Glossaire
Search intent
The real need behind a query: informational, commercial, transactional or navigational. Understanding it drives all SEO.
Definition
Search intent is the real need that drives a query. Behind the same words, a user may want to learn, compare, buy or reach a specific site. There are four broad intents: informational (understand), commercial (compare before buying), transactional (buy) and navigational (go to a known site).
Why it matters
Content that does not match the intent behind a query will not rank, no matter how well written it is. Google and AI engines have become very good at detecting intent and serving the matching format. Aligning each page with a precise intent is the foundation of an effective content strategy, and the condition for being cited by an AI.
In practice
- For each topic, identify the dominant intent before writing.
- Match the format: a guide for informational, a comparison for commercial, a product page for transactional.
- Look at the results already ranking for the query: they reveal the expected intent.
- Do not mix several intents on a single page.