You can write the best guide on the internet. Doesn't matter. If someone searching that query wants to buy something and you give them a tutorial, you're not ranking.
This is the most common SEO mistake I see. People pick keywords based on volume and difficulty, then create whatever content they feel like creating. They never ask: what does the person typing this actually want?
That question is everything. Google has spent billions figuring out how to answer it. You need to understand their answer before you write a single word.
The four intents
Search behavior research has converged on four basic intent categories. They're not perfect - queries often blend intents - but they're useful mental models.
Informational
The searcher wants to learn something. "How does photosynthesis work." "What is a 401k." "Why do cats purr."
SERP signals: Featured snippets. Knowledge panels. "People Also Ask" boxes everywhere. Video carousels. Wikipedia ranking. Lots of educational content from various sources.
What to create: Guides, tutorials, explainers, FAQs. Be comprehensive but scannable. Answer the question fast, then go deep.
Navigational
The searcher wants a specific website or page. "Facebook login." "Ahrefs pricing." "Nike store near me."
SERP signals: One brand dominates. Sitelinks appear. The official site is always #1 unless something's broken. Very few ads.
What to create: Nothing, unless you're that brand. You can't outrank Nike for "Nike shoes." Don't waste your time.
Commercial investigation
The searcher is researching before buying. "Best running shoes 2025." "Mailchimp vs ConvertKit." "iPhone 15 review."
SERP signals: Listicles dominate. Review sites. Comparison tables. "Best X" and "Top 10" headlines. Some ads, but not overwhelming. Affiliate content everywhere.
What to create: Comparison posts. Roundups. In-depth reviews. Buying guides. People want opinions and recommendations, not just facts.
Transactional
The searcher wants to complete an action, usually buying. "Buy AirPods Pro." "Cheap flights to Tokyo." "SEO consultant pricing."
SERP signals: Shopping ads dominate the top. Product carousels. Prices in titles. E-commerce sites everywhere. Local pack for services. Very few informational results.
What to create: Product pages. Service pages. Landing pages optimized for conversion. Nobody wants to read a blog post - they want to buy.
The SERP is the answer key
Don't guess intent. Look at the SERP. Google has already figured out what people want for that query. Your job is to decode it.
Open an incognito window. Search your target keyword. Ask yourself:
- What type of content is ranking? Blog posts? Product pages? Videos?
- What format dominates? Listicles? How-tos? Landing pages?
- Are there ads? What kind? Shopping? Text?
- What SERP features appear? Featured snippets? PAA? Local pack?
- Who's ranking? Big brands? Niche sites? News outlets?
The answers tell you exactly what Google thinks this query wants. Match it or lose.
Intent mismatch kills rankings
I've seen this dozens of times. A client writes an incredible 5,000-word guide targeting "best CRM software." Comprehensive. Well-researched. Beautifully designed.
It ranks nowhere. Why? Because the SERP for "best CRM software" is dominated by listicles. "Top 10 CRM tools for 2025." "15 Best CRMs Compared." That's what Google has learned people want for that query. A single-product deep dive, no matter how good, doesn't match the user intent.
The fix isn't to make your guide longer. It's to create a listicle instead.
Don't fight the SERP
If every result is a listicle, write a listicle. If every result is a product page, create a product page. You can be creative within the format. You cannot ignore the format.
Intent shifts over time
Here's what trips up experienced SEOs: intent isn't static. It evolves as Google learns more about what users want.
"Coronavirus" in January 2020 showed medical information. By March 2020, it showed news and live stats. Today it shows a mix of historical information and current data.
Less dramatic shifts happen constantly. A query that was informational might become transactional as products emerge. A transactional query might shift commercial as users demand more research options.
This is why you check the SERP before creating content, not after. And why you revisit old content that's stopped ranking - the intent may have shifted underneath you.
Mixed intent queries
Not every query falls cleanly into one bucket. "SEO tools" might show a mix of listicles (commercial) and guides about what SEO tools do (informational). "Running shoes" might blend product pages (transactional) with buying guides (commercial).
For mixed intent queries, you have two options:
Option 1: Pick a lane. Decide which intent you're serving and create content that nails it. A focused piece often outranks a confused one.
Option 2: Serve multiple intents. Create content that addresses both. A buying guide that also lets people purchase. A product page with educational content built in.
The SERP usually hints at what's working. If mixed content is ranking, mixed content might be the answer. If one intent dominates, pick that one.
Mapping intent at scale
For keyword research involving hundreds of terms, you can't manually check every SERP. Here's the shortcut:
Modifier patterns reveal intent quickly:
- Informational: "how to," "what is," "why," "guide," "tutorial," "examples"
- Commercial: "best," "top," "review," "vs," "comparison," "alternative"
- Transactional: "buy," "price," "cheap," "discount," "deals," "near me"
- Navigational: Brand names, product names, "[brand] login," "[brand] support"
Group your keywords by these patterns first. Then spot-check SERPs for edge cases and high-priority terms.
The meta-lesson
Intent mapping isn't just a ranking tactic. It's a mindset shift.
Stop thinking about what you want to create. Start thinking about what searchers need. The SERP is the closest thing we have to a mind-reading device for your audience.
Use it.