Content · Glossary
What is search intent?
Search intent is the goal behind a query: what the person actually wants to know, do or buy. Matching the intent, and the format searchers expect for it, is a precondition for ranking.
Written by Noor KhanWhy Search intent matters
Google ranks pages that satisfy the intent, not pages that merely contain the words. A product page will struggle for an informational query, and a blog post will struggle for a transactional one.
How Search intent works
- Common types are informational, navigational, commercial investigation and transactional.
- The current results show what format Google believes satisfies the intent (guides, lists, product pages, videos).
- Many queries mix intents, and AI systems split them into sub-questions.
How to apply it
- Check the top results before creating a page, and match their type and format.
- Give each page one primary intent.
- Answer the main question first, then the natural follow-up questions.
Example
'Best CRM for small business' expects a comparison; 'HubSpot pricing' expects a pricing page; 'what is a CRM' expects a definition and explanation.
Common mistake
Targeting a keyword with the wrong page type because the keyword 'fits' the product.
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