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This article is Part 3 of a short series on how modern SEO works. If you’d like to start from the beginning, you can read Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): What It Is — and What It Isn’t.
If keyword research feels unclear, search intent is usually the missing piece.
Search intent explains why two pages targeting similar phrases can perform very differently, even when both appear “optimised”. It also explains why keyword tools often feel incomplete on their own.
This article breaks search intent down plainly — without jargon — so later decisions about content, keywords, and structure actually make sense.
What Search Intent Means
Search intent refers to what the searcher is trying to achieve when they type a query into Google.
Not the words they use — the outcome they want.
Google’s primary task is to infer that intent and return pages that best satisfy it.
SEO works when your page aligns with that inferred intent.
Words Are Not Intent
This is where many people get stuck.
Two people can type the same phrase and want different things.
One person can want the same thing using different words.
Google does not treat keywords literally.
It treats them contextually.
This is why matching words alone is no longer enough.
The Four Primary Types Of Search Intent
Most searches fall into one of these categories. Understanding which one applies is foundational.
1. Informational Intent
The searcher wants to learn or understand something.
Examples include:
- explanations
- how-to guides
- definitions
- troubleshooting
Google typically favours:
- detailed articles
- clear explanations
- structured guidance
Trying to rank a sales page for an informational query usually fails — not because the page is “bad”, but because it doesn’t match intent.
An Example Of Informational Intent In Practice
This article itself is an example of Informational Intent.
If you’re familiar with traditional SEO advice, you might reasonably ask:
“What keyword is this page targeting?”
The honest answer is: none has been deliberately set.
This page exists to explain a concept clearly. Its purpose is informational — to help readers understand how search intent works. Google will not evaluate it based on whether a specific phrase appears in a title or heading.
Instead, Google will:
- group this page alongside other articles explaining search intent
- compare it with similar informational pages
- observe how well readers engage with and understand the explanation
Over time, Google learns where this page belongs among other pages serving the same informational need.
If the explanation here is clearer, more complete, or more useful than competing pages, it can perform well — not because of better tactics, but because it better satisfies what Google is trying to deliver.
In other words, say what you actually want to say, in your own voice and style. Writing to suit what you think Google wants to see is usually futile.
2. Navigational Intent
The searcher wants to reach a specific site or brand.
Examples include:
- business names
- product names
- login-related searches
SEO effort here is minimal. Google already knows where the searcher wants to go.
3. Commercial Investigation Intent
The searcher is evaluating options, but not ready to commit.
This includes:
- comparisons
- reviews
- “best of” searches
- pricing research
Google tends to surface:
- comparison pages
- reviews
- detailed service explanations
This is often where authority and trust signals start to matter more.
4. Transactional (Or Action-Oriented) Intent
The searcher wants to take action now.
This can include:
- hiring a service
- booking
- buying
- contacting a business
Google prioritises:
- service pages
- location relevance
- legitimacy signals
- clarity of offering
Trying to rank an educational blog post for a transactional query is rarely effective.
Why Intent Matters More Than Keywords
Google compares pages within an intent group.
It does not ask:
“Which page used the keyword best?”
It asks:
“Which page best satisfies this kind of search?”
If your page belongs to a different intent category than the pages already ranking, optimisation tweaks won’t help — because you’re competing in the wrong race.
How Google Learns Intent
Google infers intent using patterns, not guesses.
It looks at:
- historical behaviour
- click-through patterns
- time on page
- refinements and follow-up searches
- consistency across many users
That’s why intent classifications are remarkably stable.
Once Google believes a query has a dominant intent, it becomes difficult to rank content that doesn’t align with it.
Why Keyword Tools Don’t Explain This Well
Keyword tools list phrases.
They don’t show intent dominance.
A tool may tell you:
- volume
- difficulty
- variations
But it won’t tell you:
- whether Google expects a guide, a service, or a comparison
- whether local intent applies
- whether freshness matters
- whether authority thresholds are high
That information lives in the search results themselves — not in the tool.
The Only Reliable Way To Identify Intent
There is no shortcut.
To understand intent, you must:
- Search the query manually
- Look at what Google ranks
- Identify the pattern
Ask:
- Are these mostly articles or service pages?
- Are results local?
- Are comparisons prominent?
- Are brands dominant?
Google is already showing you the answer.
Why This Changes How You Use Keyword Research
Once intent is understood:
- keyword lists gain meaning
- volume becomes contextual
- “difficulty” becomes interpretable
Without intent, keyword data is just numbers.
Intent turns data into direction.
The Key Takeaway
If you remember nothing else, remember this:
If the intent is wrong, optimisation fails. If the intent is right, optimisation becomes easier.
Search intent determines what kind of page can rank. Keywords only influence how that page is interpreted.
Now that intent is clear, the next question naturally follows:
If Google ranks pages — not keywords — how does it decide which page wins?
Next up:
How Google Chooses Between Pages (And Why “SEO-Looking” Pages Often Lose)
This is where most SEO advice quietly falls apart — and where clarity really starts to emerge.