Search Intents

Understand user

Different people use the Internet for different reasons, using many types of devices such as phones, tablets, laptops and desktops. A person’s search can be intricate or simple depending on his or her needs, and sometimes it can take multiple steps to complete a single task.

A simple task may involve finding the age of a favorite actor. A complex task may involve finding an open coffee shop nearby and getting information on how to get there.

A complex task may involve finding an open coffee shop nearby and getting information on how to get there.

Definitions-and-concepts

User understanding requires understanding a few basic SEO concepts such as keyword/query, user, user intent, keyword language, user location, Search Engine Results Page (SERP), Search Result (as Result Block or Landing Page).

• Keyword (query) is the word or phrase that a user types into a search engine to find what they are looking for.
• User is a person who searches for information on the Internet.
• User Intent (Search Intent) is what a user wants to achieve through his search. In other words, the reason why someone is searching for something.
• Keyword localization refers to the fact that each query is specified in a specific language (consisting of a region and a language). The query language can be determined by the user’s location, device settings and/or personal preferences.
• User location refers to where the user is physically located when performing a search. This can be determined by IP address, GPS coordinates and/or other methods.
• SERP is the page on which the search displays results.
• Search Result is a piece of content (usually a web page) that is returned in response to a user’s query. The results can be displayed as Search Result Blocks or a collection of Landing Pages (landing pages).

guess-user-intent

Some examples of queries with different user intent include:

• “how to tie a tie” – find information on how to tie a tie.
• “warszawa population” – find the current population of Warsaw.
• “delicatessen near me” – find the nearest delicatessen location.
• “seo audit” – find information about seo audits (find out what it is or learn about offers).

Language-and-user-location

All queries (phrases) are associated with the language in which they were asked and the location of the user who asked them. The location of the keyword (a better term seems to be the locality or regionality of the phrase) is important information for understanding the query and its associated intent. People in different locations can expect different results for the same query.

For some searches, the user’s location is also important. However, for most, the user’s location has no bearing on understanding what the person is looking for i.e. guessing the person’s intent. Good examples include: “flyhunter.pl”, “picture of a passion fruit” or “distance from Warsaw to Lviv”.

Location in query

People often tell search engines what kind of results they want by putting the appropriate location name (place) as part of the query. This happens regardless of where they are located. Sometimes even at odds with the user’s current location.

Example of a keyword with a specific location: Bora Bora hotels

Specifying the location in the query makes it easier to understand the user’s intent.

Queries with multiple meanings

There are keywords with multiple meanings. An example of such a query with multiple meanings is the keyword “boat”. Boat can refer to a watercraft that people use for transportation, or it can be used as the name of a place. These are interpretations of the query.

• Dominant interpretation is how most users understand the query entered. There is not always a dominant interpretation.
• The common interpretation is the understanding of a query the way many or some users perceive it. There may be several common interpretations of a keyword.

Sometimes you can find unpopular or rare interpretations that few users have in mind – we will call such interpretations secondary interpretations

Purpose of queries over time

Interpretation of the word iphone has changed over the years with each new model that came out. For example, when the first iPhone came out in 2007, every search was associated with that particular model.

Today, however, most users simply search “iPhone” without specifying a particular version, while newer models are available. Simply put, as more updated models are released, people’s views of what an iPhone is are also changing.

Today, people are looking for a new model, and the iPhone is not just an iPhone.

Types of user intent

Google suggests dividing intentions into 4 basic groups (types):

1. Know query (with Know Simple subgroup);
2. query Do (perform some action);
3. Site query (about a website);
4. Visit-in-person request;

I’ve already mentioned the types of user intent in a post about factors affecting a site’s Google ranking

Query Know and Know Simple

The Know query is typically used when a user wants information on a specific topic. This type of query usually reflects the user’s need for additional data to better understand the topic.

When you perform a Know Simple query, you are looking for a very specific answer to a question. This answer must be correct and complete, and can usually be displayed in a relatively small space. For example, you might use a Know Simple query to find out the capital of a country, the age of a particular person, the price of gold, the exchange rate of the dollar or the date of an important event.

For a query to be considered Know Simple, the majority of people must agree on the correct answer and it must be within 1-2 sentences or a short list of items. Keep in mind that not all questions have simple answers.

The answers must be simple.

Some examples of know simple queries include “what is the boiling point of water?”, “who is the president of the United States?” and “what are the symptoms of a heart attack?”.

Examples of know queries are “gold”, “heart attack”, “Joe Biden”, “how does a car engine work?”.

Query-To

A query of type “do” is usually used when someone wants to take an action. For example, a user may want to buy something, download something, sign up for something, etc.

Here are some examples:

• “get certified in google analytics”;
• “take an online seo course”;
• “buy a plane ticket to Indonesia”;
• “register a domain”;
• “watch Titanic”;
• “download macOS”;

Query Website

The intent of a website query is to find a specific page or site that the user has requested. The goal of the query is a single page that the user wants to find. There are two subtypes of website queries:

• accurate, valid and working URLs, e.g. https://www.hellolife.pl or www.hellolife.pl or hellolife.pl;
• domain URL queries – they look like URL queries, but they are not ready-made and working URLs. If we type them in a web browser, the given address will not take us to the desired service.

Examples of website queries are:

• “facebook login”;
• “flyhunter”;
• “onedaymore musli lemon”;
• “poczta o2”.

Inquiries Visit In Person

Visit-related queries are queries related to searching for businesses, organizations or other places nearby. People use search engines to find this information because, for example, they want to find a nearby coffee shop, gas station, ATM, restaurant, etc. Sometimes in the query itself, users explicitly specify that they are looking for information near a specific location.

Local visit queries can be useful when you are looking for something specific and want to know what options you have in the area. In addition, these types of queries can help you discover new places you didn’t know existed.

Local visit queries can also help you discover new places you didn’t know existed.

However, not all queries related to finding places nearby are queries like “visit in person”. Some queries may involve looking for directions or general information about a place, with no intention of visiting it in person. Often the same keyword will be used for both types of search, and the type of query interpretation will be defined by other factors, such as the user’s location.

Examples of Visit In Person queries:

• pizza;
• dance classes;
• bakery;
• car repair shop;
• pediatrician;
• library nearby;
• the nearest ATM in the area;

Examples for which it is difficult to determine whether they express a visit-in-person type intention are:

• post;
• library;
• hotels;
• bank pekao;
• ccc;

The user’s location may change our perception of the query. Surely the phrase can have different meanings in a specific region, such as a city: a well-known restaurant with that name and the standard (dictionary, generic) meaning of the search term.

Queries with multiple user intentions

Many queries have more than one likely user intent. Usually one intention is more likely than another.

Examples of queries with multiple intentions might be:

• “Eiffel Tower” – The most common user intention is to learn more about the Eiffel Tower (Know). However, depending on the user’s location, he or she may also      wish to visit the tower in person (Personal Visit) or purchase a ticket online (Intention To).
• “Weather in Krakow” – The user either wants to find out what the weather is like in Krakow today (Know) or get a forecast for the next few days (Know). The type of intention in this case is the same, but the intention is different (different interpretations of the same search).
• “Titanic” – Users who search for this movie are interested in either watching it (Do) or learning more about it (Know).

Search result block

The basic search result block consists of a clickable page title, URL and a snippet of text. For many queries, Web Search Result Blocks are the most useful type of results. They can include an image, data extracted using structured data, such as a price range, the date of the article, its author (those interested in this concept are referred to the article on structured data).

Special content results blocks

Special content results blocks (known as snippets) appear on the search results page in addition to the web search results blocks. Special content results blocks are designed to display materials directly to users on the search results page. They may include calculators, videos or interactive weather data and allow users to get information or content immediately. Some special content blocks may include links that take visitors to landing pages.

Summary

Search intent is the reason why users search for something on the web. Knowing and understanding these intentions can help you create better content, which in turn will translate into more website traffic and higher conversion rates.

In this article, we examined different types of search engine queries and showed with examples how to interpret their meaning (intent). We also looked at special content result blocks and how they are used to provide users with immediate information.

By understanding user intent, you can create a better user experience that satisfies the user’s needs and helps them find what they are looking for faster, and you will get better rankings in Google search.

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