---
title: "Search intent"
url: https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/search-intent
type: Page
---

# Search intent

Search intent explained: the main types of query intent, how Google's rater guidelines classify them, why intent changes and how to check it for any query.

SEO glossary

## Search intent

Search intent is the goal behind a search query: what the person typing it wants to know, do or find. Matching it means giving the type of page the searcher expects, such as a guide, a product page or a local listing, rather than simply repeating the words of the query.

## What types of search intent are there?

SEO tools usually sort queries into four groups: informational, navigational, commercial and transactional. Google's search quality rater guidelines use their own labels. Know queries seek information on a topic, and Know Simple queries need a short, correct answer that fits in one or two sentences. Do queries aim to accomplish something, such as buying or downloading. Website queries look for a specific site or page, and Visit-in-Person queries look for nearby places.

The guidelines say the line between Know and Do is sometimes blurry, and that many queries fit more than one category.

## Why intent matters more than the keyword

Raters are asked to judge results against a query's dominant interpretation, meaning what most users mean, as well as its common and minor interpretations. A page can match every word of a query and still fail because it answers the wrong one.

Intent also moves. The guidelines use the query iphone as an example: in 2007 searchers wanted the first model, most now want the latest one, and the dominant interpretation will change again as new models come out.

## How to check the intent of a query

The results page is the best evidence of what Google thinks searchers want.

- Note which page types rank: guides, category pages, product pages, tools or local results
- Look at the features shown, such as a map pack, shopping results or an AI Overview
- Read the People Also Ask questions for follow-up needs
- Recheck priority queries every few months, because results change

## Example

The query 'best running shoes for flat feet' returns comparison guides, so a single product page is unlikely to rank for it. 'Buy Brooks Adrenaline size 10' returns retailer product pages, so a guide is the wrong format there. The words overlap, but one searcher is researching and the other is ready to buy.

## Related terms

- [Keyword cannibalisation](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/keyword-cannibalisation)
- [Zero-click search](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/zero-click-search)
- [Query fan-out](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/query-fan-out)
- [Topical authority](https://marketingsignals.com/glossary/topical-authority)

## Further reading

- [Query Intent Shift: What to Do When Google Changes What Your Keyword Means](https://marketingsignals.com/insights/query-intent-shift-what-to-do-when-google-changes-what-your-keyword-means)
- [How to Write Content for SEO That Converts and Ranks](https://marketingsignals.com/insights/how-to-write-content-for-seo-that-converts-and-ranks)

Our [Organic Search](https://marketingsignals.com/service/organic-search) service puts this into practice for brands in the UK and US.

## Sources

- [Search Quality Rater Guidelines, sections 12.7 and 13, Google (September 2025)](https://static.googleusercontent.com/media/guidelines.raterhub.com/en//searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf)

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