But customers don’t search with key words in mind; instead, they're all about intent. What is user intent? User intent is the purpose behind people's search queries; when they click on to Google, their intent is their dominant concern. With search, the type of intent will depend largely on what stage of the buying cycle the person is in. If you’re searching for that new mattress, your search queries will focus on the problem you need to solve. At the beginning of the buying cycle, users will be searching more broadly, and their queries will be more informational. Before making a large purchase, according to a Retailing Today study, 81 percent of people surveyed said they perform some type of online research. Now that you understand how customers will perform a search, it’s time to dive into what they’ll actually be searching. Understand your customers. Queries alone won’t tell you what your customer wants.
Every day, more than 4 billion searches are performed through Google. Let me repeat that: 4 billion. That’s 4 billion people with a need. And the businesses that can fill that need are the ones that are succeeding.
But to fill a need, you must first understand what the need is. It’s not just about what you’re offering; it’s about what solutions your products or services provide for your customers.
Think about times when you need something, let’s say a new mattress. What’s the first thing you do? Many people turn to the internet to research, learn and eventually make a purchase.
To attract customers to your brand, you need to understand what those people want — in short their intent. According to a Forester study, 93 percent of online experiences begin with a search engine. But customers don’t search with key words in mind; instead, they’re all about intent.
What is user intent?
User intent is the purpose behind people’s search queries; when they click on to Google, their intent is their dominant concern. And, the same should be true for your business. While SEO best practices focus mainly on key-word optimization, it’s time to turn your attention to user intent instead.
“There’s no such thing as people typing in random queries without a reason for typing in those queries. A searcher must have intent,” says Neil Patel, co-founder of Crazy Egg, Hello Bar and KISSmetrics.
To begin to make sense of user ntent, first understand how search queries relate to it.
Types of search queries
Typically, it takes six to eight touch points with a brand before a customer makes a purchase. That means your brand needs to be prepared to interact with your audience at every stage of the buying cycle.
With search, the type of intent will depend largely on what stage of the buying cycle the person is in. There are three types of intent:
- Navigational: The user is looking for something specific.
- Informational: The user is researching and gathering information.
- Transactional: The user is ready to buy.
So, how do you know what your users’ intent is? The following five tips may help you determine that, and in the process, better help you position your brand.
1. Go beyond key words.
If you’re searching for that new mattress, your search queries will focus on the problem you need to solve. Perhaps you’ll search for “best mattress for back pain” or “best mattress for kids.” These queries indicate an intent.
Remember, people don’t think about the specific key words they’re using. Sometimes they aren’t even searching key words. Often, they’re searching questions. Whatever that question is, they’re thinking about what…
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