Search Intent, For Website Ranking Optimization on Google

Search intent is the most basic SEO factor. Unfortunately, many people ignore this. In fact, understanding intent is the key to winning SEO while meeting visitor needs.

If you want to increase your website's ranking on Google, then you should pay more attention to keyword intent. Likewise if you want to increase the percentage of conversions. In this article, we will discuss what search intent is, what effect it has on SEO, and how to optimize it.

What are Search Intents?

Search intent is the intent and purpose of someone's search when typing something in a search engine. Do you want to find some information or are looking to make a purchase.

Search intent has become important this year since Google is increasingly prioritizing the most relevant results for queries or keywords.

That way, you have to create content that is in line with someone's intentions when Googling using these keywords.

That is why the relevance of content is a very important foundation for SEO success.

For example, when a user uses a search engine with the keyword "cheap cellphones", the results that appear on the search engine are a list of cheap cellphones and several online or e-commerce stores that sell cheap cellphones.

Of course, the keywords for cheap cellphones will not produce information about the history of cellphones. Because even though they both discuss mobile phones, they have different intentions.

The Importance of Implementing Search Intent

The existence of this search intent is so important because it will have an impact in several ways, especially for site optimization, including:

Increase prospects in only one source 

When you provide complete information and answer user questions, that means users don't have to look for answers from other sources and they will feel at home on your site's pages. This will certainly give a positive indication in SEO ranking.

Increase brand awareness

As explained above, relevant articles will make visitors feel at home for a long time on the page.

In this way, users will feel that the content you provide benefits them. It is possible that these users will share their good experiences with their relatives, this will automatically increase brand awareness.

Increase site credibility

Presenting complete, reliable, and relevant information to what users are looking for can help you build the credibility of your site.

Of course, as credibility is built, it means that more people are likely to visit your site for information.

They trust that you will provide complete information and that your site is an expert in that field. 

The type of search intent you need to know

From the explanation above, we can understand that search intent is the reason behind someone doing an internet search.

We can tell if he wants to learn something or is looking to make a purchase.

To make it easier for you to determine user intent, the types of search intent are grouped into the following 4 categories: navigation, information, commercial, and transactions.

1. Informational

Many people search the internet for information. This information can be about health, products you want to buy, information about education for children, as well as business and investment. Information type intentions have specific questions and usually want to know about a topic in more detail. Later the results of this information search can be in the form of definitions, manufacturing guides and more.

Let's say Someone searches for "make fried chicken". Google understands that what you are looking for is how to make fried chicken and recipes, not the history of making fried chicken or not a store that sells fried chicken. Even the search is equipped with pictures and videos.

Some examples of keywords with informational intent are:

• How to install Windows 10
• Results of the match Chelsea vs Liverpool
• meaning of SEO
• United States history

The majority of websites that control informational keywords are news sites and tutorial blogs. If you want to compete on these keywords, then you have to present more complete and quality information. Even if you want to sell, you have to apply soft-selling, so that you stay in search intent.

2. Transactional

In contrast to the informational type which tends to seek information, the transactional type actually leads to buying actions.

In other words, users already know what they want to buy, so the keywords used are specific. That is, the user has an intention to buy and only needs to know where or how to make the transaction.

For example, the intent when you type in the keyword "purchasing quality backlinks". This means that you already understand the benefits of quality backlinks and want to use these services.

For example, the keywords used are "selling laptops", "selling cheap shoes", "selling cellphones", and others.

3. Navigational

Well, this type of search intent is intended for navigation. In another sense, the user wants to visit a certain website, but does not know the official page domain.

For example, they want to visit the Hadehana site, but don't know the exact domain and URL address.

So, users can type the query "Hadehana" on the Google search page. Later, the results will show the hadehana website and the user will be redirected to it.

However, keep in mind. This navigational really works if your website is much searched by people through organic traffic.

4. Preference or Commercial

This type of search intent explains that users use search engines to search for services or products but have not made a decision about the right solution.

In this case they are likely looking for reviews or comparisons to make their product choices. Some examples of intent keywords that are often used for this type are: 

• Best cheap cell phone 2023
• iPhone mobile product review
• WordPress or Blogs 
• Japanese restaurant in new york

Example intent keyword 'Japanese restaurant in New York' shows local search form because it mentions the location of the place.

How to Optimize Search Intents

Search intent is an SEO factor that has a very significant influence. Errors in determining intentions will make all your efforts in vain. In order for your website's SEO to be more optimal, apply the method for optimizing search intent below.

A. Research Search Results

The easiest and most effective way to determine keyword intent is to pay attention to search results. Just search on Google with the keywords you want to target. Then, analyze some of the top results in the SERPs.

From here you can immediately conclude what type of content Google displays for these keywords. If Google displays results that point to the marketplace, it means that the intention is transactional. Likewise with other types of intention.

Automatically, if you also want to use these keywords, then you also have to create the same type of content. If the intent of your content doesn't match what users and Google expect, you won't get a place in the SERPs.

B. Analysis of Each Word

Each type of search intent can be recognized based on certain words. If you find a combination of words that refer to one of the intentions, then you can assume that that is indeed the intention.

For example, the basic question words in the 5W+1H formula usually lead to informational intentions. This includes what, who, when, why, where and how. If your target keywords contain these words, then most likely the intention is informational.

In addition to basic question words, informational intentions can also be identified from other word combinations, including:

• Guide.
• Tutorials.
• Idea.
• Tips.
• Study.
• Example.
• Method.
• Inspiration.

The more you learn about SEO, the sharper you will be in analyzing intentions. As a tool, you can also use the keyword modifiers table from Ahrefs or other SEO sites.

C. Identify the people also ask box in search engines

You can also optimize search intent by writing content based on the people also ask landing box. For certain and popular keywords, Google often shows this box.

So by writing complete content, it is hoped that your site will be in one of the boxes in the Google feature, even in the Google snippet box.

D. Check competitors

Before creating content, you should check your competitors from the theme of the content to be created. 

The trick is to find out who the top content is ranking or contained in Google Snippet, then do some small research regarding the scope of the content, the tone of the content and what is lacking and can be fixed from that content.

E. Optimize transactional search intent

You can optimize transactional search intent types to get users to convert. That's why it's important for transaction landing pages to follow some of these principles starting from: 

• Provide clear, visual page designs using minimal copywriting and images to communicate the benefits of the product offering.
• When creating product descriptions, focus on creating emotion, building trust and simplifying the decision-making process for users.
• Use a CTA that is clear, attractive and stands out in the eyes of users and informs what happens when they click on the CTA.

F. Optimize search intent information

Keywords for search intent types of information will usually include words like what, how and added with other additional words.

The key to optimizing for search intent for this information is to use full queries in the most important on-page content i.e. description, HTML Header Tag (<h1><h2>) and page title. 

When you put a question in that important part, also make sure if you provide an answer in the body content below it. Example:

<h1> What is a search intent?</h1>

<p>Search intent is the user's goal when performing a search on a search engine.</p>

Likewise when writing content about keyword guides or ways. You can put the main keyword in h1 while the h2 contains the steps of the guide. Example: 

h1: How to arrange a meeting agenda 

h2: Identify the purpose of the meeting

h2: Estimating the time needed in each meeting session

h2: Identify the leader in each meeting topic

h2: End the meeting with a review

Later you only need to explain about each guide under h2. 

Conclusion

So, with the methods above, it is hoped that now you can start optimizing your content by using referrals based on the search intent.

If so far there are certain keywords that you find difficult to optimize, try to pay attention to their intentions again. Next, make sure to know the intent of a keyword before creating content. With the right search intent, your content will be more likely to win the SERP.