Term
Search Intent
The goal a user is pursuing with a search query. Four common types — informational, navigational, transactional, commercial investigation.
Search Intent — explained in more detail
Search intent describes the why behind a query, not the what. Four established categories: informational (“how does X work”), navigational (“brand Y login”), transactional (“buy X”), and commercial investigation (“X vs. Y,” “best X 2026” — between research and purchase).
Google evaluates whether a page matches the intent of the query. A product page ranking for a knowledge question will lose its spot over time — even if the keyword formally fits. Ranking requires matching intent, not just wording.
Example / In practice
Diagnose intent via the SERP: what currently ranks 1–10? If it’s how-to articles, the intent is informational — a product page won’t compete. SERP features help: Featured Snippets and PAA → informational; shopping carousel → transactional; local pack → local intent.
Distinction from similar terms
A keyword is the input, intent is the goal. The same keyword can carry different intent depending on context (“Apple” — brand navigational vs. fruit informational). Increasingly, intent matters more than the exact keyword — Google understands semantics ever more reliably.
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