Informational Search Intent
Definition
Informational search intent means that the user wants to learn something when conducting a search. These searches are often phrased as questions and use words like who, what, where, why, and how to find information on a topic. Typically, users with informational intent are in the early phase of understanding a topic and are not necessarily purchase-ready.
Informational Search Intent Relevance For SEO
Optimizing for informational search intent is important for SEO because it allows you to target users at the beginning of their buyer’s journey. Even if these searches don’t directly convert, they bring new visitors to your site who you can nurture into leads and customers over time. Ranking for informational keywords also helps establish your site as an authority and resource on a topic. This in turn can lead to increased organic traffic, lower bounce rates, and more pages indexed.
Overall, optimizing content for informational intent aligns well with many core SEO best practices around creating useful, engaging content that answers user questions and meets their needs.
Informational Search Intent Best Practices for SEO
- Conduct keyword research: Identify informational keywords that are relevant for your business to target. Look for questions and “how to” style searches.
- Create useful content: Blog posts, guides, FAQs etc. are well-suited for informational intent. Ensure content fully answers the user’s question.
- Optimize content: Include target keywords in titles, headers, meta descriptions etc. But focus first on usefulness and quality over keyword density.
- Link building: Get links from other authoritative sites to boost rankings for informational content, establishing your expertise.
- Measure via analytics: Track traffic and engagement metrics for informational content to gauge its effectiveness and identify areas for optimization.