Everything you need to know about search intent if you want to improve your AI SEO
Understanding what a person actually wants to find when they search on Google and AI search services such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot is the foundation of AI SEO. It’s not enough to know the best keywords for a topic – you also need to understand why users search for the terms they do, and what they expect to find.
This is what is known as search intent.
What is search intent all about?
Search intent, therefore – perhaps not entirely surprisingly – refers to the intention behind a search. Someone searching for ”best weatherstripping” probably wants to compare different models and get help choosing. Someone searching for ”buy weatherstripping Gothenburg” has most likely already decided what to buy and is now looking for a shop or supplier.
Although both searches relate to sealing strips, their purpose is therefore different.
It is important to understand this when creating content for your website. If you know what the visitor actually wants to find, you can also create a page that meets that need.
Four common types of search intent
Search intent is usually divided into four different types. The purpose of a search may be to find information, locate a specific website, compare options or actually make a purchase.
Information retrieval means that the person wants to learn something. It could, for example, be ”what is search intent?” or ”how does SEO work?”.
Navigation search means that the person already knows what they are looking for and wants to find a specific website or business. An example is searching for ”seodr”.
Commercial A search takes place when a person compares different options before making a purchase. Examples might include ”best SEO agency” or ”SEO agency in Gothenburg”.
Transactional A search indicates that the person is ready to take action, such as making a purchase, making a booking or contacting a company. ”Buying valves online” is an example of a search.
By understanding the type of search you want to appear in, you can also create the right kind of content.
Why is search intent important for SEO?
In our article on the 10 most common SEO mistakes, we mention creating content without a clear search intent as one of the most common mistakes. It is simply not enough to just use the right keywords on a page. The content must also answer what the person actually wants to know, as Google aims to display results that are as relevant as possible to the searcher.
Imagine someone searches for ”how do solar cells work?” and ends up on a page that’s all about buying solar cell kits. Even though the page contains the search term and is technically optimised, it doesn’t do a particularly good job of answering the question.
This is why a page can be optimised for a keyword and still struggle to rank. If the content does not match the search intent, Google is likely to find other pages that better meet the user’s needs.
How do you identify the search intent behind a search term?
It doesn’t have to be particularly difficult to find out what people expect to find when they search for a particular keyword. One simple way is to Google the search term yourself and see what comes up. Do the results mainly consist of guides and informative articles? Or are most people looking for product and service pages, comparisons or local businesses?
The results provide a good indication of what Google believes the person behind the search is looking for.
If, for example, you search for ”SEO agency” and find almost nothing but service pages from various SEO agencies, that’s a clear sign. The person searching is likely looking for an agency – not to read a general article about what SEO is.
The right search intent brings the right traffic
Of course, having lots of visitors to your website sounds good. But high traffic doesn’t automatically mean more customers. A keyword might have thousands of searches every month but still be of no interest to your business. Another keyword might have significantly fewer searches, but attract people who are actually looking for what you offer.
That is why a good SEO strategy needs to take into account search volume, search intent and the company’s objectives.
At seodr.®, we use search behaviour analysis to understand what our target audience is searching for and which search queries can help generate new business.
Do you need help with your SEO?
Understanding what your target audience is searching for is a key part of successful SEO. At seodr.®, we analyse search behaviour, keywords and the competition to identify opportunities that can boost your website’s visibility – and, above all, attract the right visitors.
Would you like to know how your website can become more visible on Google? Get in touch and we’ll tell you more!
Do you need help with SEO on your website?
Contact us at seodr.® and we will guide you through the new ways of searching for information.
