What is search intent and why is it important for SEO?
When you are writing content, it is very important that you know the search intent of your reader persona.
Targeting a search intent when writing content helps you improve your SEO.
In fact, I have created a small video to use in various blog posts and presentations when I quickly need to explain what is search intent. Here it is
In plain language, search intent means the intention with which a search engine user searches something.
Various SEO and digital marketing experts suggest that there are broadly for types of search intents:
- Informational search intent.
- Navigational search intent
- Commercial search intent.
- Transactional search intent
You can take your own example. When you search for something, what is your intention?
You are simply looking for information? Do you seek opinion from the others before you buy something? Are you ready to buy something?
For example, you want to improve your search engine rankings and you feel, reading a book might help.
You may search for “the best book on SEO” or “the best search engine optimization book”.
If, instead of a book, you simply want to read some good material on SEO that you can implement on your website, you may search for “a detailed SEO guide”.
If you want to know how content writing can help you improve your rankings, you may search for “how does content writing improve SEO?”.
Sometimes you are seeking information just for the sake of seeking information.
Sometimes you want to buy something but before that you need some sort of re-affirmation.
These are different searcher intents.
You won’t look for “SEO copywriting tips” just because you want to kill some time. You need that information to achieve something.
If you want people to be able to find your website for the right search intent, you need to streamline your content accordingly.
Do you only target for the commercial or the transactional search intent?
After all, you want to increase your sales.
As a professional content writer and an SEO copywriter, I want the maximum number of people submitting my contact form to hire me as their writer.
It’s not easy.
There are hundreds of content writing services there.
They are already ranking quite well for all my primary and secondary keywords (this may also be applicable to your business).
In such a case scenario, it is important that you strategically target a number of search intents and not just the transactional search intent, though, this is the ultimate goal.
The importance of targeting informational search intent when writing content
This is what Google says about the quality of content it wants to find.
Since it is easier to give my own example, I’m going to give my own example.
Unless you know that you need quality content writing services to improve your conversion rate, how are you going to decide to hire my services?
You need that particular level of awareness, to an extent that you are ready to spend money on my services.
Hence, as a service provider whose business depends on your level of awareness, I need to educate you.
Even if you have a basic idea of how my content writing services can help improve your conversion rate and bring down your bounce rate, you need a little bit of convincing through more information.
Also, if I need to convince you that SEO copywriting actually improves your search engine rankings, I must provide you hard facts.
I must explain to you why Google appreciates fresh content.
I must also explain to you how Google and other search engines evaluate your keywords when ranking your content.
This is one thing.
The second thing is, search engine terms like “content writing services”, “SEO copywriting services”, “blog writing services”, “freelance content writer”, and such, have already been optimized for, by other companies.
Competing with them is going to take a lot of time for me.
So, what do I do?
I publish lots of informational content to improve my rankings for longtail keywords.
It is easier to improve your search engine rankings for longtail keywords because they are less competitive.
Longtail keywords targeting informational search intent may not get me direct business, but it prepares the ground for my ultimate goal.
Since I’m regularly publishing valuable content that is full of useful information, other bloggers and online publishers often link to my content, giving a boost to my search engine rankings.
People share my content on social media channels, bringing in more visibility.
Since there is no dearth of information topics under content writing and SEO copywriting, I can publish practically unlimited number of webpages and blog posts without the risk of publishing duplicate content.
When I regularly publish content, Google crawls my website with greater frequency.
The benefit is that when I add new content it quickly gets indexed by Google. Sometimes, even within 10-15 minutes.
What sort of informational search intent you should target for when writing content or when aiming for SEO?
Suppose you are an accounting firm. You can cover lots of topics for which your prospective customers may not contact you for your services, but they can use your advice to solve many day-to-day problems.
Similarly, if you are a web developer wanting to attract startups and small businesses, you can write lots of informational content on the benefits of working with an independent web developer.
You can talk about the technologies that an average web developer uses to provide affordable and efficient web design services to startups and small businesses.
This way, you increase your visibility and this increased visibility prepares the ground for more business queries.
Informational intent topics begin with “why”, “how”, “when”, “where”, “how many”, “what”, “the top 10”, and so on.
An example: “when are the next Olympics going to be held after Covid?”
Another example: “what are the benefits of working with a content writer?”
The slight difference between commercial and transactional intent and how to target them through content writing
There is a small difference between commercial and transactional intent.
These two terms are confusing, but it is important to understand the difference and then write your content accordingly.
Commercial intent: You are ready to purchase but you need to compare various items before you finally decide.
Some examples of commercial intent:
- Best content writing service.
- Best SEO copywriting service.
- The review of SEO copywriting services/content writing services reviewed.
- Best cook food for junk food.
- Google Pixel an iPhone comparison.
As you can make out, the person is ready to take the plunge, but she wants to make the best choice.
Transactional intent: You are ready to purchase and you just want to go to the right place to purchase.
Some examples of transactional intent:
- Nearest food delivery service.
- Hire a content writer service.
- Buy red Gucci bag.
- Coupons for Grammarly.
The person is ready to buy. She just needs to know where to buy it.
Converting different search intents into a solid sales funnel through strategic content writing
You first create informational content to raise awareness about your product or service.
You give enough information to your visitors and convince them further.
You help them buy from you.
In terms of search intent, here is how you define your sales funnel:
Different search intents are like different phases of your sales funnel.
I created another explainer video for LinkedIn and Twitter and I have simply extracted a screenshot to graphically explain the concept.
Publish lots of informational content.
This increases familiarity with your brand.
Publish commercial content.
This convinces your prospective customers and clients that you have got what they are looking for.
Explain to them how they can do business with you.
How does targeting search intent improve your SEO?
SEO is all about right targeting.
You don’t want to generate random traffic to your website or blog.
You want to generate traffic that solves a purpose.
Whether you want to inform people, educate them about your business, ask them to buy from you, the intent of your content must be clear.
Only then you improve your SEO.
Looking for content writing and SEO copywriting services to target the right search intent?
Contact me for more information.
