The search intent of searches made by people on Google is perhaps the most important aspect to consider in achieving one’s business goals thanks to the Web. In fact, this gives us a wealth of information that allows us to figure out what topics to include in texts, what type of content to choose, and what keywords to use for online advertisements.
But what is meant by search intent? And what are the practical applications in SEO and SEM? The experts at Isola di Comunicazione help you answer these questions in the article!
Let’s start with definitions: queries, search terms, keywords, and search intent
Before we delve into the intricacies of search intent and understand how it can help you perform betterSEO and SEM, it is good to clarify a few terms that we will use within the article. Specifically, we are referring to four basic definitions of content marketing:
- Query – This English word has the meaning of question or request. So, in our sphere, it stands for the proper action of users querying the search engine in an attempt to discover something.
- Search Terms – This heading indicates the words actually typed by the user in the search bar.
- Keyword – Also called keywords, keywords are the search terms seen from the side of those who have to create content for the Web. In fact, these are the words on which we optimize a text or use to create paid ads on Google Ads in an attempt to intercept user searches.
- Search intent – Finally, search intent is the reason a user types something into Google, but also what they expect to find among the answers.
To summarize: a person searching for something on Google makes a query with a specific search intent using search terms. On the other hand, we use keywords to create content or advertisements and try to place them in the SERP (the results page returned by the search engine).
The four different types of search intent
As we have seen, search intent is theintention with which a person approaches a search engine. More specifically, it tells us what they are looking for and where they are in the buyer’s journey. So, clearly knowing it gives us a big hand, because it tells us what information we need to include in our content so that it is useful and valuable.
However, before we see its practical applications in the world of SEO and SEM, it is good to make some further distinctions and understand what the 4 main types of search intent are:
- Navigational
- Informational
- Commercial
- Transactional
1. Navigational search intent
A navigational search intent occurs when a user wants to visit a specific Web site that he or she already knows, perhaps of a brand that interests him or her. So the search terms he uses are phrases such as “Adidas site,” “Amazon,” or “Hotel Marriott Rome.”
2. Informational search intent
When the query is generic while focusing well on a topic, the search intent behind it is informational. In other words, the person simply wants to inform himself about something he cares about or is particularly interested in. To give a practical example, a search term such as “U.S. elections” falls into this category.
3. Search commercial intent

The third type of search intent is commercial and corresponds to searches that resemble comparative surveys. That is, all those times when a user inquires about the cost or characteristics of a service or product by looking at multiple companies. In this case, the possible search terms are similar to “communication agencies Milan,” or “best shoes for the Camino de Santiago.”
4. Transactional search intent
Lastly, transactional search intent reveals a person’s desire to make a purchase, contact a business, or even book a table at a restaurant. With a view to increasing revenue, you well understand that these queries are very important for a business. Being able to intercept them means securing-or nearly securing-a conversion and increasing the chances of closing a sale.
Why search intent is important for SEO
Knowing how to recognize the search intent behind searches for given keywords can give excellent impetus to the activity of SEO we perform on our site. In fact, Google values this a lot when deciding what content to show. Its goal is to get people to find what they are looking for and convince them to reuse its service. The traffic generated convinces more and more advertisers to use Google Ads for online promotion, and the search engine’s revenue soars.
But what does this have to do with the business of those who have to create content? Actually, a great deal.
To us, who use Google as a tool to reach people, search intent tells us exactly what information to include in our texts to make the search engine rank us high in the SERP. To return to an example given a few lines above, if we are targeting a keyword such as. “best shoes for the Camino de Santiago”, we will need to include in the article:
- What land is found along the route
- The characteristics that the shoes to be worn must possess
- a comparison of models and prices
- and only lastly, the cross-reference to theitem we have for sale on e-commerce
By doing so, we provide the reader with everything he or she needs to make a choice, demonstrate our expertise, show ourselves to be trustworthy, and ultimately lead him or her to our business offer. In this way, the chances of making a sale increase by leaps and bounds.
However, search intent is not only useful for us to determine the topics to be covered in a web content. It also tells us what type of web content to create. For example, a keyword with informational or commercial search intent lends itself to use in the creation of a blog article. However, if the search intent is transactional, it is better to target different media, such as a landing page.
Search intent makes your SEM business perform better
Search intent is also very useful when the activity is not organic like SEO, but paid like SEM. In fact, recognizing the search intent of the keywords we want to use allows us to:
- figure out what type of ad to create
- Targeting advertising to an audience that is in the part of the funnel that we are interested in
- Get more useful clicks because the advertisement and associated landing page are relevant to users
- eliminate the loss of economic resources given by appearing to those who are not really interested in our offer On the contrary, not considering this aspect leads to a collapse of the economic return on investment (the ROI)
In creating online advertising campaigns, we can say that the success of pay-per-click (PPC) activity depends on how well the content of the ads and the search intent (i.e., what users are actually looking for) match. With Google Ads, we pay every time someone clicks on our ad. Being able to intercept people interested in what we have to offer improves the chances of getting conversions, paying us back for the investment of time and money.
In addition, the intent of a search query also reveals to us exactly where a person is within the path that leads them to purchase. This is important for both Google Ads copy and the information to be placed within the landing page. The two tools must be extremely consistent and complement each other. Above all, they must be appropriate for their intended audience and where they are in the customer journey.
Some people browse just to inform themselves, those who are curious or those who connect to the Internet with the specific goal of purchasing a product. Google Ads is so expensive, especially in the search network, that working with the wrong search intent risks wasting a lot of money. For example, words like pest control or expert google ads can cost as much as 10€ per click; locksmith emergency as much as 30€.
Thus, the importance of selecting the right keyword becomes apparent. Using keywords with transactional intent that point to informational and not sales content (and vice versa) would be completely wrong, because we would be paying for clicks that are not useful to the campaign objective.
However, to reduce the topic of Google Ads to these few lines would be impossible. Here are a few guides, again written by our experts, to get you started in more depth:
- How Google Ads works: the goals and keywords
- When does it cost Google Ads (AdWords)
- What are and how do google Ads search network ads work
- The benefits that will convince you to use Google Ads
- Remarketing Ads or Retargeting: what is it and what is its strength?
- Targeting methods in Google Ads: how to reach your audience
Let Isola select keywords with the right search intent for your business

Understanding the search intent of search terms is not easy. Given the great importance it can have in determining the success of your online presence,keyword identification cannot be an activity left to chance. On the contrary, it requires great experience and specific skills in the digital world that only come from years of study and insight.
The experts at the web agency Isola di Comunicazione know how to put know-how and professionalism at your service to structure a tailored content marketing strategy . Not only that, thanks to copywriter, SEO experts e web designers, we are able to create landing pages consistent and performant that effectively dialogue with the ads created by the specialists in Google Ads.
Contact us and request your free and personalized quote now.