[Hot] How to Create Content for User Intent
In last week's post about user experience, we noted that Google's algorithm has evolved from a mathematical, mechanical, keyword-based view of search to a view that emphasizes "user intent."
This new algorithmic view, often referred to as RankBrain, uses artificial intelligence to measure key metrics of intent, including organic CTR, pages per session, bounce rate, and dwell time.
These metrics measure a browser's experience of a website, and they should inform any SEO campaign based on intent. However, these metrics do not necessarily speak to the most elemental challenge of optimizing for user intent: content creation.
So how do you create content for user intent?
Much of the current advice in the SEO community uses Neil Patel's three types of user intent to develop a content marketing strategy. As Patel notes, when typing a query a browser is usually trying to accomplish one of three goals:
Patel's post is a great resource for learning more about user intent through keywords and analytics--what Patel calls a "data-driven method of discerning user intent."
Read: Neil Patel on User Intent
However, the challenge remains: How do you create content for user intent?
Below we discuss how to create content that addresses each goal: informational, navigational, and transactional.
How to Create Content for User Intent
This new algorithmic view, often referred to as RankBrain, uses artificial intelligence to measure key metrics of intent, including organic CTR, pages per session, bounce rate, and dwell time.
These metrics measure a browser's experience of a website, and they should inform any SEO campaign based on intent. However, these metrics do not necessarily speak to the most elemental challenge of optimizing for user intent: content creation.
So how do you create content for user intent?
Much of the current advice in the SEO community uses Neil Patel's three types of user intent to develop a content marketing strategy. As Patel notes, when typing a query a browser is usually trying to accomplish one of three goals:
- Informational: The user is looking for information.
- Navigational: The user is looking for a specific site, page or resource.
- Transactional: The user wants to buy something.
Patel's post is a great resource for learning more about user intent through keywords and analytics--what Patel calls a "data-driven method of discerning user intent."
Read: Neil Patel on User Intent
However, the challenge remains: How do you create content for user intent?
Below we discuss how to create content that addresses each goal: informational, navigational, and transactional.
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| Discovering user intent may be akin to practicing psychology [Photo Source] |
How to Create Content for User Intent
Create Content for Informational Queries
For the purposes of e-commerce, an online business can view Patel's three types of user intent as a browser's buying cycle. In the first phase, a browser looks for information to inform his/her buying decision.
After you have discovered appropriate keywords for this cycle (see Patel's post above), strive to create content that answers questions.
For this type of query, you're not necessarily trying to sell your product--instead, you're trying to create a comprehensive view of the genera; product: its features, its uses, its benefits.
Say a browser types: "What is the best Dutch oven?" Create content that answers this content objectively--without placing undue emphasis on your Dutch oven.
In this information-seeking phase, a browser wants genuine knowledge--not a sales pitch. Instead, try to create a context for the browser to understand what makes a product like yours so good.
As the Content Marketing Institute writes: "Ensure that your content is both broad and comprehensive enough to deliver what users want." In essence, you're supplying information.
Create Content for Navigational Queries
When you create content for navigational queries, you assume the browser has intentionally navigated to your site. By studying your analytics, you will see what specific keywords lead browsers to your site. Perhaps your business name. Perhaps your company name tied to a product.
Say your business name is Larry's Cookware. Say a browser has read a few informational articles and now believes your Dutch oven is the best. To find your site, the browser simply types "Larry's Cookware Dutch Oven."
Navigational content falls somewhere between informational and transactional content.
For the informational side, now instead of a comprehensive view, you want to offer a specific view of the features, uses, and benefits of your Dutch oven--essentially, a product page.
The very nature of a product page, however, is transactional. The difference between a navigational query and a transactional query, is the browser's motivation. A navigational query is about gathering more information--now about a specific product: not all Dutch ovens but your Dutch oven--before making a final purchasing decision.
In the end, though, optimizing for navigational intent is partly about content and partly about the technical aspects of SEO. As the Alexa Blog notes: "Perform an audit on your entire site and then on each of your primary landing pages to ensure your web pages are optimized and visible so customers can find you during the consideration phase."
Create Content for Transactional Queries
The transactional phase implies the browser is ready to purchase a product. In this phase, your goal is simple: Don't mess it up! You want to guide your browser through an easy purchase. This phase, by nature, works to optimize for specific keywords related to purchase. As such, your content should be concise: its purpose is simply to
Again, from the Alexa Blog: "To get to pages where they can take action, searchers use buyer intent keywords that often include action phrases or sales terms paired with general product names or branded terms."
Like navigational content, transactional is partly about content and partly about optimizing the technical aspects of your page. Make sure conversion is easy. AS we've noted before:
"The point of organic SEO, by nature, is to attract a precisely targeted audience. The point of CRO is to make sure that targeted visitor performs the desired action."
Read: SEO 101: Conversion Rate Optimization
User Intent Optimization Marketing with Stepman's SEO
If you're looking for an SEO company that understands how to effectively promote websites with good content that converts visitors, we suggest contacting our sponsor, Stepman's SEO: 215-900-9398.
Stepman's SEO combines traditional marketing methods and organic SEO--with an emphasis on natural website optimization--to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective content marketing campaigns.
After you have discovered appropriate keywords for this cycle (see Patel's post above), strive to create content that answers questions.
For this type of query, you're not necessarily trying to sell your product--instead, you're trying to create a comprehensive view of the genera; product: its features, its uses, its benefits.
Say a browser types: "What is the best Dutch oven?" Create content that answers this content objectively--without placing undue emphasis on your Dutch oven.
In this information-seeking phase, a browser wants genuine knowledge--not a sales pitch. Instead, try to create a context for the browser to understand what makes a product like yours so good.
As the Content Marketing Institute writes: "Ensure that your content is both broad and comprehensive enough to deliver what users want." In essence, you're supplying information.
Create Content for Navigational Queries
When you create content for navigational queries, you assume the browser has intentionally navigated to your site. By studying your analytics, you will see what specific keywords lead browsers to your site. Perhaps your business name. Perhaps your company name tied to a product.
Say your business name is Larry's Cookware. Say a browser has read a few informational articles and now believes your Dutch oven is the best. To find your site, the browser simply types "Larry's Cookware Dutch Oven."
Navigational content falls somewhere between informational and transactional content.
For the informational side, now instead of a comprehensive view, you want to offer a specific view of the features, uses, and benefits of your Dutch oven--essentially, a product page.
The very nature of a product page, however, is transactional. The difference between a navigational query and a transactional query, is the browser's motivation. A navigational query is about gathering more information--now about a specific product: not all Dutch ovens but your Dutch oven--before making a final purchasing decision.
In the end, though, optimizing for navigational intent is partly about content and partly about the technical aspects of SEO. As the Alexa Blog notes: "Perform an audit on your entire site and then on each of your primary landing pages to ensure your web pages are optimized and visible so customers can find you during the consideration phase."
Create Content for Transactional Queries
The transactional phase implies the browser is ready to purchase a product. In this phase, your goal is simple: Don't mess it up! You want to guide your browser through an easy purchase. This phase, by nature, works to optimize for specific keywords related to purchase. As such, your content should be concise: its purpose is simply to
Again, from the Alexa Blog: "To get to pages where they can take action, searchers use buyer intent keywords that often include action phrases or sales terms paired with general product names or branded terms."
Like navigational content, transactional is partly about content and partly about optimizing the technical aspects of your page. Make sure conversion is easy. AS we've noted before:
"The point of organic SEO, by nature, is to attract a precisely targeted audience. The point of CRO is to make sure that targeted visitor performs the desired action."
Read: SEO 101: Conversion Rate Optimization
User Intent Optimization Marketing with Stepman's SEO
If you're looking for an SEO company that understands how to effectively promote websites with good content that converts visitors, we suggest contacting our sponsor, Stepman's SEO: 215-900-9398.
Stepman's SEO combines traditional marketing methods and organic SEO--with an emphasis on natural website optimization--to design thoughtful, inspiring, and effective content marketing campaigns.