The underlying goal behind a search query — informational, navigational, transactional, or commercial investigation.
Search intent is the underlying purpose or goal that drives someone to enter a specific query into a search engine. It represents what users actually want to accomplish — whether they're seeking information, trying to reach a specific website, researching products, or ready to make a purchase. Understanding search intent is fundamental to creating content that satisfies users and ranks well in search results.
Search intent typically falls into four main categories: informational (seeking knowledge or answers), navigational (finding a specific website or page), commercial investigation (researching products or services before buying), and transactional (ready to make a purchase or complete an action). Each intent type requires different content approaches and optimization strategies to effectively serve users and achieve business goals.
Why It Matters for AI SEO
AI has dramatically improved search engines' ability to interpret search intent beyond simple keyword matching. Google's RankBrain, BERT, and MUM updates have made search results more intent-focused, meaning pages that accurately match user intent rank higher than those that simply contain target keywords. Modern AI systems analyze context, user behavior, and semantic relationships to determine what searchers actually want. This shift means SEO practitioners must think beyond traditional keyword optimization to intent optimization. AI-powered content tools like Surfer SEO and Clearscope now analyze SERP patterns to identify the dominant intent behind queries, helping creators align their content with what search algorithms expect. The rise of AI Overviews and answer engines makes intent matching even more critical, as these systems pull information from pages that best satisfy the underlying user need.
How It Works / Practical Application
To identify search intent, analyze the current SERP results for your target keywords. If the top results are blog posts and guides, the intent is likely informational. If they're product pages and shopping results, it's transactional. Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush provide intent classifications for keywords, while Surfer SEO analyzes content structure and topics that rank for specific intents. Create content that matches the dominant intent pattern. For informational queries, develop comprehensive guides with clear answers. For commercial investigation, include comparison tables, pros and cons, and detailed product information. For transactional intent, optimize product pages with clear calls-to-action, pricing, and purchase paths. Use AI writing tools like Clearscope to ensure your content covers the semantic topics that search engines associate with each intent type.
Common Mistakes or Misconceptions
The biggest mistake is assuming all keywords with the same topic share the same intent. "Best running shoes" has commercial investigation intent, while "how to choose running shoes" is informational. Creating a product page for an informational query or a blog post for a transactional query will result in poor rankings regardless of content quality. Another common error is ignoring mixed-intent queries where SERPs show multiple content types, requiring a blended approach rather than focusing on just one intent pattern.