Beyond the basics: Exploring expanded types of search intent for SEO mastery

The different types of search intent: Are there just 4?

SEO and content marketing pros have agreed upon four basic types of search intent:

• Informational

• Navigational

• Commercial

• Transactional

But doesn’t this feel a bit… limited?

If you’re a seasoned marketer who knows your target audience and ideal customer profiles (ICPs) as well as you know yourself, focusing on four basic buckets of search intent can limit your ability to truly optimize well.

Sure, they’re a good place to start. But so is elementary school.

As algorithms and SERP features rapidly change and SEO strategy follows, it’s time to graduate into a deeper understanding of the types of search intent.

In fact, a deep understanding of user intent is crucial to creating stand-out, high-quality converting content in the era of Google’s AI Overviews and AI-generated content in search.

(Plus, it’s just a good user experience practice that you should be applying across your organic marketing strategy.)

First, let’s look at the four basic types of search intent that most SEO professionals and content marketers agree upon. Then we’ll explore an expanded understanding of those intents.

LEARN MORE: Check out What is search intent for a deeper look at why your audience’s search intent is important.

4 basic types of search intent (with examples)

At a high-level, SEOs and content marketers can agree on the following types of search intent and definitions:

• Informational intent

• Navigational intent

• Commercial intent

• Transactional intent

These are also the four basic types of search intent you’ll see in keyword research tools like Ahrefs and Semrush.

Traditional tools like these crawl the Google search engine results pages (SERPs) with their own crawlers and bucket keyword intents.

Below, I’ll walk you through examples of each of the four basic types—including how each of these search intent types play out in relation to Google’s AI Overviews.

Informational search intent

When a user goes to a search engine to learn about a given topic, they have informational intent.

People can search for information in the form of quick answers—such as [what year was basketball invented?]—or more in-depth guides, like [history of basketball] or [how to shoot a layup].

Other examples of informational queries include:

• How to braid hair

• What is turmeric?

• Benefits of reading

• Best metrics to track for social media growth

• Why should people stretch?

• Recipe for chocolate chip cookies

You can use several types of content to satisfy informational search keywords, such as how-to guides, videos, recipes or step-by-step tutorials, and long-form articles.

Informational queries and AI Overviews

In theory—and in observations across discussions in the SEO industry—general informational intent queries that are based on consensus have a higher chance of prompting an AI Overview answer in the search results. (source)

Think: Is this likely to bring up a featured snippet to end the user’s search journey immediately? If so, it’s likely an AI Overview could show for this particular query.

A few examples of these types of queries include:

• How to change oil

• How to screenshot on mac

• What is user intent

• What’s the capital of Maine?

• Are brown recluse spiders in kansas?

For a smart content strategy in the AI era, this means that targeting search queries with more specific intent and from a perspective-driven, Ranch-style SEO approach would likely be more competitive.

Navigational search intent

People use navigational queries on search engines to get to specific web pages or homepages, and they’re usually paired with specific brand names or organizations.

Examples of navigational searches include:

• Amazon

• AEP online bill pay

• Target orders

• Allbirds shoes

• Instagram login

• Apple store online

• Google keyword planner

• American airlines customer service

These search queries are navigational because the searcher has a particular destination in mind. The click-through rates on these keywords are often high, but navigational keywords aren’t necessarily smart to incorporate into your search engine optimization strategy.

Why? Well... that’s where understanding search intent is important. The user needs a specific website, and if your site isn’t it, pass on optimizing for these.

Navigational queries and AI Overviews

For now, it’s less likely that AI Overviews will impact navigational searches. (source)

Google's AI Overviews are currently geared toward informational searches, which indicates they're more likely to surface for queries aimed at understanding something quickly, rather than seeking out a particular website.

Transactional search intent

When a user goes to a search engine to complete an action, such as buying something, this is transactional search intent.

These are among the most valuable keywords to target in SEO since they often lead to a conversion of some kind (subscription or purchase).

And we all know that we love to see increased conversion rates, so targeting these specific keywords are an important part of your overall digital marketing strategy.

Examples of transactional queries include:

• Buy headphones

• Meal prep kit coupon

• Laptop student discount

• Exercise bike free shipping

• HBO free trial

• Nike air jordan blue and white

Transactional queries and AI Overviews

With transactional queries, it’s less likely an AI Overview will display because, in general, it wouldn’t be very helpful to a searcher. (source)

Many times, people are looking for specific products, brand names, or product names in Google search results.

AI Overviews are designed to give you quick summaries and guide you through topics you're interested in. When it comes to transactional searches, users are typically already set on what they want and are ready to make a purchase.

Commercial search intent

Commercial intent keywords also have to do with purchase decisions, but shoppers use them to research before buying. Specifically, a user may want to learn more about brands, products, or services.

Often, these queries have lower organic traffic estimates than their informational or navigational counterparts.

Examples of commercial search terms include:

• Nikon vs. Canon

• Adobe Photoshop

• Best slow cookers

• Smartphone reviews

• Affordable running shoes

• Best postpartum swimsuits

You can optimize content for commercial investigation by creating quality content that helps potential consumers discover the best deal for them. Examples include detailed product pages, competitor comparisons, and case studies.

Pro tip: Explore the People Also Ask questions for your target keywords for ideas.

Commercial queries and AI Overviews

Navigating Google's AI Overviews and their role in commercial search intent can be a tad more nuanced than the other intent types. While they may pop up occasionally, they're not regularly a part of AI Overview features just yet.

Google could sprinkle in features like product listings while keeping their focus on delivering primo content for users. (source)

The best thing to do? Test the search queries you’re targeting in Google to determine what SERP features pop up. Read more in How to analyze for search intent.

Okay, let’s move on to the next piece of this puzzle: Additional types of search intent.

Expanded types of search intent—there are more than just 4

In her 2023 MozCon presentation, SEO leader Lily Ray acknowledged how SEOs often categorize search intents into three categories: transactional, navigational, and informational.

But Lily highlighted that the basic bucket approach to search intent isn’t all there is to this concept: “Let’s be real. There are way more than 3 intents in SEO.” (source: slides 63 and 64)

In addition to the widely acknowledged four basic intent types recognized by traditional SEO tools, there are what I like to call intent lenses.

More simply, these are just different intents that can live under the buckets of the four basic ones.

These seven additional types of search intent are basically the “expansion pack” to the Original Four:

• Local search intent

• Low-intent (or not likely to take action)

• High-intent (or likely to take action)

• News or current intent

• Entertainment intent

• Educational intent

• Visual intent

Other SEOs and content strategists may have additional lenses they’d add to this list, but overall, intent lenses can dramatically inform search intent—and therefore, specific search results.

And that’s why it’s absolutely essential to have a granular understanding of the expanded search intents of your target audience and the content types that best meet these intents.

When you optimize your content with a sharp understanding of search intent, you’re better equipped to create content that:

• Grabs focused attention of the user > because it >

• Meets specific needs and pain points > which >

• Lowers bounce rates > and >

• Increases engagement and conversions

And therefore, a better understanding of the true varied types of search intent can produce better organic visibility, authority, and results for your brand’s content.

Let’s look at a few examples of each of these seven intent lenses below.

LEARN MORE: Why is search intent important? Read How to optimize search intent.

Local search intent

Users are looking for something in a specific geographical area through this expanded search intent lens.

Examples of local search queries include:

• Gyms open now

• Dinner reservations

• Urgent care near me

• Oil change service nearby

• Gluten-free bakery in Charlottesville

• Nearby library book dropoff

But there are a few subtypes of search intent that can fall under this category, too, including:

• Visiting in person, like [best cafes in San Francisco]

• Local information, like [plumber in Chicago]

Low and high search intent

People may describe keywords as having low intent or high intent. These terms refer to the relative level of purchase intent or intent to take action behind the keyword.

This search query intent closely ties the user to the likelihood they’ll take a next step in their search journey or continue to travel down a stereotypical sales funnel. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean informational intent vs. commercial intent.

For example, [weed legalization legislation ohio] has a lower actionable intent that the high-intent search query of [how to vote for weed legalization ohio], but neither are transactionally or commercially related.

News and current events search intent

This intent lens captures users looking for the latest news or updates on a particular topic.

Examples include:

• Latest news on climate change

• Britney Spears latest news

• Current mortgage rates

• Russo-Ukrainian War updates

• Weather for today

Entertainment search intent

Here, users seeking entertaining content, such as videos, music, or games.

Examples include:

• Funny cat videos

• Top 10 movies 2024

• Best board games similar to Catan

• Lyrics to Beyonce's version of "Jolene"

Educational search intent

This is when users are looking for educational content or resources in their search topic.

Examples include:

• Online courses for data science

• Wine tasting workshops near me

• Physics experiments for high school students

• Public speaking tips for introverts

Visual search intent

Within this intent, people are looking for visual examples or videos to fulfill their need.

Examples include:

• Hairstyle trends for short hair

• Landscaping ideas for small gardens

• Funny dog videos

• Electric guitars stock photos

• Red dresses with small white flowers and big sleeves

Next, let’s put all that learning together in a chart.

And not just any chart—a side-by-side comparison of the types of search intent with these lenses in mind for the beloved topic of [chocolate].

If you take a moment, you’ll notice that many of these queries meet multiple lenses of search intent.

But each of these individual queries require a unique approach to optimize the best piece of content to end the user’s search journey.

Some of these search intents could benefit from a long-form article, some a short-form landing page, and others might not benefit from creating content around at all. They might just require a well-optimized video or ecommerce product page.

Up next: How to analyze search intent

In wrapping up, it's clear that the traditional view of search intent is just the tip of the iceberg.

With the rise of Google's AI Overviews and shifting user preferences, we need to dive deeper into understanding the diverse intents driving search behavior—and they change over time.

By embracing expanded “intent lenses,” you can craft content strategies that truly resonate with your audience.

Now? Take this expanded view and apply it to analyzing search intent rev-up your content strategy.

Check out How to analyze search intent in the era of AI Overviews next.