Keyword Intent – How to Use Search Terms to Innovate Your Website’s Content Strategy

The way you’ve been writing content is wrong.

If you are creating content that only answers what you think the keyword should be about, you are doing yourself a disservice.

Did you know that every keyword searched on the internet ever has a unique search intent?

This means more than someone looking to buy a product or service. It encompasses all of the thoughts, feelings, emotions, and intentions behind the user searching the exact keyphrase they used to arrive at your site.

It’s time to stop writing for the Search Engine and time to start writing for the user’s keyword intent.

What is Keyword Intent?

Keyword intent describes the relationship between what users are looking for online and the search terms they use to find it.

Similar to search intent, keyword intent illustrates where the user is in their decision-making process and allows us to create content that meets their needs.

Ideally, the website content you create should always influence users to act. It should meet them where they’re at and provide enough value to entice them to trust and return to our site.

However, the type of action we want users to take will vary depending on the type of user, and the keyword intent behind what they are searching for. For example, a person searching for “DIY flower pots” most likely wants to learn how to create their own flower pot, so we should focus on answering that need before pitching them a product.

At this point, you may wonder, “How do I find keyword intent”? It’s quite simple.

Let’s take a closer look at how to find keyword intent.

How to Find Keyword Intent

To find keyword intent, first look at the “subject” or the search terms, then see if there are any “modifier keywords” that describe any actions the user expects to take.

These “modifier keywords” also help us distinguish between high-intent keywords and low-intent keywords, which tells us how “motivated” a user is to take action once they find the result they’re looking for.

For example, someone searching for “plumbers” is most likely in the “consideration” phase and expects to see a list of local plumbers in the area to compare. They may not even need service right now, but they could turn into a lead eventually if we provide the experience they’re looking for.

In contrast, someone searching for “emergency drain cleaning near me” has a higher chance of requesting service, because the service mentioned in the search terms is more specific (“drain cleaning” and not just general plumbing) and the inclusion of “emergency” and “near me” indicates they are probably ready to buy.

By knowing this, we can then provide the user with the best possible experience when they click on our site because we can focus solely on providing content that is crucial for the user to take action or make a decision.

But, just like how not every person is the same, not all keyword intents or search terms are the same.

We typically see keyword intent broken down into 4 main categories.

Keyword Intent Types

There are 4 major keyword intent types:

1. Informational Keywords
2. Navigational Keywords
3. Commercial Keywords
4. Transactional Keywords

1. Informational Keywords

Informational keywords are perhaps the lowest-intent keywords a person could search to land on your site. But, this doesn’t automatically mean they’re lackluster.

According to a study done by Episerver, “92 percent of consumers visiting a retailer’s website for the first time aren’t there to make a purchase.”

So, it’s just as important to make sure that informational keyword queries are being fully answered, as they could be the reason a user revisits your site and becomes a customer later on down the road.

This means making sure that you are fully answering all parts of the query and providing all necessary visuals, infographics, charts, data, examples, and demonstrations to aid the user in understanding the information.

Examples of informational keywords:

• “what is a honeycrisp”

• “how to properly change a tire”

The keyphrase “how to fix leaky faucets” is another example of an informational keyword that, if answered well, could bring return visitors to your website.

2. Navigational Keywords

Navigational keywords are search terms where a user is looking for a specific page or place online, usually via direct or branded search.

Since these terms are usually specific, they have a slightly higher intent to purchase or fill out a form fill than informational keywords but still don’t guarantee a conversion or purchase will happen.

A lot of times, the actions that users take on these keywords are also to accomplish something non-transactional. But, when done right, navigational keywords could also spark a future customer transaction down the road.

This could be a login page, resource, PDF, company details page, homepage, product page, product overview, contact page, or any other instance where the user pretty much knows what they are looking for.

Examples of navigational keywords:

• “Removery tattoo refund policy”

• “Costco macbook pro”

• “Home depot shop vac rental”

3. Commercial Keywords

Commercial keywords are quintessential “consideration” keywords.

This means that the customer is actively researching a product or solution search before deciding to start a transaction.

Most of these searches will involve spending money, but a person could also be researching whether Target or Kohl’s has better free member perks, or if a credit card has better benefits than another.

The key here is that the user isn’t ready to convert but is thinking about it. So because of this, commercial keywords are also considered (no pun intended)  high-intent keywords.

High-intent keywords are generally seen as the most valuable queries on the internet because they show that a user is close to taking an action.

Examples of commercial keywords:

• “Nike air max 90 vs 95”

• “Which honda accord is the best”

• “Semrush reviews”

4. Transactional Keywords

Lastly, transactional keywords are what users search for when they are ready to buy or take an important action on your site or in your business.

They provide the highest chance of someone converting to your site.

You’ll see these keywords are naturally some of the most competitive and most expensive. (More on PPC to come later).

Examples of transactional keywords: 

• “Get plumbing near me”

• “Buy samsung galaxy s24 ultra”

• “Same day oil change near me”

Writing for Each Keyword Intent Type

Learning the definition of each keyword intent type is important, but it means nothing if the content on your site was not written for the user on the other end of that search.

What does this mean? Essentially, marketers usually have two options:

1. They can try and write for SEO – meaning they spend too much time overoptimizing their content technically in hopes of receiving on-page wins
2. They can write for the user – touching on all important topical areas, providing unique insights and data, and relating to the reader

Best practices recommend focusing on that second option—writing for the user. This way, you’re able to create something extremely valuable that leads to positive user experiences.

Let’s explore more scenarios and differences between writing for various keyword intent types.

Writing for Informational Keywords

To properly answer informational keywords, it’s important to answer all parts of the search query fully.

That means, after the reader finishes reading the content on your page, not only should they no longer have any major gaps in their understanding of that topic, but they should also feel they can trust you and your content, encouraging them to visit again in the future. 

Here are ways you can write for informational keywords:

1. Get straight to the point – not only do readers like this, but Google likes this as well, usually rewarding the best and most succinct result with a featured snippet spot shown before anyone and anything else. (EDIT: This spot may now be occupied by SGE, or Search Generative Experience results, but the strategy remains the same).
2. Use Semantic SEO – cover all keyword variations and relevant secondary keywords that would naturally occur in an article about that topic. Explain terms that prove helpful in strengthening the user’s understanding.
3. Provide data, statistics & sources – the more unique the better, but all data helps drive points home further and put macro/microdata into perspective.
4. Write sequentially – each paragraph should set up the next one and flow fluidly into the next section. Use heading tags to provide further context in the content.

Remember, the primary goal with informational keywords is to provide the reader with as much useful and applicable information as possible to take action.

Writing for Navigational Keywords

Navigational keywords are a bit different since the user most likely already knows what they are looking for. 

Usually, a specific piece of information or detail about your business does the trick, so you don’t necessarily need to “win them over” in your writing.

However, you should still follow some basic guidelines just to keep things simple:

1. Be clear and concise about what the user is here for – list all necessary details about your product or service regarding the search query. Ideally, one page should be all users need to feel comfortable navigating your website.
2. Less is more – try to use fewer words when creating complete thoughts. Every word on your page should be objective and representative of your business.
3. Think like customer service – Navigational keywords tend to overlap with situations customer service agents may face, so treat them the same way you would if you were assisting a customer. In this scenario, making a sale is a bonus.

Writing for Commercial Keywords

Now these are most likely the keywords you’ve been eyeing for a while, outside of transactional keywords of course!

In short, writing for commercial keywords requires E-E-A-T— Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust. Therefore your content must be real, genuine, and unique.

The person searching for these keywords is trying to find a reliable voice of reason to help validate their decisions. So it is best to do that, by using a few trusted methods:

1. Experience outweighs everything– just like employers, both users and Google are now prioritizing experience about the topic at hand, which is why so many service-based businesses call out how many years they’ve been in business.
2. Show your authority – You are the author of this page/post and who you are matters, so showcase your authority in your writing through technical jargon, custom hypotheticals, and engagement with the audience to further hook their attention.
3. Demonstrate expertise – Make bold claims in favor of your solution, but back them up with peer editing, citations, quotes, and custom testimonials 

Just like in sales, an unsure customer doesn’t want to be bullied into making a decision. They want to have a conversation with a reliable, trusted, and personable expert that answers their most pressing questions about the path they’re considering.

Writing for Transactional Keywords

We have arrived at our most valuable, monetized search terms: transactional keywords.

To write for transactional keywords, you must simply help the user complete the transaction related to the page they are visiting.

For example, a service-related page might benefit from including a frequently asked questions section that customers ask regularly in your business. There would be no need to deliver 12 paragraphs about the philosophy of our service offering, how we crafted the process, and so on as that is not the goal of the services page.

If the keywords align with the high intent someone had when they searched, search engines will make sure those keywords are present on the page, and make sure it is easy to perform said transaction on that page. Easier is always better.

When writing for transactional keywords, it is best to:

1. Have a clear call to action on the page – make sure instructions are clear and that all copies help the user understand what to do for them to take valuable action.
2. What are next steps? – think about mentioning the future and what the customer can expect now that they have taken action on your website.
3. How can they contact you? – now that the user has taken the action and knows what to expect, make sure you also let them know how they can contact you best and what your policy is regarding customer service and communication. Consider this almost like a “reward” for the user opting in and learning that they will have a better priority and call queue now that they have called number X (present only after conversion) instead of number Y (primary company number). This could be complemented with CallRail.

The biggest takeaway from using transactional keywords should be that your audience is visiting your website to achieve something, like learning, converting, buying, reading, or downloading something.

That is why it is important to make it as easy and smooth as possible for them to do what they came there to do. Optimized copy can help them do that.

Optimizing Your On-Page Experience

The experience that the user has when they land on your site is just as important as understanding the full intention behind the keywords they searched for.

To do this, you need to make it abundantly clear that you are highly experienced in the topic that they searched for, can speak eloquently yet simply about it, and you need to put yourself in the user’s shoes to ask yourself what they might like to see in your on-page content.

Including various real-world examples and touchpoints of your content making a difference also helps build rapport and establish credibility with your audience, such as reviews, testimonials, and customer feedback.

Remember, you’re not creating content for search engines. You’re creating content for human beings that choose their thoughts and actions.

So it is crucial to provide space and accessibility for both.

Informational/Navigational 

Optimizing your landing page is important for Google’s newest addition “Experience” to their famed “E-A-T” concept, but also in a way that’s different from what we mentioned above.

“Experience” also refers to the user experience or UX, a customer has when they visit your website.

This is where things can get fun because they’re more of the “visuals” or the “facelifts” you can make to propel the new content you just made curated for your custom keyword intent forward.

Here are some tips for making pages and posts more valuable to your audience for informational keywords and navigational keywords.

Informational Keyword Optimizations

1. Add infographics and other data visualizations. (Like charts, graphs, & studies)
2. Add external links to reputable sources that help deepen and expand knowledge about the topic.
3. Add internal links to relevant sources that help expand the reader’s knowledge of the current topic.
4. Add simulators and interactive charts/tables that help them find the answer, or gain more clarity for themselves.
5. Add photos and videos that provide helpful information.
6. Add free downloadable resources the user can take with them or send them to a link with a prompt to bookmark that page and the blog page that sent them there.
7. Utilize plugins, popups, and chatbots to help users speak directly to your business.
8. Add case studies and real-life examples that you or someone you know conducted to provide a unique sample size with original content and findings.
9. Add a table of contents and other tools to the blog post to allow the user to easily navigate your page.
10. Summarize information after longer sections of text to help keep the user engaged and to make it easier for them to understand the content.
11. Consider enabling a comment section at the bottom of your page and engaging with your audience. Another way a potential customer could contact you.
12. Maybe adding a form if it makes sense or prompts the user to take action and send them to a form as necessary.

Navigational Keyword Optimization

1. Do not overoptimize navigational pages to try and make a sale or conversion, as they usually serve a single purpose to satisfy a single intent.
2. Add plugins for business details that allow users to download map instructions, save and find addresses, and easily get the information they want.
3. Keep the content on these pages on topic so the user is not distracted when interacting with your website.

Think about adding unique, relevant value in your content that can’t be found anywhere else online.

A big part of informational and navigational content performance is how impactful your content is on the user.

Is it clear that you took the time to create unique data studies, one-of-a-kind creatives licensed by your brand, and inserted thoughtful touchpoints that you know would benefit the user more than it would you in the end?

It’s what you can say and do that makes the user feel more informed and engaged when maneuvering your site and your marketing funnel.

If you can inform the user enough in a way that connects to another area on your site, such as a commercial or transactional opportunity, then consider that an even better job well done.

Commercial/Transactional

Since the user is in a stage where they have high-intent keywords and are likely to take action, you can get extra creative when optimizing these pages as they can make for a positive user experience if done correctly.

Here are some examples of this:

Commercial Keyword Optimizations

1. Offer first-time incentives – encourage the user to take action by offering them a reward for it being their first time.
2. Make any product comparisons interactive – showcase product details and make them clickable so users can hone in on that aspect. Are you comparing against a competitor? Show them both at once.
3. Show the face of Sales/team members – if you are a service-based company especially, you want to familiarize the users with who they will see, which tremendously boosts their trust and confidence in your business.
4. Provide a simulation – that can be a “try-on,” before and after, or any way you can allow the user to preview what they are considering spending money on.
5. Include a form or section for users to opt in – Always make it easier for users to convert, not the other way around. 

Transactional Keyword Optimizations

1. Help the user convert in as few clicks as possible – the form or opt-in that you use should be straightforward to understand and locate on the page.
2. Provide visuals for next steps – this helps the user clearly understand what to expect now that they have converted.
3. Provide clickable contact information – might sound simple, but sometimes this gets overlooked. Make sure all email addresses and phone numbers are clickable to get in contact instantly.
4. Reward conversions with an incentive or upsell – make the conversion more valuable for you and the user by providing discounts, offers, promos, exclusive deals, or anything only accessible at the time of purchase/submission.

Don’t overcomplicate things. Just be intentional.

Competitive Research

Arguably the most important part, it is imperative that we observe our competitors to see what tactics they are using and what an average customer journey looks like for them.

Competitive research allows us to spark creativity and try new methods and ideas to see if our audience responds better. It’s more like improving the wheel, instead of trying to reinvent it. Or worse, throwing darts in the dark.

Here is how we approach competitive research for keyword intent:

1. Take it page by page – analyze one page at a time, for one keyword, against one competitor. This prevents distractions and allows you to zero in on the differences between what your competitors are doing and what you are not.
2. Look at reviews – checking forums and customer feedback to see what people like and don’t like is another great way to brainstorm ideas and optimize our business.
3. Use competitor monitoring tools – an advanced tactic not used by many, sign up for a software service like Visualping.io that alerts you any time competitors make major changes to their website.
4. Analyze competitor keywords – see what keywords primarily bring traffic to your competitor’s website and include keywords with similar intent that may be missing from your content.
5. Become a “customer” – walk yourself through your competitor’s funnel and notice if there are any outside steps involved that help lead to more conversions for your competitors.

Taking action in direct response to your competitors’ movements also shows your customers familiar with your competitors that you are actively studying your industry and implementing the steps it takes to improve and retain your business.

Direct callouts at competitors have also been proven to lead to higher conversion. Just make sure it’s legal and you have permission in your industry. 

Using Keyword Intent to Optimize PPC

Speaking of direct callouts, with Google PPC you can not typically call out competitors directly (although SaaS companies usually manage to subvert this…).

Knowing this, we must focus on other areas important to our customers and encourage them to click on our ads, such as our headlines, descriptions, assets, and extensions.

Interestingly enough, PPC starts with keyword research and understanding keyword intent, as the foundation of ad rank is a combination of keyword relevancy, landing page relevancy, and ad relevancy.

This makes sense because just like SEO, we are here to give the user what they want. 

Google receives no benefit from showing ads that aren’t relevant to the user, aren’t high quality, and aren’t likely to lead to an action if the user engages with them.

In case you didn’t know – neither do you.

So it’s best to focus on making sure your ads are as relevant as possible:

1. Use exact keywords – exactly matching the words your audience uses establishes complete relevancy for their query and understanding.
2. Try DKI – “dynamic keyword insertion” swaps keywords in your ad copy when opportunities to match the user’s search terms exactly arise.
3. Align your images & videos with keyword intent – a video about or showing your product or service proves more effective than a general video about your brand.
4. Establish relevancy by explaining the next steps – natural sales processes continually inform the user on what to expect by moving forward. It is suggested that you do the same in your sales funnel.
5. Use keyword intent to guide ad extensions – maybe one ad that mentions product brands you carry or use performs better than one that only mentions product materials, i.e. wood, metal, vinyl, etc. Experiment and see what works!

Segmenting your audiences also helps build further relevancy and credibility with users and Google, because you’re drilling deeper into what messaging, value, and experience attracts a certain type of person.

Ad rank is also significant because higher-quality, more relevant ads often get charged less per click but convert more, meaning better use of your money.

Learn more about how to identify Google Ads audiences here.

Why Understanding Keyword Intent is Important

Understanding keyword intent is vital to making relevant content that gives tangible value to your audience.

Every time a search occurs, someone already has an idea of what they’re looking for. Even if they don’t have the answers already, an expectation has most likely been formed. 

This is why it’s imperative that you know the difference between keyword intent types, high intent keywords vs low intent keywords, and what each keyword type needs for the user to take action.