Search intent

For years, ranking a website was mostly about repeating keywords. Google is much smarter today: it tries to understand what the person wants to achieve when they type a search, and shows the pages that best answer that. That "what for" is called search intent, and understanding it is the difference between a page that ranks and one that doesn't show up at all.

Updated in 2026. We've refreshed the examples and added how to spot intent by looking at Google's own results, and how the AI-generated answers Google now shows for many searches affect it.

Search intent: the reason behind a Google search

Search intent is the reason behind a query: what the person expects to find when they hit "Search". Someone who types "how to make a Spanish omelette" wants a recipe; someone who types "buy non-stick frying pan" wants a store.

That's why Google doesn't just check whether your page contains the words searched for, but whether it is the kind of page that person needs. An excellent article won't rank for a purchase search if what Google shows there is product pages.

Types of search intent

Almost every search fits one of these four types. Knowing them helps you decide which page to create for each keyword.

1. Informational intent

The person wants to learn something or answer a question. They're not looking to buy, at least not yet. Some examples:

• How to remove a wine stain.
• What is VAT.
• Prado Museum opening hours.
• League results.

The right answer is usually an article, a guide or a tutorial. This is where blogs shine.

2. Navigational intent

The person already knows which website they want to visit and uses Google as a shortcut, because they don't remember the address or because it's quicker:

• Instagram.
• Gmail sign in.
• Tax office appointment.
• WPSFIXER contact.

Here the brand's official website almost always wins. There's no point trying to rank for another company's name, but it's worth making sure yours comes first when people search for you.

3. Transactional intent

The person is ready to buy or hire and is looking for where to do it:

• Buy women's running shoes.
• Refurbished iPhone price.
• Emergency plumber Barcelona.
• Website quote.

The pages that win here are product pages, store categories and service pages with the price, a buy button or a form in plain sight.

4. Commercial investigation intent

The person has a problem and is comparing options before deciding:

• Best value robot vacuum.
• Shopify or WooCommerce.
• Sitges hotel reviews.
• Canva alternatives.

Comparisons, reviews and lists with pros and cons work well here. It's a very valuable intent, because people who have it are one step away from buying.

How to work out search intent

Often the search itself gives it away. These words are good clues:

• Informational: how, what is, why, when, ideas, tutorial, guide, examples.
• Navigational: names of brands, websites or specific services.
• Commercial investigation: best, top, comparison, reviews, "or", alternatives.
• Transactional: buy, price, cheap, deal, discount, near me, quote.

But the most reliable method is another one: search for the keyword on Google and look at what it shows. If the top results are articles, the intent is informational. If they're stores, it's transactional. If there's a mix, Google isn't sure, and there's room for different types of page. Google has already done the work of interpreting the intent: your page needs to look like what's already at the top in type and format, and be better.

Intent and Google's AI answers

For many informational searches, Google now shows an AI-generated summary at the very top that answers the question directly. For simple questions ("what is VAT"), many people no longer click on any website.

That doesn't make articles useless, but it changes where the value lies:

• Very basic questions bring fewer visits than before. The ones that still work are those that need real experience, detail or a decision (comparisons, case studies, step-by-step guides).
• Transactional and commercial investigation searches still lead to websites, because in the end people have to buy or hire somewhere.
• Those summaries cite sources. Clear, well-structured and trustworthy content stands a better chance of being cited.

Can I work out search intent with a keyword tool?

Yes. Tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs or Sistrix classify each keyword by intent, and they're very useful when you're analyzing hundreds of searches at once.

Still, treat it as a guide and always check your important keywords by searching for them yourself on Google. What really matters is using this information to decide which page to create for each search: an article, a category, a product page or a service page. Choosing the right type of page is half the job.