What is user intent?

User intent reflects what consumers want to access or do when they enter a search query or interact with content. This helps marketers create ads and content that truly match what people are looking for.

How does user intent work?

Search engines such as Google use a variety of factors to determine the user intent of a search query. These factors include the keywords themselves, the user's search history, and the context of the search.

Once the search engine has determined the user's intent, it can then rank websites and ads accordingly. For example, if a user is performing an informational search, the search engine will rank websites that contain high-quality, informative content at the top of the page.

Types of user intent:

There are three main types of user intent: informational, navigational, and transactional.

For example, a user searching for "best running shoes for women" may have a variety of reasons for entering this query:

• Informational: The user is looking for information about the best running shoes for women, such as different brands, features, and prices.
• Navigational: The user is looking for a specific website, such as a running shoe retailer.
• Transactional: The user is ready to buy running shoes and is looking for the best deals.

How to measure user intent:

User intent can be measured in a variety of ways, including:

• Keyword analysis: Analyzing the keywords that users are searching for can give you insights into their intent. For example, if a user searches for "running shoes for women reviews," they are likely in the informational stage of the buyer journey.
• Click-through rate (CTR): CTR measures the percentage of users who see your ad and click on it. A high CTR can indicate that your ad is relevant to the user's search intent.
• Conversion rate: Conversion rate measures the percentage of users who land on your website and take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter. A high conversion rate can indicate that your website is aligned with the user's intent.

Why is user intent important to marketers?

User intent is important to marketers because it allows them to create and deliver more relevant and effective marketing messages. When marketers understand the user's intent, they can:

• Target their ads and keywords more effectively. For example, if a marketer is selling running shoes, they can target their ads to users who are searching for "running shoes reviews" or "best running shoes for women."
• Create landing pages that are aligned with the user's intent. For example, if a user is performing an informational search for "running shoes reviews," the marketer can create a landing page that contains reviews of different running shoes.
• Write ad copy that is relevant to the user's intent. For example, if a user is searching for "best running shoes for women," the marketer can write ad copy that highlights the benefits of the shoes for women runners.

Who needs to know what user intent is:

• Performance marketers
• Content marketers
• Search engine optimization (SEO) specialists
• Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising specialists
• Web analysts
• Marketing directors
• CEOs

Use user intent in a sentence: “Understanding user intent allows us as performance marketers to fine-tune our campaigns and content to align with what our audience is actively seeking to achieve or learn from their searches.”