What is Search Intent?

Search intent is what a person actually wants when they type a query. It is often grouped into four types: informational (learning something), navigational (finding a specific site), commercial (comparing options) and transactional (ready to act).

Google tries hard to show results that match intent. If someone searches 'how to fix a leaking faucet', pages that explain the fix rank, not a plumber's sales page. If they search 'plumber near me', service providers and maps appear. A page that mismatches intent struggles to rank, or ranks and fails to convert.

Understanding intent tells you what page to build and how to word it. Look at what already ranks for a phrase to see what Google believes people want. We plan pages around intent, so the visitors you attract are the ones likely to become customers.