Before putting your amazing ideas to work, one of the first things that you need to consider when creating content is search intent (or user intent). The term is meant to describe the purpose–or intent–of an online search. Think of it as the reason why someone searches for anything online. They’re looking to find something specific, and you want your content to be as close to that search query as possible.
There are four very common forms of search intent - informational intent, navigational intent, transactional intent, and commercial intent. Each serves a very distinct purpose and speaks to the agenda behind a search query. Is the search looking for an answer to a question? Are they looking to buy a product? Or are they looking for a specific website? Identifying the nature of their search intent will help you tailor your approach to content creation.
Another way to understand search intent is by focusing on keyword intent. Here, you’re narrowing in on the keywords that your audience uses to refine their search. With it, you can start to optimize your content creation around that very specific keyword.