What Is The Google Algorithm, and How Does It Work?

What Is The Google Algorithm, and How Does It Work?

Businesses worldwide are competing to rank highly on Google search and other search engines, and the internet is full of tips for ranking number one on SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), SEO tips and tricks and ways to influence the Google search algorithm behind-the-scenes to do better without having to pay for traditional web advertising.

Indeed, much is said about the Google algorithm and how it works, but here we present the facts: in order to best help you strategise your SEO and plan it to benefit your digital presence.

What is the Google Search Algorithm?

The Google search algorithm is a complex system of programming and coding used to retrieve data from its search index which can then present the most appropriate search results for the search queries made by the search engine user.

Google’s ‘crawler’ bots index the internet and store the data on what it thinks each web page is about, what purpose it serves and who the appropriate audience for its content are. The Google algorithm then works through the index it has created to deliver web pages ranked by relevance on its SERPs. Google’s search algorithm prioritises and marks out relevant results it believes best suited to the user’s search intent to give them the answer, information or data they’re trying to find.

What is an Algorithm?

Algorithms are now referred to often as consumers better understand the internet and the presence they hold on it, and in many circles are seen as a mythical beast to be defeated in order to get more likes, gain more exposure, get more traffic, or be ranked above competitors in search query rankings.

While indeed it is true that only a very few senior coders at any tech company will know the exact details of a website’s algorithm and its calculations, much of what an algorithm follows can be worked on through common sense.

In general terms, an algorithm is a set of rules to be followed in calculations by a computer program. For example, the Google’s search algorithm is the program that calculates which webpages rank where for a specific user search query made. In the case of Instagram, the algorithm is the program that calculates which users are presented with which content. In the case of TikTok, the algorithm is the program that calculates what the user is interested in, and features videos related to this in their feed.

Every website or program that has a bespoke user ‘feed’ will have an algorithm operating behind it.

How Does Google’s Algorithm Work?

Google search algorithm works by referencing its search index and analyses the factors upon each page to determine its relevance for ranking. While we don’t know the exact weight that Google puts behind each of the many factors of a webpage, we do know what constitutes a priority for SEO purposes. This includes:

    • The exact search terms of the query made on the search engine
    • The domain age, authenticity and domain authority (DA)
    • The usability of the website including its loading speed, accessibility functions and security
    • The mobile responsiveness of the site’s performance and its ability to switch format to one appropriate to the device on which its being viewed
    • The keywords and topics used throughout the content on the site, and if there is relevant content
    • Other websites that link to the site and how trustworthy they are.

Considering all of these factors, the Google algorithm judges which website pages are most appropriate to be featured and in what order.

This means that the more concise, clear and usable a site is, the higher it will rank when a relevant search query is made.

Google Algorithm

What are Algorithm Updates?

Of course, as with all tech, the Google algorithm is constantly changing to improve the service it delivers. While there are a couple of major updates made every year which cause a considerable shift to the algorithm and its programming priorities, its estimated that smaller algorithm updates are made around once a week!

Where a major update does occur (referred to as a broad core algorithm update), Google announces this ahead of time and provides some basic details on it so that businesses are able to prepare and shift their online practices to meet the new ranking factor requirements.

Top Factors of the Google Algorithm

No one knows exactly what the exact formula is for Google top ranking factors, as this information remains confidential to all but a few senior execs within the company. However, we do know that the following ranking factors are amongst the most important:

    • High-quality content
    • A mobile-first experience
    • Page experience
    • Page loading speed
    • On-page optimisation
    • Internal links between pages
    • External links to and from other relevant sites.

Historically focus has been laid just on the usage of keywords and search query phrases but since Google’s technology has developed and improved, many more factors are now included and considered. While there are businesses who do continue just to rely on the same keywords and keyword repetition throughout their content, this can no longer form a comprehensive and strategic SEO approach.

Realistically, it doesn’t matter exactly which ranking factor is the most important, as all should be focused on with equal priority in order to develop a well-rounded user experience (UX).

What is the Latest of the Google Algorithm Updates?

The most recent minor Google updates were both in September 2022. One was a core algorithm update and the other focused on new product reviews. The latter didn’t offer any particular advice for site owners but the former was covered in an entry on the Google Search Central Blog. This advised that the update wasn’t anything for webmasters to worry about or that they should need to take direct action, but that high quality content was being uprated in its priority rating.

The most recent major Google broad core algorithm update was in August 2022 and was known as the Google Helpful Content Update. This focused on the concept of ‘people first content’. This update advised businesses to strive toward content creation for a target audience with their search intent and needs in mind, rather than the common approach of creating content simply for SEO purposes and because the business assumed that their website’s ranking would benefit from the repeated use of keywords and phrases.

While other small algorithm updates take place in Google weekly (if not daily), these do not require any specific action and businesses can consider their existing SEO efforts sufficient to weather such changes.

How Does the Google Algorithm Affect SEO?

The Google search algorithm is what businesses are speaking to when they enact their SEO strategies, and must ensure that relevant, accurate and clear information is conveyed throughout their site in order for the algorithm’s programming to best understand it.

This means that continuous improvement of all the website’s page factors must be made a digital marketing business priority, in order to rank as high as possible and ideally do so above competitors. While it may not prove productive for businesses to focus too much on the search algorithm and what it demands, it can make for a great foundation from which companies can understand what smart content creation and a positive UX means.

Get Support to Manage Your Business Google Ranking

Of course, not all businesses can hire a full-time SEO lead to work in-house. That’s why businesses choose to work with Woya Digital.

Our team of SEO specialists stay at the forefront of Google’s updates and best practices in order to ensure our clients gain competitive advantage and receive great exposure to both new and existing customers. Get in touch with our team to discuss how we can support you and to best understand what impact this could have on your bottom line.

What is Google Indexing in SEO?

What is Google Indexing in SEO?

Businesses simply can’t afford for their website to not be listed on Google. With the Google search giant processing over 99,000 searches every single second, the potential is extremely important.

But for Google search results to list a website or page, it must first know it exists and match it up to relevant search terms ‘behind-the-scenes’ using its algorithm programming. This is called Google indexing.

But how does this happen and what is its relevancy to an overall SEO strategy?

What is Google Indexing?

Search engine indexing (or Google indexing in the case of Google), is the automated process of a system collecting, parsing and storing data it finds online. This data is then stored in the Google search index database so that when a search engines user carries out a search, Google can reference this index for the appropriate information and indexed pages, rather than scouring the entirety of the internet every time.

Google indexing is a highly complex process and incorporates interdisciplinary concepts from computer science, cognitive psychology, mathematics and probabilities, informatics and even neuro-linguistic programming.

Why is Google Indexing Important?

Google is the world’s biggest search engine, with a market share of over 90% worldwide. This means that even if it isn’t the most popular search engine in a business’ target location, it is still simply too large to ignore when it comes to strategizing for digital marketing.

If Google doesn’t undertake crawling and indexing on your website, it won’t just not rank well on Google – it won’t rank at all on Google.

If businesses don’t ensure that their digital presence is listed on Google in some way, shape or form they will lose competitive advantage to brands who are listed, who will benefit from the massive traffic that ranking well on the Google search engine can bring.

While not all other sites rely on Google’s search index in particular for their search results, several other systems do, and so it should not be discounted even if it isn’t the primary target system.

How Does Google Indexing Work?

Google indexing takes place when Google’s ‘crawlers’ (that is, automated software programs) visit publicly accessible website’s pages and follow their links.

This helps them travel from page to page and store information on what the pages on your site are about, who they’re for and what they’re aiming to do. The Google algorithm also judges the the site/all of your pages on their User Experience (UX), performance, accessibility and content quality to ascertain how and for what the site should rank when users completes a relevant search.

Google indexing can only happen if a website is publicly available. If it requires a log-in, is in a test environment or is ‘hidden’ from public consumption, this will prevent Google’s ability to read the site and it will remain un-ranked. This allows businesses to present exclusive content to subscribers or members but does mean that anything they wish to include on search engine rankings must be prioritised for public pages.

How Do Search Engines Work

How to Tell Google to Index Your Site

If a website or page has yet to be indexed by Google, the webmaster can request that the crawlers navigate it on the next occasion they’re able to. To do this, a webmaster tells Google through the Google Search Console tool and the crawlers will index the page/s whenever possible.

Where webmasters or digital marketers wish to rank, they should prioritise Google indexing as once a site has been crawled it will be periodically re-visited, so can be ranked on search engine results pages even before the full site content has been populated.

How Long Does Google Indexing Take?

There’s no one-size-fits-all timeframe for Google to index a website, although generally it takes longer for larger sites with more content than it does individual pages with little or short-form content.

The amount of time it takes to get a site indexed is influenced by Google’s current workload (ie it will take longer during periods where a major update or change is being rolled out), but also how many websites are being submitted for indexing at any one time.

Anecdotally, webmasters and digital marketers state that it has taken anywhere from 4 days to 6 months to get their site indexed for the first time. However, this is almost always expedited by requesting indexing through the Google Search Console (as mentioned above), so this is recommended.

Duplicate content will harm the quality of your site and Google will penalise you for this.

How Does the Process of Google Indexing Relate to an Overall SEO Strategy?

Any digital marketer embarking on enacting an SEO strategy should prioritise Google ranking as an effective way to gain targeted organic traffic. In order to best ensure adequate and appropriate ranking for relevant searches, all websites should be subject to timely, consistent and pertinent new content upload as well as hosting a clear sitemap, offering mobile responsiveness and ensuring fast load times.

Google indexing can be considered the foundation for an SEO strategy. Once the site and all the pages have been indexed, a more thorough online presence can be built using target keywords and advertising, further new content creation and an increased focus on the overall User Experience.

How To Fix Indexing Issues

It is not enough for webmasters to create web pages and just expect them to be crawled and indexed by Google, instead there are a variety of best practices they should look to meet. If any of the following issues are experienced, they can be easily rectified by doing the below:

Site is not indexed because it’s too new – you can still request indexing through Google Search Console, but a newer domain is unlikely to get higher rankings than an older one as its authenticity and trustworthiness can’t yet be fully verified. As more website content is added and the site ages, it will be re-indexed and re-prioritised.

A recent redesign should have improved SEO, but hasn’t – it may simply be that Google hasn’t re-indexed the site since it has been improved. A request for re-indexing can be submitted through Google Search Console.

A sitemap wasn’t in place when the site was indexedall websites should have a sitemap somewhere in order for Google to easily crawl its pages. If, for whatever reason, this wasn’t the case when the indexing happened, the site map can be submitted directly to Google through the Google Search Console tool and then it’ll be re-read the next time the site is crawled.

Site isn’t mobile responsive – Google prioritises websites that provide a good User Experience over those that don’t, and so if a site isn’t mobile responsive, Google is very unlikely to favourably rank it. In this instance, the webmaster should seek out a redesign of the site to ensure better accessibility.

Where to Get More Help with Google Ranking

At Woya Digital we have a whole team of SEO specialists who work around-the-clock on keeping up with Google’s latest updates and developments.

We work not just for but also with our customers to ensure their SEO goals are met and that their online presence works perfectly to fit their needs and wants, as well as the idiosyncrasies of their business and target audience.

Why You Must Include Long Tail Keywords In Your SEO Strategy

Why You Must Include Long Tail Keywords In Your SEO Strategy

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is not just a ‘nice to have’ marketing tool for businesses presenting online – it’s not an option! Showing up in the right place at the right time digitally for customers searching online, is critical for any organisation wishing to gain competitive advantage, remain relevant and grow its audience.

The discipline of SEO covers a wide of variety of topics, but a prominent one is keywords. Here specifically we’re going to flesh out long tail keywords!

What Are Long Tail Keywords?

Most keywords refer to a single word or couple of words that match together to create a searchable phrase that users type into a search engine in order to find results. Long tail keywords are formed of between three and five words usually (though no such numeric limit actually exists) and are, by their nature therefore, more specific and less common.

The term ‘long tail keyword’ comes from a book called The Long Tail by Chris Anderson, which focuses on the niche of markets and products, and how successful focusing on a specific sector or area can be.

For example, a standard keyword search may be ‘pink trainers’ but a long tail keyword search would be ‘pink Nike trainers size 5’.

How Do Long Tail Keywords Work?

The longer nature of long tail keywords compared to briefer search terms means they are more specific and will as a result drill down more specific (and hopefully relevant) search results. For search engine users, they present an opportunity for more appropriate results and ideally, less clicks to find exactly what they want. For businesses, they present an opportunity to target more niche markets.

Generally speaking, long tail keywords are less competitive than more generic keywords because they’re designed to better reflect how users make queries. They are more likely to attract high-quality traffic to a website, which is likely to increase conversion rates.

Often, long tail keywords aren’t the first search query typed in by search engine users. It is not uncommon instead for users to type in a more generic search term, uncover generic results, and then use long tail keywords to drill down to more specific results.

How Do Keywords Form Part of an SEO Strategy?

Statistics suggest that over 70% of all search queries are now made using long tail keywords, with voice search being a key factor in consumer behaviour.

Users are more likely to use the same types of phrasing they would in colloquial speech, in such searches – an evolving behaviour recognised and catered for by Google with their focus on NLP (Neural Linguistic Programming) in search algorithms to produce relevant results. This high level of long tail keyword search means that including these keywords in an SEO strategy is imperative.

Long tail keywords should be used to create blog posts, web pages and other relevant content to explain the specific topics within the agreed product or service pillars of the business. Together, the relevant long tail keywords should create a cluster of information around each pillar topic, with the algorithms behind the search engines depending on these to connect users with exactly the details they’re looking for.

Once uploaded, businesses should monitor the performance of each piece of content and continue to produce relevant content around areas of both shortfall (to bridge the gap and supply info where it doesn’t already exist) and success (to continue to build upon the content that users find useful).

Long tail keywords should be focused on alongside other keyword types, as part of an overall concerted effort to improve a websites content quality and quantity.

Different Keyword Ranking Difficulty Levels

The most commonly used generic search terms, by their nature, have the most competition online. This means that it is difficult for businesses to rank highly for them.

Long tail keywords tend to be easier for businesses to rank highly for as they’re searched less and are considerably more specific. Generic search terms sit at the head of search, a tiny number of keywords with exceedingly high search volumes. Long tail keywords constitute millions of search terms all with very low search volumes. This leaves the opportunity for digital marketing and content production around long tail keywords to be more prevalent and more prosperous.

The type of keyword being used or focused on isn’t the only factor that contributes to the difficulty or ease of ranking. Other such determinants include the content type, the Domain Authority (DA) of the website on which the content is published and the links to and from the content piece.

How To Identify Relevant Keywords To Focus On

There are various tools for keyword research, all of which will advise of relevant keyword combinations (both generic and long tail), their competition levels, search volumes and CPC (Cost Per Click) fees. However, these research tools should be used with caution as oftentimes they are created independent of tangible human input and can be based around theory rather than actual user behaviour, particularly in fields where the relevant keywords may include an ambiguous word or phrase.

Ideally, once identified, businesses should look to target long tail keywords that are low in competition and high in volume.

It is not enough to just look up keywords and produce content including them. Instead, businesses should look to incorporate long tail keywords into a thorough SEO strategy that looks to improve all areas of a website’s accessibility and relevancy, and includes regular content creation as part of this.

At Woya Digital, we have a team of SEO experts who work on creating tailored SEO strategies to best improve our customers’ competitive advantage. Get in touch to learn more!

How Do Search Engines Work?

How Do Search Engines Work?

Just about the whole world now relies on online search engines to look up information, compare products and services, and search for … anything really!

To ‘Google’ has become a verb, the behaviour of looking something up online has become the norm for many in the quest for data and some 8.5 billion queries are made to Google every day.

But how do search engines work and how is best to take advantage of them to benefit your business?

What is a Search Engine?

When asked what a search engine actually is, many would simply respond with the name ‘Google’, but in fact there are many search engines and while all do slightly vary, their premise is the same.

A search engine is a software system designed to allow users to search the internet for specific information. This is usually done via a textual web search query, in which the user types keywords into the search engine and is presented with a line of results on a SERP (Search Engine Results Page). The results are usually provided ranked with the most likely to be accurate and useful for the user’s search queries.

While what we think of as search engines are often websites such as Google and Yahoo, such software also exists to search through the content of individual websites and databases.

How Do Search Engines Work

What Happens when a Search is Performed?

When a search is performed, the system reviews its index of web pages to find those it believes are relevant to the search. This judgment is carried out by a program known as a search engine algorithm, which identifies the most relevant results to the search query and then presents these search results on a SERP.

In most cases, the search engine will review its index of web pages regularly in order to ensure it is always presenting the most up-to-date content possible. It will also update its algorithm often in order to maintain current technology and continuously improve the results presented.

The time between the search query being input and the web page index being scoured for relevant results usually takes just seconds; and often just a fraction of a second.

What is a Search Engine Algorithm and What is its Purpose?

Lots is spoken about the algorithms used across search engines and social media but it seems that genuine understanding of them is very low.

A search engine algorithm is a computer program that runs on a collection of formulas to determine the quality and relevancy of a particular web page or advert to a keyword or phrase that may form part of a user’s search query.

The purpose of an algorithm is to provide the most appropriate search results possible for the user, which in turn result in the users being more likely to return to the search engine again and it being able to gain competitive advantage above others. For this reason, search engine algorithms are frequently updated and improved: with Google updating theirs an estimated twice a week minimum!

What are the Most Popular Search Engines?

Google holds over 92% of the world’s search engine market share, but there are other search engines that hold significant share in particular geographic locations. Bing, owned and operated by Microsoft, is considered the nearest competition to Google and holds around an 8% market share. Baidu is the third largest globally, but this is largely due to its dominance in China, where it holds around 73% of the total market. Generally speaking, any business looking to market in China or the surrounding territories needs to ensure they have tailored their search marketing practices to Baidu rather than Google.

Other major search engines include Yahoo, Yandex, Ask, DuckDuckGo, Naver, AOL and Seznam.

As a result of Google’s market dominance, most business’ search marketing and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) efforts focus toward it and it’s considered the status quo in the western world to tailor search strategies exclusively for this, with other search engines not considered a priority.

How Do Search Engines Differ?

While all search engines do run on the same basic premise of indexing websites and then carrying out the analysis of these websites using an algorithm to present appropriate results, they do vary in the way in which they carry out this analysis.

Google’s algorithm has developed hugely over the last ten or so years and now lands its focus on matching up the intent behind the search being made and the results, whereas Bing continues to spotlight on the keywords being used as a baseline.

Yahoo has been powered by Bing since 2011 and so displays search results using much of the same criteria as it. Yahoo places more importance on domain age than Bing, but similarly focuses on keywords and meta data.

In China, Google and all Google products are banned; leaving Baidu as the most important search engine in the country. While Baidu’s algorithms can be considered not entirely dissimilar to Google’s (there is a large amount of AI and intent-based calculations utilised), the system behind Baidu actually analyses web content to a higher degree than Google and so can take a little longer to update initially. Baidu really only works well in simplified Chinese and prioritises those domains registered in China above anything not local to the country or its borders; and is very heavy on censorship.

How Do Search Engines Provide Search Results So Fast?

Search engines are able to scour millions of sources for analysis and ranking in a fraction of a second in order to present adequate and appropriate search results, and the key to this speed is all based around its ability to index.

When a search engine crawlers ‘crawl’ and index the web, they essentially create a database for that search engine to use. This negates the need for them to search the entire internet every time a query is made and instead provides their own resource to search through.

Consider being asked for a chow mein recipe, rather than go and take out every book in the library on Asian cuisine and leaf through them, you can grab the most appropriate title, skip to the index and look up ‘chow mein’ under C. With everything already well categorised, it’s considerably easier and quicker for the search algorithms behind-the-scenes to categorise and analyse the information at hand.

Google won’t comment on the exact size of its indexed internet records but has admitted that it’s over 100 million gigabytes in size, and realistically, it’s probably several times that. To give you an idea of how big that is, it’s 100,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes! However, it’s worth noting that only a handful of people employed by Google have a true idea of the exact technology behind the Google index, and many of those working on search algorithms aren’t informed on how all areas of the business work together to produce the results they do.

How to Tell Search Engines to Crawl your Website

For a website to appear on a search engine, it must be included in the system’s ongoing list of indexed pages; or it is not able to analyse it for relevant content when a search query is made.

Firstly, any ‘noindex’ tags from the coding and programming of the website must be removed. These tags direct search engines to bypass the domain’s content and so don’t allow search engine bots to ‘crawl’ the pages and add it to their index. Businesses may wish to keep these tags in place until their website content is complete, but at this point should remove them entirely.

In order to optimise the way search engine algorithms are able to crawl a site, it should have a site map and a full robot.txt file.

For Google indexing, websites can be submitted directly to the search engine using the Google Search Console. Domain ownership will need to be verified.

For Bing indexing, websites can also be submitted directly through their Bing Webmaster Tools: and if a Google Search Console entry already exists, this can be copied straight across. Submissions to Bing automatically index to Yahoo, too.

DuckDuckGo automatically indexes the internet and so doesn’t require any formal submission, although it prioritises those results on Bing, and so if a Bing submission has been made, it will be picked up quicker than those not listed on that system.

To index a site to Baidu, a localised site in simplified Chinese with either a .com or .cn domain will need to be created. This can then be submitted directly through Baidu Webmaster Tools.

Where to Get Help with Search Engine Optimization

If you’re not sure which search engine is best to target your SEO and search marketing practices toward, or think that you may need to branch out a little with your efforts, get in touch with Woya Digital. Our in-house team of SEO experts can help advise, guide and draw up a strategy to maximise exposure and success online.

 

What is Search Intent in SEO, and Why Does It Matter?

What is Search Intent in SEO, and Why Does It Matter?

The practice of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is growing ever more comprehensive as the programming and algorithms behind search engines become cleverer and more complex.

At the heart of this all is the need for search engines to present the most relevant possible search results for users, and it’s this that they base all of their systems and processes around.

Search intent forms the basis from this and from there, all efforts are focused.

Search Intent User Intent Audience Intent

What is Search Intent?

Search intent, also sometimes referred to as user intent or audience intent, describes the purpose for an online search taking place.

The reason that anyone conducts a search online likely dictates the most appropriate results for it. For example: is the user looking for information? Do they want to make a purchase? Are they searching for a particular brand name and only that website will do? The user’s search intent is the ‘why’ behind the action being completed.

The Four Types of Search Intent

There are four primary types of different search intent, each with its own purpose. These are:

Informational

Those conducting informational searches are looking to find some specific information. These searches are often, but not always, framed as questions, with informational keywords, and can be simple or fairly complex. Searches made with informational intent include those such as:

–        What is the capital of Morocco?

–        Directions to London Luton Airport

–        How does blockchain work?

–        How do you say hello in Mandarin Chinese?

Navigational

A search made with navigational intent is done to find a specific website or web page. The user already knows where they want to go but either don’t know the URL to type in directly to the address bar or find it quicker or easier to search for it instead with navigational keywords. Searches made with navigational intent include those such as:

–        Twitter

–        Peugeot official website

–        LinkedIn login

–        BBC news headlines.

Transactional

A user searching with transactional intent is looking to make a purchase and in many cases, already know what it is they’d like to buy and are looking for a retailer to buy it from. Searches made with transactional keywords include those such as:

–        Buy MCFC kit

–        Newest iPad cheap

–        John Lewis coupon

–        Zoom pro subscription.

Commercial Investigation

When a user is searching with commercial intent, they are also looking to make a purchase but have not yet decided which specific product or service they’re going to buy. This is part of the user journey online ahead of a transactional search, and may find the user searching for reviews and comparisons as they seek to make an informed purchase decision. Searches made with commercial investigative intent include those such as:

–        Best vegan eyeliner

–        Macbook Pro review

–        Plumber near me

–        Trustpilot vs Feefo.

Why is Search Intent Important?

Google’s number one goal is matching search intent of their users with relevant search results, in order to ensure they are providing as accurate and appropriate search result pages as possible, to continue their reign as the most successful search engine in the world.

When content on a website is properly tailored toward an audience’s search intent rather than simply whatever message it is the business wants to convey, they are able to meet their user’s needs by satisfying search intent: demonstrating relevancy, authenticity and helpfulness to Google’s algorithms. These factors all feed into the overall SEO ranking and are likely to boost the position of the webpage, as well as increase conversions and time spent on the domain as well as lowering bounce rate.

Realistically, if a business isn’t able to adapt and create content to meet the needs of user’s search intent, they’ll find that they’re unable to cater appropriately for their target audience, and that audience will move to other online domains, including likely those of their competitors.

How to Identify Search Intent

Search intent can often be identified through the language used in the search. For example, the word ‘buy’ is only likely to be present in a search made with transactional intent, and ‘how to’ in a search with informational intent.

Generally speaking, you can determine the search intent behind a search if it includes the following language:

Informational intent: who, what, where, when, why, how, guide, tutorial, resource, ideas, tips, learn, examples.

Navigational intent: brand name, product name, service name.

Transactional intent: best, good, top, review, testimonial, comparison, product attribute (such as colour/size/specific feature).

Commercial investigative intent: buy, coupon, voucher, order, shop, purchase, price, cheap.

Of course, this isn’t necessarily accurate at all times dependent on the exact phrasing of the search, but it forms a good guideline. If a business is using a keyword research tool they may be able to filter relevant search terms by intent.

 Google’s Guidelines on Search Intent

Google has provided exact guidelines on search intent and how webmasters can and should understand and work with it. These are known as the Google Quality Raters Guidelines.

Google employs quality raters who conduct search queries online before rating how appropriate and accurate the results they are served with were for their search intent. The guidelines that inform these raters highlight the importance of search intent along with the different types of intent and the impetus that Google puts onto intent, but explains that intent may vary between location, time and device.

For example, a search for a supermarket on a mobile device is likely to be a user looking for a nearby location, but on a desktop or laptop computer is more likely to be intended for an online order. When the search is made early in the morning or late at night, it’s more likely to be an enquiry for opening hours. The intent varies based on the way in which the search is made.

All of this signifies the prestige that Google holds behind user search intent, and how it builds its algorithms and systems around it to meet these needs. This includes the introduction of the Google BERT update in 2019 which focused on natural linguistic programming to inform the search engine of the intent behind the search and help more accurately convey appropriate results.

How to Optimise to Meet Search Intent Needs

Businesses can best analyse and optimise their digital presence to meet user search intent needs through collaborative working with an SEO specialist. At Woya Digital, we have a team of SEO expert professionals in-house who analyse business’ web presence entirely bespoke: taking on each job as an individual entity and never applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

We can help you meet the needs of both your potential and existing customers online through content optimisation to meet the needs of their search intent – raising your organisation’s profile, rank and success online all at the same time.