What is search intent?
Search intent, also called user intent, is what the searcher is actually trying to accomplish. "Pour-over ratio" means "tell me the number". "Best pour-over dripper" means "help me choose". "Buy Hario V60" means "take me to a checkout". The words overlap, but the right page for each is completely different.
Matching intent is the first requirement for ranking. Google's goal is to show results that satisfy the searcher, so a page that serves a different purpose from the one people want will struggle no matter how well it is optimized otherwise.
How it works
Intent is commonly sorted into four types:
| Type | Goal | Example query | Page that fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Informational | Learn something | how to descale an espresso machine | Guide or tutorial |
| Navigational | Reach a specific site | kiln coffee login | The login or home page |
| Commercial | Research before buying | best burr grinder under 200 | Comparison or review |
| Transactional | Complete an action | buy baratza encore | Product page |
Many queries are mixed, and intent can change over time or by location. The most reliable way to read intent is to search the query and study what already ranks: the page types (guides, product pages, videos), the format (lists, tables, step-by-step), and the SERP features shown (AI Overviews, shopping results, local packs). Google has already worked out what satisfies people for that query; the results show you.
Example
A store wants to rank its product category page for "espresso grinder". Searching it shows mostly buying guides and comparison articles, not product listings. The intent is commercial research. The category page is unlikely to break in; a buying guide that links to the category is a better fit.
For "espresso grinder sale", the results are shop pages. There the category page is the right target.
In WordPress
Intent shapes which WordPress template a topic belongs on: posts for informational content, WooCommerce product and category pages for transactional queries, and pages for navigational ones like pricing or contact. Hydrogen SEO's focus keyword field records the query a post targets, which helps keep one page per intent and makes keyword cannibalization easier to spot in the site audit.
Common mistakes
- Targeting transactional queries with blog posts, or informational ones with product pages.
- Picking keywords by volume alone without checking what ranks.
- Burying the answer to an informational query under a long introduction.
- Writing one page for every intent at once, so it serves none well.
Common questions
What are the four types of search intent?
Informational, navigational, commercial investigation, and transactional. Many queries mix more than one.
How do I find the intent of a keyword?
Search it and look at what ranks: the types of pages, their format, and the features on the results page. That shows what Google has found satisfies searchers.