What is search intent?
Search intent is a term used to describe the intention/purpose behind a search. When we perform a search in Google, we usually have a specific intent. We are either looking for information, navigation, or we want to buy something. Google works to understand the searcher’s intent in order to deliver the most relevant results. An SEO specialist works to optimize a website so that Google will select it as the best option to show the searcher. When we carry out an SEO analysis for a website, we always assess the search intent behind different keywords. We do this to ensure that the keywords we choose to use reach the right target audience and match what they are looking for.
Search intent example:
A company that offers IT-tjenester wants to reach people who are searching for IT-tjenester. They therefore use the term IT-tjenester in the content on their website to match the service with the searcher’s intent. We know that a user who searches for the keyword IT-tjenester has an intention to purchase an IT service. If the company had instead used the term IT-konsulent, they would have reached users who intend to educate themselves to become IT-konsulent, or who are looking for open positions for IT-konsulenter.
Summary
Search intent is about the intention the user has behind their search. An SEO specialist must analyze keyword usage, the customer journey, and understand the intention behind the search to match companies with the right customers. When we create SEO content based on search intent, we therefore need to understand the search intent before we optimize the content.
Frequently asked questions
How to optimize for search intent?
We optimize website content based on a clear understanding of search intent. We ask ourselves: what does the user want to achieve or find with the keywords they enter into the search engine? We then optimize the on-page content accordingly to match that intent. We optimize the website content, metadata, main headings, and adapt the messaging to the search intent in order to reach the desired target audience.
How to check search intent?
Check what appears in the Google search results when you use different keywords to identify what Google considers to be the most common search intent for that query.
