What Is Keyword Intent? An Overview & How to Identify It

What Is Keyword Intent?

Keyword intent (also known arsenic hunt intent) is the crushed wherefore a idiosyncratic enters a circumstantial word into a hunt engine.

For example, erstwhile idiosyncratic searches “buy chia seeds,” the intent down that hunt is astir apt to marque a purchase.

But idiosyncratic searching “what are chia seeds” astir apt conscionable wants to larn much basal accusation astir the chia seeds. 

You tin spot this by entering the word into the Keyword Overview tool, which shows the intent benignant is informational.

Before we get into the antithetic types of intent and however to find a keyword’s intent, let’s speech astir the value of aligning with it.

Why Is Keyword Intent Important successful SEO?

Understanding and adequately addressing keyword intent successful your website contented volition increase your chances of ranking (appearing successful hunt results) for the keywords you privation to target.

This is due to the fact that Google’s extremity is to reply searchers’ queries arsenic efficaciously arsenic possible. So, it shows pages that it thinks volition assistance users champion find what they’re looking for.

Let’s usage the aforesaid examples arsenic supra to illustrate.

Here’s what the results leafage looks similar for “buy chia seeds”:

The results see a fashionable products carousel and modular listings that nonstop to merchandise pages. Because Google knows searchers astir apt privation to buy.

But idiosyncratic searching for “what are chia seeds” volition spot thing similar this:

These results incorporate acquisition articles astir chia seeds, a People Also Ask (PAA) section, and a knowledge panel (a summary of accusation based connected Google’s cognition of the entity):

So, you person a bully accidental of ranking for “what are chia seeds” if you constitute a implicit usher connected what chia seeds are and their imaginable wellness benefits. But you astir apt won’t fertile for “buy chia seeds.”

4 Types of Keyword Intent

There are 4 main keyword intent types:

• Navigational keyword intent
• Informational keyword intent
• Commercial keyword intent
• Transactional keyword intent

And immoderate keywords tin person much than 1 intent type. 

For example, the keyword “make java astatine home” is some informational and commercial,” which you tin spot successful Keyword Overview.

Let’s larn much astir each of these keyword search intent types.

1. Navigational Keyword Intent 

Navigational keywords are presumption searchers usage erstwhile they privation to get to a circumstantial leafage oregon website.

In these cases, users typically cognize precisely what they’re looking for.

Here are immoderate examples of navigational keywords: 

• “facebook login”
• “amazon shipping policy”
• “mamas small bakery chicago address”
• “youtube”

In general, navigational keywords person debased purchaser intent. Meaning that the idiosyncratic astir apt isn’t readying to marque a purchase.

But successful immoderate cases, they tin enactment conversions that whitethorn pb to tangible concern results aboriginal on.

For example, erstwhile idiosyncratic searches for “mamas small bakery chicago address,” they’re astir apt trying to find the nonstop determination of a section bakery.

Once they find the address, they mightiness halt by successful idiosyncratic to browse the selection. And they whitethorn extremity up making a acquisition astatine that time. 

One bully happening astir navigational keywords is that they’re often a spot easier to fertile for due to the fact that they’re often branded terms. 

2. Informational Keyword Intent

People hunt for informational keywords erstwhile they privation to larn astir something.

These keywords often travel successful the signifier of questions and commencement with:

• “what is”
• “how to”
• “why is”
• “where is”

But informational keywords don’t ever person to beryllium questions. They tin besides look similar this:

• “disavow backlinks”
• “maldives clip now”
• “pasta bolognese recipe”

Informational keywords besides person debased purchaser intent.

But it’s inactive a bully thought to people these keywords successful how-to blog posts, informational videos, infographics, etc.

By creating high-quality informational content, you found yourself arsenic a trustworthy root of accusation for your people audience. Which means that they’ll apt travel backmost to your website to larn more.

And erstwhile they’re acceptable to marque a purchase, they’ll already beryllium acquainted with your marque and your website.

3. Commercial Keyword Intent

People participate keywords with commercialized intent into hunt engines erstwhile they’re doing probe earlier making a purchase.

They’re not rather acceptable to bargain due to the fact that they request a small spot much accusation connected the products oregon services they’re considering first. Which is wherefore commercialized keywords are often branded.

Here are immoderate examples of branded commercialized keywords:

• “google analytics alternatives”
• “stans donuts reviews”
• “macbook pro vs macbook air”

But they tin besides beryllium unbranded similar these:

• “custom day cakes”
• “wedding dresses”
• “best moving shoes”

As you tin see, commercialized keywords often absorption connected comparing circumstantial products, services, oregon brands. Or uncovering first-hand insight.

Commercial keywords person comparatively precocious purchaser intent. Which means there’s a higher accidental that the idiosyncratic volition marque a purchase.

You tin people commercialized keywords with product/service landing pages, examination articles, and pages that diagnostic testimonials and reviews.

4. Transactional Keyword Intent

Users hunt for transactional keywords erstwhile they’re acceptable to marque a acquisition oregon subscribe to your services/offerings.

Here are immoderate examples of transactional keywords:

• “buy audi tt”
• “italian restaurants adjacent me”
• “zapier promo code”

As you tin see, transactional keywords person precocious purchaser intent. Which means targeting them tin thrust gross for your business.

But they tin besides bespeak a tendency to implicit different conversions that mightiness yet pb to a purchase. Like signing up for a demo oregon getting a sample. 

To people transactional keywords, make the pursuing types of content:

• Sign-up pages
• Deals and coupons pages
• Product/service pages
• Free trial/sample pages

How to Identify Keyword Intent

There are a fig of ways to find the intent down keywords:

Manually Review Search Results

One of the simplest ways to larn astir keyword intent is to execute a hunt for a word you privation to people (or 1 you’re already targeting) to spot what’s already ranking.

Open an incognito model successful your browser (this is called an “InPrivate” model if you’re utilizing Microsoft Edge) to guarantee the results aren’t personalized to you.

Then, tally a hunt for your term.

As you tin see, how-to articles predominate the apical results. Which means this keyword has informational intent.

But don’t halt there. Visit these pages to larn much astir what they cover, however they’re formatted, etc.

Pay attraction to:

• Format: Is it an article? A merchandise page? A video?
• Length:Is it a agelong nonfiction oregon a abbreviated merchandise description?
• Topics: What related topics does it cover?
• Structure: How is the accusation organized? Does it usage tables, infographics, and/or text?
• Missing information: Is determination immoderate important portion of accusation that’s missing? 

For example, this is 1 of the top-ranking pages for the aforesaid word arsenic above:

This leafage includes a video, goes implicit the basal steps, lists indispensable equipment, and provides a elaborate recipe.

Many of the different high-ranking pages see the aforesaid topics and structure. 

All of this accusation volition assistance you make the benignant of contented users are looking for. Which tin assistance you fertile amended for your people keywords.

Use Keyword Overview

Keyword Overview allows you to rapidly find retired immoderate keyword’s main intent benignant without having to execute a manual search.

Let’s instrumentality a look astatine an illustration utilizing the keyword “nordstrom shipping policy.”

After entering your term, click “Search.”

You tin spot that this keyword has 2 hunt intent types: navigational and transactional.

It’s navigational due to the fact that a idiosyncratic is looking for a circumstantial leafage connected Nordstrom’s website. And transactional due to the fact that they’re astir apt acceptable to bargain thing but privation to cheque the shipping argumentation earlier they do.

Now, the adjacent question is: Should you people that keyword?

Let’s see.

Scroll down to the “SERP Analysis” conception to spot the apical 10 hunt results for that keyword.

In this case, the apical 10 results are either from Nordstrom’s website oregon forums explaining Nordstrom’s shipping policy.

So, you astir apt shouldn’t effort to fertile for this keyword if you’re from a competing brand.

Use the Keyword Magic Tool

The Keyword Magic Tool allows you to spot antithetic terms’ hunt intents arsenic you bash keyword research. 

You tin adjacent usage filters to get a database of related keywords with circumstantial types of intent.

Let’s accidental you privation to find retired what keywords you could fertile for that person precocious purchaser intent. 

Enter a wide word related to your niche (or 1 of your niches), adhd your domain sanction to get personalized results, and click “Search.”

Above the database of keywords, click connected the “Intent” drop-down, prime the checkboxes adjacent to “Transactional” and “Commercial,” and click “Apply.”

You’ll get a database of each the commercialized and transactional keywords related to your brand. 

If you announcement a batch of branded presumption for your competitors, take the “Include keywords” driblet down, marque definite the “All keywords” enactment is selected, and adhd your marque name. Then, click “Apply.”

You’ll present spot lone transactional and commercialized presumption that see your marque name.

Next, wage attraction to the “PKD %” column. This represents each term’s Personal Keyword Difficulty score—which indicates however hard it volition beryllium for your circumstantial website to fertile for that word (lower is easier). 

Given we’re looking astatine branded terms, astir of them are comparatively casual to fertile for. But it’s worthy studying this erstwhile you see that immoderate presumption whitethorn person mixed intent. 

Create Content with Keyword Intent In Mind

How good your pages align with keyword intent tin drastically impact your chances of ranking successful hunt results. 

Thankfully, the process of identifying keyword intent is rather elemental erstwhile you usage Keyword Overview and the Keyword Magic Tool.

You tin trial retired some tools erstwhile you motion up for a free trial.