Decoding Search Intent: Leveraging Transactional Keywords for Success

As far as I remember, it was one of my first few sales calls in my digital marketing career. I was sitting in a meeting room with four directors of a Gurugram-based solar panel manufacturing company, all of them twice my age. Obviously, I was nervous and excited as well. In the first five minutes, I asked them: “What specific goals are you hoping to achieve through digital marketing?”

Before I could elaborate on my question further, one of the directors said, “We want to be number one when people search for ‘solar panel.’ How soon can we achieve it?”

I asked him a follow-up question, “Sir, why do you want to be on top for ‘solar panel’? The buyers most probably won’t search for this term; instead, they can search ‘solar panel manufacturers.'”

It was a long debate, and in fact, three other directors agreed with me. Of course, it was not a good day. I came back directly home, opened my laptop, and searched “solar panel.” I found that the first result was Wikipedia describing how a solar panel works, along with other sites like government subsidies in the top spots.

This confirmed my expertise in understanding search intent. I knew that “solar panel” is an informational search term, not one that typically drives direct sales. Recognizing the different types of search terms is crucial in crafting an effective digital marketing strategy.

So, even if you are not a digital marketer, it would benefit you to know the right type of search term for your business. Let’s dive deeper into the world of search intent and how leveraging transactional keywords can pave the way for your digital success.

Here is the list of types of keywords. At the end, I will share a secret way to determine what kind of a keyword is.

Understanding Types of Keywords

Keywords are the backbone of digital marketing campaigns, making it crucial to choose the right ones. To do so, it’s essential to first understand the different types of keywords.

As a digital marketer, I’ve learned that deciphering the search intent behind each keyword is essential. This understanding helps in creating targeted and relevant content that meets the users’ needs at different stages of their journey.

Here is the list of types of keywords. Ultimately, I will share a magical way to determine what kind of a keyword is.

Informational Search

Informational search keywords are used by individuals seeking to gain knowledge or learn more about a specific topic. They may not necessarily want to purchase it but just to know about it.

For Examples

• How do solar panels work?
• Benefits of using solar energy
• History of solar technology
• What are solar panels made of?

How Do You Use Informational Keywords?

For any business, informational searches can be a great way to start content marketing for your brand but difficult to generate sales. People use these keywords when conducting research, often starting with “why,” “how,” and “what.”

By employing a content marketing strategy that focuses on solving problems with useful and informational content, you can build an effective marketing funnel. This type of content will attract a broad audience, and some of these visitors may eventually become customers.

For example, a blog post on the benefits of solar panels can draw in many readers, and some of them may become interested in your products. These potential customers might then reach out to you, leading to sales conversions and, ultimately, a purchase.

This is the complete cycle of how businesses can leverage informational search keywords to their advantage.

Navigational Search

Navigational search keywords are used when someone is looking for a specific website. These users already know where they want to go but need help finding the exact URL.

For Examples:

• Nebula Infotech website
• Facebook login page
• YouTube home
• Amazon customer service

How Do You Use Navigational Keywords?

Navigational search is an essential keyword to rank for if you want your branding to be top-notch. If someone is searching for your brand and cannot find your website, it leaves a poor impression.

The best strategy to rank for this keyword is to have your homepage optimized for it. Additionally, you need a sitemap and strong internal navigation and directory architecture for your website to ensure that customers do not feel lost.

Similarly, when Google bots crawl your website, a well-structured site makes it easier for them to navigate and rank your pages for relevant keywords. This type of optimization helps visitors find what they are looking for quickly, making them more likely to engage with your brand and become customers.

For example, optimizing your site for keywords like “Nebula Infotech contact” or “Nebula Infotech services” can help users who are specifically looking for your business find the exact page they need. These visitors are already familiar with your brand and have a higher likelihood of converting into customers once they reach the right page.

Transactional Search

This keyword is a strong indicator that someone wants to purchase a product from you. These users are ready to buy, sign up, or take some form of direct action. Being a digital marketing agency, we love transactional keywords :).

For Examples:

• Buy solar panels online
• Solar panel installation services near me
• Best deals on solar panels
• Order solar panel maintenance

How Do You Use Transactional Keywords?

For any business, transactional searches are critical for driving direct conversions. These keywords indicate a strong intent to complete a transaction or take a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a service.

By targeting transactional keywords, you can attract users who are ready to convert, increasing your chances of turning visitors into customers.

You need to optimize your product pages, service descriptions, and call-to-action buttons to boost the conversion rate.

For example, keywords like “buy solar panels online” or “solar panel installation services near me” attract users who are ready to make a purchase. These potential customers are more likely to reach out to you, leading to higher sales conversions and, ultimately, a purchase.

Commercial Search

Commercial search keywords are used by individuals when they are researching a specific product. They may be comparing options, looking for reviews, and evaluating the product or service to meet their needs.

Examples:

• Best solar panels 2024
• Solar panel reviews
• Top solar panel brands
• Compare solar panel prices

How Do You Use Commercial Keywords?

For any business, commercial searches are crucial for attracting potential customers who are in the consideration phase of their buying journey. These keywords indicate that users are comparing options, reading reviews, and evaluating products or services before making a decision.

For any business, commercial searches are crucial for attracting potential customers who are in the consideration phase of their buying journey.

These keywords indicate that users are comparing options, reading reviews, and evaluating products or services before deciding.

By targeting commercial keywords, you can capture the attention of users who are researching and showcase your product as a potential option. Creating content that highlights the benefits of your products, offers comparisons, and provides detailed reviews can help you stand out and persuade potential customers to choose your brand.

For example, keywords like “best solar panels”, “solar panel reviews”, and “top solar panel brands” attract users who are actively evaluating their options. These visitors are more likely to engage with your content, build trust in your brand, and eventually make a purchase.

Importance of User Search Intent in SEO

Understanding user intent is essential to build a cornerstone SEO Strategies. Before launching any campaign, it’s crucial to grasp what your audience is searching for and why. Let me explain why this is so important:

Improved User Experience

When users search for keywords on Google, the probability of them clicking on the first 5-8 links is highest. If you rank at this level on Google SERPs, you will improve the user experience.

When users find relevant and useful information quickly, they are more likely to stay longer, engage more deeply, and return in the future.

If a user searches for “how to install solar panels,” providing a detailed guide with step-by-step instructions, videos, and images will satisfy their informational need and keep them engaged.

Higher Conversion Rates

When you target a keyword with search intent in mind, you’ll achieve a higher conversion rate. When your content matches what users are looking for, whether it’s to make a purchase, sign up for a service, or contact your business, the chances of conversion increase significantly.

Optimizing for transactional keywords like “buy solar panels online” or “solar panel installation services ” targets users ready to make a purchase, leading to higher conversion rates.

Enhanced Content Relevance

Google bots only rank web pages that match the user’s search intent. Creating content that matches search intent ensures that your website remains relevant to the queries your audience is using. Search engines prioritize relevant content, which means your site is more likely to rank higher if it directly addresses the user’s search intent.

For a search like “benefits of solar energy,” an article outlining the various advantages, supported by data and real-life examples, will be seen as highly relevant and rank better.

Reduced Bounce Rate

When visitors find what they are looking for immediately, they are less likely to leave your site quickly. A lower bounce rate signals to search engines that your content is valuable and relevant, which can positively impact your rankings.

Competitive Advantage

Understanding and leveraging user search intent can set you apart from competitors. You build trust and authority in your industry by delivering precisely what users need, making your site the go-to resource for information and solutions.

You can gain a great competitive advantage by becoming a powerhouse of knowledge on your target keywords.

For instance, If your competitors are not addressing the specific needs of users searching for “best solar panels for residential use,” but your site provides in-depth reviews and comparisons, you gain a competitive edge and attract more traffic.

What Keyword to Choose for Your Business?

Now, the most important question comes and that is what are the keywords you should choose for your business.

Choosing the right keywords for your business may make or break your SEO campaigns. Here’s a detailed guide on how to select the most effective keywords:

Understand Your Audience

To determine the search intent behind a keyword, you first need to understand your audience. A practical approach is to use Google itself: search the term you want to rank for and examine the results Google displays.

Analyzing these results lets you identify the search intent and define your content creation goals accordingly. This process involves developing detailed buyer personas that encompass demographics, interests, pain points, and search behaviors.

Identify Your Goals

Clearly define what you want to achieve with your SEO strategy. Your goals will influence the types of keywords you choose. Common goals include increasing website traffic, generating leads, boosting sales, or building brand awareness.

If your goal is to increase website traffic, creating content around informational keywords is often more effective, as it attracts a larger and broader audience. To generate leads, focus on commercial keywords that are likely to drive high-intent users. For brand awareness, concentrate on creating buzz around your brand and work on ranking your brand-specific keywords higher.

Conduct Keyword Research

Conducting detailed keyword research will help you identify the most effective keywords to target. When doing SEO for a new website, it can be challenging to rank for competitive keywords because Google may not yet trust the site. If Google doesn’t trust the site, visitors are likely to be skeptical as well.

During keyword research, you should aim to find opportunistic keywords, those with less competition, that can help you achieve higher rankings. An alternative strategy is to create a buzz on social media to build brand awareness and generate curiosity. This can encourage people to search for your brand on Google.

Evaluate Keyword Performance

The performance of every organic SEO campaign is not guaranteed, but with the right optimization and by evaluating important KPIs, you can identify effective keywords and improve your rankings.

This involves tracking metrics such as search rankings, organic traffic, and conversion rates. Tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can help you monitor keyword performance and adjust your strategy based on the data you gather.

Focus on Different Types of Keywords

There are various types of keywords you can use in your content to improve your rankings. When analyzing keywords, you’ll discover several categories, such as long-tail keywords and LSI keywords. Leveraging these types of keywords helps Google understand your business better.

Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that often have lower search volumes but higher conversion rates. Additionally, incorporating location-based keywords can further enhance your visibility.