What is search intent?

Search intent is the reason behind a search — what the person actually wants when they type the words. Matching it is the part of SEO that beats keyword-stuffing, because Google ranks the page that best satisfies the intent, not the page that repeats the phrase most often. Four intents cover almost every query:

• Informational — "how to unblock a drain" (wants an answer, not a sale)
• Commercial — "best plumber Geelong" (comparing options before buying)
• Transactional — "emergency plumber near me" (ready to call now)
• Navigational — "Bob’s Plumbing phone number" (looking for a specific site)

A small business wins by building the page that matches the intent: a service page for transactional searches, a helpful article for informational ones. If you are trying to rank a sales page for an informational search, you will lose to a page that simply answers the question — match the intent first.