan for your content.

Align the scope with the expectations of the users. Do they need, for example, quick information at a glance or a profound article for which they are willing to take more time?

• Use formats that support the search intention. Someone who googles "connect washing machine" doesn't want to read a lengthy text, but they want to quickly and easily see what they need to do with videos and pictures.
• Cover all topics that interest the users in their situation.
• Very important: Also consider the search intention when formulating the title tag and meta description. They act as teasers showing the searcher that after clicking on the snippet, they will find exactly what they need in their situation.

Examples: Content for different search intentions

Let's have a look at a few examples of content that perfectly covers different search intentions around the topic of wedding.

Wedding planning

• Typical informational search intention. As the SERPs show, whoever searches for this keyword wants an overview – ideally in the form of a checklist. The top result provides both information on the various topics in text form and a checklist in PDF format for download.

Source: liebe-zur-hochzeit.de

 

Wedding decoration

• Obviously a transactional search request. Whoever searches for

wedding decoration, doesn't want to craft or gather information, but to buy. Therefore, the matching results for this keyword are either the homepages of shops specialized on wedding decoration or the category pages of shops with a broader offer.Source: meine-hochzeitsdeko.de

 

Wedding location Cologne

• An overview of possibilities is what is wanted here. A view that can be filtered with integrated map satisfies the search intention the best.

Source: hochzeits-location.info

 

Seepavillon Cologne wedding

• For this search query, there are various informational search intents. The searcher may want to find out, 

if the Seepavillon in Cologne can be booked for weddings,

• how to envision a wedding in this location,
• what the costs are,
• if the location is still available for the own wedding date and
• how to book.
• It makes sense to provide all this information on a separate landing page.

Source: see-pavillon.de

 

 

 

Seepavillon cologne

• Finally, a classic navigational search query, that can however be interpreted in two ways: Either the searcher wants to ask for the location or the address of the Seepavillon or steer towards the website. Both possibilities are considered in the SERPs.

The navigational search intent is addressed by listing the event location website and a SERP feature with Google Maps integration. Source: google.de

 

What mistakes should you definitely avoid?

Finally, we want to inform you about some mistakes that are often made in connection with search intention and that you should avoid:

Extrapolate from yourself to others

We often have a spontaneous idea of what intention might be behind a search query based on our own experiences. But this can quickly lead astray – even with topics with which we are familiar (or at least believe to be). So always check the SERPs for each keyword cluster to reassures whether your own expectations coincide with those of the target group.

Rely exclusively on tools

There are

SEO tools such as Semrush which provide information about the search intent for each keyword. Semrush

uses the categories „information driven“, „commercial“, „transaction oriented“ and „navigation oriented“ for this.

This can be useful for a rough overview, but firstly, I would not bet my life on the correct classification and secondly, it is not enough to get a deep understanding of the search intention. So they are not a substitute for manual analysis.

 

Information about the search intention in Semrush. Source: Semrush.com

By the way: If you are searching for the right SEO tool, you can see and compare information, prices and reviews of the most popular tools on OMR Reviews.

Staying on the surface

Search intentions can sometimes be very complex and also ambiguous. So take your time to explore them and record your findings. The quality of the content and of course your website visitors will benefit from this in the end.

Conclusion

The analysis of the search intention is an integral part of the research that should be done before content creation and optimization. It tells you whether it's worth optimizing for a keyword set and what the content should look like in order to convince your target group and search engine.

We have summarized the most important info about search intention in the below diagram.

And now: Good luck exploring the search intention!

 

Source: own representation