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Not sure why your content isn’t ranking and being discovered? It might not match search intent. Learn how to fix that and start creating content that connects.
Whether it’s a blog post, landing page, or product description, every piece of content on your website needs to provide value to the reader. But it’s hard to provide that value without first understanding the intent behind the search that landed them on your website. That’s why search intent should be one of the first things you determine when writing SEO content.
In this guide, we help you understand what search intent is and offer tips for identifying the intent behind your target keywords so you can create highly relevant, helpful content that’s discovered by people and prompts them to take action.
Search intent is the “why” behind a person’s online search. It answers the question: What is the searcher actually trying to find or accomplish?
There are four main different types of search intent:
While these general categories provide a useful framework, it’s just as important to consider the human behind the query. Why are they searching now? What emotion or urgency is driving the search? What specific result are they looking for?
Let’s examine the “how to change a flat tire” example. Yes, the core intent is informational. But the person searching might be stressed, stranded, or frustrated. They want a fast, clear, step-by-step guide (maybe even a video or infographic) to help them solve the problem now.
Understanding search intent — both at the category and emotional level — helps you deliver more relevant, helpful content that meets the user’s needs.
You’ve done your keyword research and are ready to start writing. But first, you need to figure out the intent behind the search. Where do you start? Here are some of the strategies we use.
That same tool you used to perform keyword research can help with search intent. For example, Semrush’s Keyword Overview and Keyword Magic tools give you search intent right alongside the volume and difficulty. In this example, we can confirm that “how to change a tire” has an informational intent.
Looking at Google itself can provide invaluable insight. The content on the first page of results shows what Google thinks matches the searcher’s intent.
The layout of the SERP and the features present provide clues, too:
The SERP can also ensure you make the right type of content. If you’re planning a blog and search your target keyword to find videos dominating the page, it’s a good sign you need to pivot. Either look for an adjacent topic with blogs in the results or make a video for that topic instead.
For “how to change a tire,” we see a mix of step-by-step guides and videos. Based on the SERP, you could either create a blog or a YouTube video (or both!) to cover the topic, and it would meet the user’s intent and need.
Keywords themselves can indicate search intent. Here are some common clues to look for during keyword research.
| Keyword Language | Likely Intent | Example |
| “how to,” “what is,” “guide,” “tips,” “benefits of” | Informational | how to winterize a car, tips for planning a road trip |
| Brand names, URLs, product names | Navigational | firestone tire center, facebook login |
| “best,” “top,” “compare,” “review,” “vs” | Commercial | best snow tires for SUVs, all-season vs winter tires |
| “buy,” “discount,” “coupon”, “near me,” “order,” “get a quote” | Transactional | buy bridgestone blizzak tires near me, oil change quote, car battery coupons |
Put yourself in the searcher’s shoes and reflect on your own experiences. If you were Googling “how to get water out of your headlight,” would you want a straightforward, step-by-step fix or a product page trying to sell you a new headlight? Probably the former.
Now imagine you search “how do hybrid engines work.” Would a quick bullet list satisfy your curiosity, or would you expect a deeper breakdown with diagrams, examples, or video explanations?
Understanding the why behind a search — whether it’s urgency, curiosity, or frustration — helps you create content that satisfies the user’s immediate needs, turning clicks into results.
Writing quality content doesn’t stop at understanding search intent. You need to match your content type, format, depth, and tone to the user’s expectations.
Figure out what kind of content Google (and users) expect for the query:
Tip: Google the keyword and see what kinds of pages rank. That tells you what’s working. Click to page 5, 6, or beyond to see what’s NOT working.
Choose a format that fits the user’s level of urgency and how they want to consume information. Here are some examples to help you get started:
How detailed should your content be? That depends on the complexity of the query. A blog about how to screw in a lightbulb doesn’t need to be lengthy — but one about wiring a fixer-upper definitely does.
Short, concise answers work well for simple informational queries. Longer, more detailed content is better for complex topics or commercial investigations.
A stressed-out driver trying to change their tire on the side of the road likely doesn’t want an upbeat, peppy blog. And a group of friends planning an upcoming trip to New Orleans likely doesn’t want a flat, boring guide to the city. Ensure your content reflects the emotion or urgency behind the search.
Let’s take the keyphrase: “tire pressure light won’t turn off after filling tires.”
At first glance, this query is informational. But zoom in, and we can see the person might be frustrated, late for work, or concerned about safety. They don’t want a lecture on tire pressure; they want a quick, actionable fix.
Creating content that aligns with search intent is the key to improving visibility, engagement, and conversions. If you’re finding it difficult to match your content to what users are actually searching for, GPO can help. Our team specializes in search-intent-driven content strategies that rank and resonate with your audience.
Let us help you refine your content approach and unlock your site’s full potential. Contact us today to get started.
Learn to reply to Google reviews with expert tips, templates, and examples. Build trust, improve visibility, and manage your reputation with confidence.
Not sure why your content isn’t ranking and being discovered? It might not match search intent. Learn how to fix that and start creating content that connects.
Boost paid ad ROI with high-converting landing pages. Get expert tips and discover how GPO builds targeted, compliant pages that drive real results.