What is search intent? Informational search intent and the other types explained
Search intent is the goal behind a search. How Google reads user intent, what informational search intent looks like and how to match each intent type with the right page.
What is search intent? It is the goal behind the words someone types or speaks into a search engine. Two people can type the same three words and want very different things. A page ranks well when it gives the searcher what they came for, which is why intent sits underneath almost every SEO decision you make.
Google describes the idea in its overview of the Search Quality Rater Guidelines, the instructions its human raters use to evaluate results. Google says it uses the content of a query and, if relevant, the user's location to determine user intent. Its example is a search for "coffee shops" from someone in London, whose intent is probably to find coffee shops in London.
Why the same words can mean different things
Google's guide to how Search works explains that relevance depends on hundreds of factors, which can include the user's location, language and device. Its example is "bicycle repair shops," which shows different results to someone in Paris than to someone in Hong Kong.
Some queries have more than one meaning entirely. The rater guidelines overview uses "mercury," which could mean the planet or the chemical element. Google also tells raters to assume people want current information about a topic, so raters judge results by the query's current meaning.
The main types of search intent
SEOs usually sort keywords into four groups. These labels are industry shorthand rather than Google's own categories, and Ahrefs describes them this way.
- Informational search intent. The searcher wants information or an answer to a specific question. What is a canonical tag and how to fix a leaky faucet are typical.
- Commercial intent. The searcher is comparing products or services before deciding. Best CRM for small business and agency vs freelancer fit here.
- Transactional intent. The searcher is ready to act, often to buy or book.
- Navigational intent. The searcher wants a specific website, like a brand name or a login page.
Local searches deserve their own mention. When someone searches for a service near them, location becomes part of the intent, which is the coffee shop example again.
What informational search intent looks like in practice
Informational searches are where most blog posts live. The searcher is not ready to buy. They want to understand something. A page that pushes a sales pitch before answering the question usually loses to a page that simply answers it well.
Definitions, step by step guides, checklists and worked examples all fit this intent. To serve informational search intent, answer the question in the first few lines, explain it at the depth the question needs and link to the next logical step for readers who want more. Our guide to organic search results shows where these pages appear.
How to tell what intent Google sees
A simple test is to search the keyword yourself and study page one. Ahrefs calls the first thing to look at the content type, meaning whether the results are mostly blog posts, videos, product pages, category pages or landing pages.
- If page one is full of how-to guides, the intent is informational, and a service page will struggle there.
- If it is full of comparison lists and reviews, the intent is commercial.
- If it shows a map and business listings, the intent is local, and your Google Business Profile matters as much as your website.
- If page one mixes guides with service pages, the intent is mixed. Lead with the answer, then make the next step easy for readers who are ready to hire someone.
A worked example
Say you run a bookkeeping firm. Three searches show how intent changes the page you need.
- What is accrual accounting is informational. A clear guide with a simple example earns that visit, and the link to your services can wait until the end.
- Bookkeeping services for restaurants is commercial. The searcher is comparing providers, so a service page that shows who you work with, what is included and how to start fits better than a blog post.
- Bookkeeper near me is local. The map results carry the most weight here, which makes your Google Business Profile the first thing to improve.
One keyword list, three different pages.
How Google judges whether a page meets user intent
Google's raters score results on a Needs Met scale, which measures how useful a result is for a given search. The scale runs from Fails to Meet to Fully Meets. Google reserves Fully Meets for queries with a clear intent to find one specific result.
The lesson for your content is to decide the intent before you write. A page built for one clear intent has a better chance than a page that tries to serve everyone at once.
Matching intent with the right page on your site
- Informational: a blog post or guide that answers the question.
- Commercial: a comparison page, case study or detailed service page.
- Transactional: a booking page, quote request form or product page.
- Local: your Google Business Profile plus a location page.
When you choose keywords, note the intent next to each one. Our guides on SEO keywords and how to use keywords on your website show how to turn that list into pages.
Sources
Checked October 3, 2026. Platforms change their guidance. The linked pages are the final word.
