Search intent

Search intent is the goal behind a search. It is not just what people search for, it is why they search. Matching content to intent improves rankings, conversions, and user experience.

The four types of intent

Informational

People want to learn. Examples: "what is a domain name", "how to improve website speed". Use guides, how-tos, and resource hubs.

Commercial

People are comparing options. Examples: "WordPress vs Shopify", "managed hosting vs shared". Use comparison guides and deeper service content.

Transactional

People are ready to act. Examples: "web designer Stratford", "hire WordPress developer UK". Use service pages and contact forms.

Navigational

People want a specific place. Examples: "Reflect & Refine contact", "Shopify login". You need clear structure, not new content.

Why intent matters more than keywords

Google understands synonyms and context. You can rank without exact keyword matches. Intent determines which page type Google wants. AI search engines choose content based on clarity of purpose. Matching intent improves conversions.

How to identify intent

• Look at search results: the format that ranks (guides vs service pages) tells you the intent
• Use People Also Ask for real questions
• Use autocomplete for common phrasing
• Check what AI search surfaces for a query

Matching content to intent

• Informational: guides, how-tos, hub articles
• Commercial: comparison pages, deeper service content
• Transactional: service pages, landing pages, clear CTAs
• Navigational: clean site structure, clear navigation

Intent and topic clusters

Your hubs map to intent: Domain and Hosting hubs are largely informational, Technical SEO mixes informational and commercial, service pages are transactional. That structure supports both SEO and AEO.

For next steps, see Keyword research, Marketing funnels, and On-page SEO.