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What is Search Intent … and Why Should You Consider it Before Creating Blog Posts and Landing Pages?

Most site owners know about keywords and other basic SEO steps they need to take in order to attract more traffic. And yet, even after they’ve done everything they were supposed to do, there isn’t any change in the conversion rate. There may be an increase in traffic, but nothing seems to move in sales.

So where’s the problem and why do some sites, landing pages, and even blog posts seem stuck?

If you’ve done everything right and your pages look good to Google, you may have a bit of an issue with search intent. This SEO term is a bit more difficult to grasp at first, so we’ll try to clear things out for you.

 

What is Search Intent?

In a nutshell, search intent (or user intent, whatever you want to call it) is the goal that hides behind a user’s search. For instance, a user who wants to buy a second-hand vehicle will more likely use keywords such as “second-hand car prices in my area” or “used cars for sale”.

On the other hand, someone who wants to understand if a used vehicle is their best choice will most likely use a query such as “used car vs. new car” or “benefits of owning a used car”. In this case, the intent behind the search is to get information.

 

Why Should I Consider It?

Google’s algorithm is happy when your content matches users’ search intent because its main purpose is to make sure everyone finds exactly what they’re looking for online.

So if you want your SEO efforts to bring in more buyers, you have to match their search intent through your content strategy and other online marketing efforts.

 

Search Intent Helps You Know What Type of Content to Create

Let’s take a closer look at how search intent and content are connected.

First, you need to know that there are four common types of search intent:

• Informational – the user is trying to learn about a certain topic (includes keywords such as how, why, how to, etc.)
• Commercial – the user may want to buy, but first they are looking for more info (best used cars to buy in 2021)
• Navigational – trying to find a contact or a specific page
• Transactional – will most likely make a purchase (usually includes terms such as buy, price, how much, and so on)

So, in order to achieve your goal, your SEO landing page must include content designed around keywords that match the right user intent. For instance, if you’re looking to raise brand awareness, you should focus on informational and possibly commercial search intent. On the other hand, if you want to increase sales, you need to switch focus toward transactional user intent.

 

Better Conversion Rate & A Wider Reach

When you make search intent part of your SEO strategy, chances are you’ll see a dramatic change when it comes to Google’s appreciation for your pages. That’s because more users will find your content useful, which reduces the bounce rate and brings in more quality traffic.

Just a small warning – you may see a decrease in traffic at first. This happens because you are focusing more on the people who are more likely to do what you want to do. As a result, users who are just looking for information when your goal is to boost sales won’t be attracted by your pages anymore.

Still, this is a good thing since the traffic that now comes to your site is of higher quality. Also, due to the shift in focus, chances are you’ll reach a wider, more diverse audience.

 

Wrap Up

Overall, search intent is an important factor in any SEO strategy. Without it, it’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall and seeing what sticks. And while doing so, you waste time and resources that could be used elsewhere.