- Introduction
- 1. – What are the different types of search intents?
- 1.1 – Informational search.
- 1.2 – Navigational search
- 1.3 – Transactional search
- 1.4 – Investigational search
- 1.5 – Local search
- 2. – Why is it important to understand search intents in an SEO strategy?
- 3. – How to decode the SERP to identify search intents?
- 3.1 – Paid results
- 3.2 – Position 0
- 3.3 – The Shopping tab
- 3.4 – Directories
- Conclusion
For an effective SEO strategy, it is essential to understand users’ search intents. Why do users perform a specific search on a search engine? By understanding the different search intents, SEO specialists can create content that meets users’ needs and thus improve their ranking on the SERP (Search Engine Results Page). SEO is constantly evolving, with regular Google updates and the potential arrival of the Search Generative Experience (SGE), which could radically transform SERPs in Europe in the coming months. In this article, we will examine the different types of search intents, why it is important to understand them, and how to decode the SERP to improve your SEO strategy.
What are the different types of search intents?
Search intents can be classified into 5 main types: informational search, navigational search, transactional search, investigational search, and local search.
Informational search:
This search intent is the most common. Users perform this search to find quick information on a specific topic. Informational search queries can be phrased as a question or a key phrase. For example, “How to make a chocolate cake” or “healthy dessert recipes.” The results for these types of queries are often optimized snippets like “Knowledge Panels” or “Position 0.” This is a feature of Google aimed at improving the relevance of search results by providing additional information and helping users find answers to their questions more quickly.
Navigational search:
Users perform this search to access a specific website or webpage. They conduct this type of search when they don’t know the exact URL or path to access the site or page, or when they need to quickly find a page on a specific website. For example, “Facebook” or “My Amazon orders.”
Transactional search:
Users perform this search when they are ready to take a specific action, such as purchasing a product or booking a service. Transactional search queries are often accompanied by terms like “buy,” “book,” or “order.” For example, “buy iPhone 13” or “book a flight to Paris.”
Investigational search:
Users perform this search when they want to learn more about a product, service, or company before making a purchase decision. Investigational search queries are often phrased as a question or a key phrase. For example, “reviews of La Belle Époque restaurant” or “best smartphones in 2024.”
Local search:
Users perform this search when they are looking for information about businesses, products, or services located near their geographic location. For example, “restaurant near me” or “taxi Brussels.”
Why is it important to understand search intents in an SEO strategy?
Understanding users’ search intents is essential for creating relevant content that meets their needs. By creating content that addresses these needs, you improve your ranking on the SERP. Indeed, Google interprets queries and determines the most relevant results to answer them. Furthermore, users are much more likely to click on a search result that addresses their needs and intents. This, in turn, increases your CTR and organic traffic to your website.
Additionally, understanding users’ search intents can help SEO specialists target the right keywords for their content. And as you probably know, choosing the right keywords allows you to maximize the relevance of your content for users and, as a result, improve your ranking on the SERP.
How to decode the SERP to identify search intents?
To decode the SERP, it’s important to understand which type of search results are displayed for a specific query. The search results page contains many elements, so it is essential to understand these different elements and which type of intent they may address.
It is also worth noting that with Google’s recent updates and the imminent arrival of the Search Generative Experience (SGE), the SERP is undergoing a transformation. These changes will impact different industries in various ways, depending on their nature and target audience.
Paid results:
For example, if the most prominent results in the SERP are paid results, it indicates strong competition in the industry and that businesses are investing in advertising campaigns to gain visibility. In this case, it’s important to define the best strategy for your business. Depending on various factors such as your goals, budget, content potential (i.e., traffic volume and current position in the SERP), competition, and available resources, you will choose whether to opt for a SEA strategy, focus on SEO, or even combine both.
Position 0:
If the SERP highlights optimized snippets or results like “Knowledge Panels” or websites such as Wikipedia, it indicates that the user has an informational search intent. In this case, it’s important to focus on creating high-quality content that directly answers the user’s question. It’s also crucial to use semantic tags and structure your content clearly so that search engines can easily understand the topic being discussed.
The Shopping tab:
If the search results include “Shopping” tabs or links to e-shops, the search intent is clearly transactional. It will therefore be much more challenging to compete with informational or navigational content, for example. To optimize your content for this type of search intent, it is important to understand what users are specifically looking for and to provide clear and precise information about your products or services. In this case, it’s advisable to focus your efforts on product/service pages, including relevant keywords as well as high-quality images.
Directories:
Finally, if the SERP highlights local results such as directories or Google My Business listings, it indicates a local intent. It is therefore advisable to optimize your content for local searches by including precise information about your business location and working on relevant local keywords.
In summary, understanding users’ search intents is essential for creating relevant content and improving ranking on the SERP. To decode the SERP, it is crucial to understand the different types of search results and be able to interpret them. By carefully analyzing the SERP and considering recent developments such as the SGE, you can adjust your SEO strategy to meet users’ search intents and thus improve the visibility of your content in organic search results.
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