How to Optimize Your Content For Search Intent

Have you ever wondered why you need to create content that supports or agrees with the search intent of users?

Well, for starters, if you want your website or landing page to rank on Google, then you need to start incorporating search intent or user intent into your SEO and content marketing approach.

One of the reasons why Google is the most successful search engine today is because it tries to give users quality, relevant search results every time they enter a query into the search engine. 

Have you ever wondered why almost nobody makes use of other search engines such as Bing, Yahoo and Baidu? Because the search results from these search engines are low-quality, irrelevant and most times do not reflect the search intent of the user.

What Is Search Intent?

Simply put, search intent essentially deals with trying to figure out the reason or goal that an individual is trying to achieve when they enter a particular query into the search engine.

The truth is, everyone has a reason for entering some queries into a search engine. Maybe they are looking for information, maybe they are looking to learn about something or they are looking to purchase an item. Search intent or user intent finds reason and incorporates it into your SEO and content marketing approach.

If you understand the intent, goal or objective of users when they entered some keywords on Google, then your landing page or website is guaranteed to rank for those keywords people are searching for.

1. Why Is Search Intent So Important?

First off, optimizing your content to satisfy the search intent of users is important because Google loves it (it’s Google’s No. 1 mission today).

The ultimate objective of Google is to satisfy and meet the search intent of users, and this is outlined in the most recent Google quality rating guidelines.

Furthermore, Google published a report recently to highlight the fact that user search intent is redefining the online marketing funnel today. 

This means that backlinks and other traditional SEO best practices are still relevant. However, if your website or landing page fails to reflect the search intent of users, your website or online content may not rank.

2. Types Of Search Intent?

There are three types of search intent:

Informational Search Intent (Know): 

Users often use an informational search to learn about something (it could be a product or service). People use an informational search to find answers to a specific question or to find a solution to a need or challenge. Examples of keywords used in the informational search:

• What is
• What are
• Best ways to
• Alternatives
• How to

Research has revealed that informational search intent makes up as much as 80% of total search intent. Here is an example of an informational search below.

Navigational Search Intent (Go): 

This is primarily used to locate a particular website or location. When looking for a website or webpage, most users prefer to search for them through Google. Example of keywords used in navigational search intent:

• Twitter login
• Facebook
• Amazon
• Service/product name
• Direction to
• Locations near me

Transactional Search Intent:

This is mostly used when users are looking to buy something. Most times, users already have an idea of what they want to buy; they use search engines to help them find a good place to buy. Examples of keywords used in transactional search intent:

• Buy MacBook Pro
• Order
• Purchase
• Schedule

3. How To Optimize Your Content For Each Type Of Search Intent

You need to learn how to optimize your online content to suit the various types of search intent of users. In this post, we’ll show you how to go about it.

How to Optimize for Informational Search Intent

You might think that optimizing for informational search intent has no direct monetary value. However, it is very important that you optimize your content for them. Most informational queries begin with words such as “what is”  and “how to” and “ways to” and so on. Make sure that your content tries to answer these questions as they relate to your specific industry.

For example, if you sell sunglasses, your informational search intent approach should focus on answering questions such as the benefit of wearing sunglasses. Take a look at the screenshot below to get a better understanding.

When you create content that meets the informational needs of users in your industry, your webpage will rank on Google. The best ways to create informational content is through the use of:

• Blog posts that give users some tips
• Videos that show users how to do something
• Step-by-step guides
• Infographics

When you provide high-quality informational content on what your users are searching for in your niche, you’ll not only solve the problem of your users and rank high on Google, but you’ll also generate leads and drive quality, organic traffic to your website.

How to Optimize for Navigational Search Intent 

In this situation, the user is looking to navigate to a particular website or looking to locate a local store. Maybe the user already has a website or brand in mind, or maybe not. When you optimize for navigational search intent, you place your webpages in a position where users can easily see them when they are searching for particular products or websites.

The best ways to create navigational content is through:

• E-books
• Product demo videos
• Presentation pages
• List of products and services
• Webinars
• Landing pages

Take, for instance, a user is looking for a website known as brandmentions.com, and he types brand mentions into the search engine, all content or pages that also have that keyword will also appear on the search engine results page.

How to Optimize for Transactional Search Intent 

Just like we pointed out earlier,  transactional search intent is when the user is actually looking to buy or purchase a product, a service or carry out a transaction. As a result, the user is searching for a place, a website or an online store to make a purchase.

Transactional search intent keywords include words such as buy, where to buy, purchase, discount, etc. In order for you to benefit from transactional search intent, your online content should contain results for these transactional search keywords. Moreover, here are some ways you can create transactional search content for transactional queries:

• Product pages
• Appointments pages
• Sign-up pages
• Live demos
• Free consultations
• Sales pages
• Pricing pages

Another great way to optimize for transactional search intent is through local optimization. People living in your city are looking for nearby places where they can make their purchase or sign-up for a service or even schedule an appointment. If your website ranks at the top in your locality, you’ll be well-positioned to gain their business.

You can also target the search intent of users in a particular locality with the use of an online localization and translation service such as TheWordPoint by creating content in their local languages.

Final Thoughts

Google understands the concept of user search intent, and if you want your website to rank on Google, you need to incorporate this concept of search intent or user intent into your online content strategy.

You need to know what users want, the information they are looking for and then you provide answers to these queries. That is what search intent is all about, and Google will thank you for doing that.

If your online content doesn’t reflect what users want or what users are searching for, then your website or landing page may not be able to rank high on Google.