The essentials
- Definition: search intent is the goal someone is pursuing when they type a query: to learn, to find a site, to compare, to buy or to act.
- Four types: informational ("how"), navigational ("brand name"), commercial ("best", "reviews", "vs") and transactional ("buy", "price", "quote").
- Why: Google ranks the pages that answer a query's dominant intent; a sales page on an informational query doesn't rank, however well optimised.
- The method: read the results page before writing, choose the format that dominates it, one page per intent.
Thesearch intent is the goal someone is pursuing when they enter a query in a search engine or put a question to an AI assistant. The same words can hide different needs: "sun cream" might mean understanding SPF ratings, comparing brands or buying. Since the updates of 2013 (Hummingbird) and 2019 (BERT), Google interprets a query as a need and ranks the pages that answer it, rather than those containing the words. Intent has become the starting point for any page, before the keyword choices described in keyword research.
The four types of intent
| Intent | What the person wants | Signals in the query | The format that answers it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | To understand, to learn | "how", "why", "definition", "guide", questions | Article, guide, definition, FAQ, video |
| Navigational | To reach a specific site or page | A brand or product name, "login", "customer reviews + brand" | Home page, product page, Google Business Profile listing |
| Commercial | To compare before choosing | "best", "comparison", "reviews", "vs", "alternatives" | Comparison, test, list, reviews, client case studies |
| Transactional | To buy, book or make contact | "buy", "price", "quote", "cost", "near me", "delivery" | Product page, service page, pricing, form, local listing |
A fifth category is often added: local intent ("near me", a city name), which cuts across the others and triggers Google Maps' local pack. Around 60% of queries are informational, 20% navigational, 10% commercial and 10% transactional; but value per visit runs the opposite way to frequency.
Why intent decides ranking
For every query, Google assesses the kind of pages users expect, and the results page shows it: articles for an informational query, product pages and Shopping ads for a transactional one, comparisons for a commercial one. A page whose format doesn't match the dominant intent doesn't rank, however well optimised: a sales page on "how to choose an electric bike" loses to the guides, and a guide on "cheap electric bike" loses to the shops. Analysing the results page before writing is therefore the first step. AI assistants follow the same logic: they cite the pages that answer the question directly, in the expected format; see user intent in AI engines.
Recognising a query's intent
- Read the results page: the kind of pages ranking on page one (articles, products, comparisons, local listings), the presence of Shopping ads, a local pack, an AI Overview or "People also ask" all indicate the dominant intent.
- Analyse the words: the modifiers ("how", "best", "buy", a city name) classify the query in most cases.
- Spot mixed intents: "invoicing software" mixes commercial and transactional; page one shows both comparisons and vendors. A page can then combine a comparison and an offer.
- Check against your own data: in Search Console, a page receiving impressions on queries of a different intent from its own has a low click-through rate; that is the sign of a mismatch.
Matching pages to intent
- One page per intent: the "how to choose" guide and the "buy" page are two pages, linked to each other; merging them serves neither.
- Format first: a guide structured as questions for informational, a comparison table for commercial, a clear page with price, proof and a button for transactional.
- The answer up front: on an informational query, the direct answer in the opening lines, then the detail; that is what snippets and AI pick up.
- The journey between intents: the guide links to the comparison, which links to the sales page; the visitor moves forward without leaving your site.
- The long tail: longer queries have a more precise intent and are easier to satisfy; see the long tail.
The frequent mistakes
- Writing before looking at the results page: the format you chose doesn't match what people expect.
- Trying to sell on an informational query: the page doesn't rank, or ranks and doesn't convert.
- Mixing intents on one page: a guide that turns into a sales page halfway through loses both audiences.
- Ignoring change: a query's dominant intent shifts; "ChatGPT" was informational in 2023 and navigational by 2026. An annual reread of the results pages for your key queries is essential.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's SEO keyword tracking brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
What is search intent?
The goal someone pursues when they type a query: to learn, to reach a specific site, to compare options or to buy. Google and AI assistants rank and cite the pages that answer that intent, rather than those that merely contain the query's words.
What are the types of search intent?
Four types: informational (to understand), navigational (to reach a site), commercial (to compare before choosing) and transactional (to buy, book or make contact). Local intent ("near me", a city) combines with the others and triggers the local pack.
How do you find a keyword's intent?
By reading Google's results page: the format of the pages ranking (articles, products, comparisons, local listings) and the blocks displayed (Shopping, local pack, AI Overview, questions) indicate the dominant intent. The query's modifiers (how, best, buy, a city) confirm it.
Can you target several intents on one page?
Rarely. One page per intent, linked to each other, works better: the informational guide links to the comparison, which links to the sales page. Queries with mixed intent (commercial and transactional) can justify a page combining a comparison and an offer, if the results page shows that mixture.