By Mehdi HassanWhat is search intent?
Search intent, also called user intent or keyword intent, is the purpose a searcher has when they enter a query. Two queries can share most of their words and want completely different things: "what is a landing page" wants a definition, while "landing page design agency" wants a provider.
Search engines rank pages by how well they satisfy that purpose, not only by how well they match the words. That makes intent the first question to answer before writing any page. It's one of the foundational entries in our SEO and AEO glossary.
What are the four types of search intent?
The four types of search intent are informational, navigational, commercial and transactional, and each maps naturally to a different kind of page.
Intent | The searcher wants to | Example query | Page type that serves it |
|---|---|---|---|
Informational | Learn or understand | what is schema markup | Glossary entry, guide, how-to |
Navigational | Reach a specific site or page | webflow login | Homepage, login, specific product page |
Commercial | Compare and evaluate options | framer vs webflow for saas | Comparison, alternatives, cost guide, examples |
Transactional | Take an action now | hire landing page designer | Pricing, service, signup or booking page |
Real queries often mix intents. "Website redesign cost" is commercial but close to transactional, because the person asking is usually budgeting for a project they intend to start.
What does search intent look like on a real B2B site?
On a real B2B site, search intent decides which page should answer which query, so that no two pages compete and every visitor lands somewhere useful.
Example: how intent maps across our own site
Someone searching "what is a landing page" has informational intent, so the right page is our definition guide, which explains the concept and links onward. Someone searching "landing page design cost" has commercial intent and wants ranges and trade-offs, so a cost guide fits. Someone ready to buy wants the price and the next step, which is our pricing section: a $6,000 landing page package with a free 30-minute call to book.
If the definition page tried to sell hard, informational searchers would bounce. If the pricing section tried to teach the basics, buyers would scroll past what they came for. Each page does one intent's job and links to the next stage.
This also explains why money pages matter more in AI search. TripleDart's 2026 study of 28 B2B SaaS companies found pricing comparison posts converted at 1.5%, while general blog posts drew sessions but no leads.
How do you work out the intent of a query?
You work out the intent of a query by looking at what Google already ranks for it, because the results page reflects what searchers have rewarded.
Search the query yourself
Use a private window so your history doesn't skew the results.
Read the page types
Guides and definitions mean informational. Comparison and list posts mean commercial. Product and pricing pages mean transactional.
Note the features
An AI Overview or featured snippet points to informational intent. Shopping or local results point to transactional.
Check the modifiers
Words like "what", "how" and "why" lean informational; "best", "vs" and "cost" lean commercial; "hire", "buy" and "pricing" lean transactional.
Pick one page per intent
Assign the query to one page, and make sure no other page targets it.
How does search intent relate to AI search?
Search intent still drives AI search, but AI systems now handle more of the informational stage on the results page, which contributes to zero-click search. AI Mode also breaks a single query into sub-intents through query fan-out, so a page can be cited for one part of a broader question. Pages that answer one intent clearly, in the structure covered in how to structure content for AI search, are easier to quote. That shift is the real story behind the question is SEO dead.
