Search Intent

SEO

Also: User intent · Query intent · Keyword intent

What it isThe underlying goal behind a search query

Four typesInformational, navigational, commercial, transactional

Why it mattersGoogle ranks content that best satisfies intent, not just keywords

Quick definition

Search intent is the underlying goal a person has when they type a query into a search engine. Understanding intent determines what type of content you need to create and where in the buying journey that content should appear.

Where it shows up in the data

Informational intent

The user wants to learn something. Queries: 'how does X work', 'what is Y', 'best way to Z'. Content that serves this intent: blog posts, guides, how-to articles, explainer videos.

Navigational intent

The user wants to find a specific website. Queries: 'Xero login', 'ANZ bank'. These queries are dominated by brand-specific results. Optimise for your own brand; competing for competitors' brand terms is low-value.

Commercial intent

The user is researching options before buying. Queries: 'best accounting software for small business', 'CRM software comparison'. Content: comparison pages, reviews, buying guides.

Transactional intent

The user is ready to buy or take an action. Queries: 'buy X online', 'X price', 'book Y'. Content: product pages, pricing pages, booking pages with clear CTAs.

What it actually means

When someone types 'best running shoes' into Google, they are in research mode. They want a comparison, not a product page. Google knows this because it has observed millions of searches and measured which type of result people actually engage with. If you create a product page targeting 'best running shoes,' Google will not rank it above comparison guides because the format does not match the intent. Understanding intent tells you what to build, not just what keywords to target.

The question is not whether you can rank for a keyword. It is whether you can satisfy the intent behind it better than anyone else.

How it shows up

Search intent alignment shows up in bounce rate, pages per session and time on page for search-driven traffic. A high bounce rate from organic search often indicates that users arrived expecting one type of content and found another. Search Console click-through rate also reflects intent alignment: if your title and meta description match the intent, more people click.

The Australian context

Australian search intent often includes geographic modifiers: 'best plumber Melbourne', 'Sydney divorce lawyer', 'Brisbane wedding venue'. These are transactional or commercial intent queries with local specificity. Businesses that optimise for these intent-plus-location combinations capture the highest commercial value searches in their area.

Where people get this wrong

Targeting high-volume keywords without understanding the intent behind themA keyword with 10,000 monthly searches in informational intent will not drive sales if you send users to a product page. Volume without intent alignment produces traffic that does not convert.

Creating one piece of content targeting multiple conflicting intentsAn article that tries to be both an educational guide and a product page serves neither intent well. Create separate content for informational and transactional intents even on the same topic.

Common questions

How do I figure out the intent behind a keyword?

Google the keyword and look at the top 5 organic results. If they are mostly blog posts, the intent is informational. If they are mostly product pages, it is transactional. If they are comparison articles or review pages, it is commercial. Match your content type to what you see.

Can the same keyword have multiple intents?

Yes, and these are the trickiest to optimise for. 'Accounting software' could be someone researching options (commercial) or looking for a specific product (navigational). For these mixed-intent queries, Google often shows a mix of content types. A comparison article with clear product links tends to work well.

Keep exploring

About New Rebellion

New Rebellion is a marketing intelligence consultancy. We build tools, score Australian businesses on how their marketing actually performs, and publish Debrief every day. This dictionary is part of how we work in the open.

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