Search intent describes the underlying goal a user has when entering a query into a search engine.
Most queries fall into informational, navigational, commercial, or transactional intent categories. Understanding intent helps determine what type of page should rank for a given keyword.
Pages that do not match user intent often struggle to rank, even if they are technically optimised. Aligning content format and depth with intent is essential.
Search intent is inferred algorithmically through user behaviour, query patterns, and content analysis.