Optimizing for Intent and Competing for Informational Queries

If you are wondering how you can optimize your search intent to compete for informational queries, this article will provide a glance at how Google returns these queries to relevant e-commerce pages.

In the timeline that search engine optimization experts (SEOs) have engaged with Google, they’ve been thinking about the most practical ways to optimize for user intent. Individual searches made by people are displaying a need for either information or goods and services. In our minds, we are aware of what kind of answers we require. The keyword (query) is our best presumption toward budding that data. Once we click that submit button, our expectations for Google are to impress – no less.

On the other side, Google understands it’s their burden to essentially read our minds. If they can’t impress us, even when our queries are poor, they’ll lose their market share (and ad revenue).

Some searchers are savvier than others when it comes to their query choices. Some search broadly (which is why they often refine their searches quite routinely). Others enter in long natural-language questions or fragmented but detailed queries. In performing keyword research, the arrangements of keywords run the gamut. A part of understanding your searcher is understanding the style of query they most commonly use.

Penetrating Intent

An initiation to classify intent should start with a categorization. Google does not have an official categorization for penetrating intent but it certainly seems like they have something similar to the below in place today.

Search type categories:

• Most popular

• Navigational

• Informational

• Transactional

Today, Google works harder at matching intent to query. Performing a specific word search today presents a mix of informational and transactional results. The search engine result pages (SERPs), driven by Google’s algorithms now display more variety. This makes SEO harder to predict and it involves more time for study than ever before.

Why is this happening?

After the Hummingbird release in 2013, it was known that Google was better at understanding intent. The new search models in addition to enhancements in personalization and the implementation of AI show this. It also parallels with Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT). Shoppers are in search of information to satisfy their purchase requirements. Research shows that people are increasingly deciding – at the Zero Moment – the exact moment they have a need, intent or question they want answered online. Google search results lean toward a well-targeted, content-rich piece driven result and this is how you optimize for intent and win the click for that query.

Catch the Content Trend in E-Commerce

From a potential revenue perspective, online shoppers know the value in Amazon. One of the concepts that helped to solidify the value of Amazon was the ability of shoppers to search for and find exactly what they needed with rich content descriptions surrounding most search results.

Amazon gets it; on its product pages, searchers find answers to virtually any question they can ask. This is a key reason Amazon continues to dominate results and win loyalty – along with that whole 2-day free shipping guarantee for members.

Let’s quickly address the technology issues for many webstore platforms. They generally aren’t built for content. They are built to display thumbnails and effortlessly transfer products into your cart. Finding a way to do this along with boosting attractiveness to informational queries should enable you to catch the content trend in e-commerce. This combination should help any business platform link an increase in sales to their ROI in optimizing for search intent.

Fair Marketing