Then you need to know a few intent in seo things about user search intent. You’re wasting your time if your keyword strategy consists of intent in seo gathering keywords into a Google document or CSV and starting to write articles without looking at Google’s search results (the SERPs).
search intent
Doing keyword research and writing about them without looking at the SERPs may have worked in the early 2010s. However, Google is getting better at understanding the content of URLs and how well they meet searcher needs.
That’s where search intent comes in
Table of contents
The internet is teeming with URLs. It’s impossible to say with certainty how many URLs exist in Google’s index because the search engine is secretive in this regard, although it’s estimated that Google analyzes and indexes billions of web pages per day.
If you want to rank in the top 10 for the keywords you’re interested in, you need to understand user search intent for each of the keywords you’re interested in.
To get into the top 10, you need to be strategic and use a little psychology.
What is search intent in SEO?
Search intent, also called user intent, is the reason behind a person’s query when searching for something on Google.
Let’s take off our SEO hats for a minute. When was the last time you searched on Google? Why did you do it? Every time your customers use Google, they have something specific in mind.
If you’re searching for ‘what temperature to roast a chicken’ or ‘easy chicken breast recipes,’ you’re probably looking for different things (and under different circumstances).
That’s the search intent.
Every time your customers use Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo, they have specific questions they want answered and specific overseas chinese database content they want to find. Understanding the search intent behind a keyword can be a game-changer when it comes to creating content and tailoring it to your audience (and converting those visitors into leads).
Here’s a fun little exercise for you. Try to guess what a user who searches the following queries expects to find:
It’s not that easy, is it?
For example, for ‘vegetable sandwich,’ are you looking for recipes or restaurants that serve them? Or for ‘NASA why is a must-have tool for effective customer retention programs,’ are you looking for a list or a specific program? Obviously (or maybe not so obviously), the user has a reason for these queries and judges the content Google offers based on that reason.
Why is search intent important?
Google has a mission, it’s simple but bold:
Google’s success depends on the results it returns for any given search. This is why they dominate search. They are very good at understanding a user’s search intent and matching content to a query.
It’s no wonder, then, that Google is obsessed with search intent, at least according to the 2020 Search Quality Rating Guidelines .
I know I sound like a broken qatar numbers record right now, but it’s important to emphasize this point: search intent is important if you want your content to perform well and, therefore, rank. Understanding the intent of that search helps make your content more useful, and that will help you rank better.
Targeting user search intent is the difference between appearing on page 1 and disappearing in Google’s SERPs. If you want to rank your website’s different pages well, you must make an effort to match your content with the user’s intent when they search on Google.
However, let’s dig a little deeper. Search intent can be divided into four different categories.
What types of search intent exist?
There are many types of search intent, but most SEOs focus on four main ones, as they do a pretty good job of summarizing things. It’s important to keep these four search intents in mind when targeting specific keywords and creating content.
Information search intention
Most Google searches are informational. In fact, Penn State conducted a 2007 study that showed that 80% of searches qualified as “informational.”
This makes sense since most people tend to use Google to research or ask questions, and that’s key when it comes to doing your own keyword research and then creating content.