Google Search Ads revolve around the strategic use of keywords & the keyword intent.
Keywords are the foundation that determines where your ad will appear in search results. Selecting the right keywords (and the appropriate keyword match type) can significantly influence the outcome of your campaigns, affecting everything from the volume and quality of clicks to the cost per click.
A key aspect of selecting the right keywords is deeply understanding their intent.
In this post, we’ll explore why understanding keyword intent is vital and how you can harness this knowledge to choose more effective keywords and maximize their potential.
What Is Search Intent?
Search intent refers to the underlying purpose behind a user’s search query.
Are they seeking information?
Are they ready to make a purchase?
Are they comparing two products or looking for reviews?
While some keywords might cater to various intents depending on the searcher—especially broad keywords like “Google Ads”—a combination of thorough research, intuition, and contextual analysis can help you discern what users are aiming to find with specific keywords.
This understanding allows you to choose the most suitable keywords for your campaigns, craft relevant ad copy, and optimize your campaigns for better performance.
Understanding the Key Differences Between “Commercial” & “Informational” Intent Keywords
A fundamental aspect of search intent that every business using Google Ads should grasp is the distinction between “commercial” and “informational” keywords.
Commercial keywords indicate a sales or purchase intent. When users search with these keywords, they are researching a potential buying decision. This could involve learning more about a specific product or exploring various solutions to a problem they need to solve.
On the other hand, informational keywords are used when someone is merely seeking information. These users aren’t interested in making a purchase—at least not yet—and are simply looking for answers to their questions.
Sometimes, the difference between commercial and informational intent can be subtle.
For example, if someone searches for “local car repair service,” they are likely looking for a nearby auto shop. They want to find and compare different repair services, probably with the intention of scheduling an appointment. This search is high-intent and commercial.
However, if someone searches for “car maintenance tips,” they’re only seeking information. They might be looking for advice on how to keep their vehicle in good condition or tutorials on specific maintenance tasks like changing the oil. In this case, they aren’t actively looking to book a service. It’s worth noting that content marketing can capture these users and eventually guide them toward scheduling a service, but purchasing is not their immediate goal.
A few letters can make a significant difference, and in some cases, Google may not accurately differentiate between the two if you’re using broad match keywords.
Incorporating a deep understanding of these nuances in your keyword strategy can help you better target your audience and drive more effective ad campaigns.
Why Understanding Google Ads Keyword Intent is Crucial
Understanding the potential intent behind different Google Ads keywords is vital for your success on the platform.
It can:
- Help you target the right keywords that align with what high-intent users are searching for and provide content that meets those search needs.
- Yield higher quality scores, click-through rates (CTR), and conversion rates due to more relevant campaigns.
- Identify and target high-value conversion keywords that are likely to drive higher-than-average order values or lead quality.
- Enable you to create strong negative keyword lists, ensuring your ads don’t appear in placements that are less likely to convert.
Failing to correctly interpret search intent can lead to overspending on keywords that might attract clicks but are unlikely to convert. This is the last thing you want and can cause your campaigns to falter while you troubleshoot the issue.
How to Understand Google Ads Keyword Intent
Google Ads keyword intent is crucial—but how do you determine exactly what users are seeking when they search for each keyword?
Some aspects of keyword intent come down to common sense and context analysis (which we’ll discuss shortly), but effective research strategies can also make a significant difference.
To begin, create a list of potential keywords that you believe are a good fit for your brand. For detailed guidance on this, refer to our Keyword Research Guide from Moz
Search for the Keyword & Analyze the Results
One of the quickest and most reliable ways to understand the general search intent behind a keyword is to go directly to the source—Google it yourself.
The results that appear and the types of content displayed will give you a clear idea of what people are looking for when they search.
For instance, when someone searches for “gourmet chocolate truffles,” they’re likely to see Shopping and text-based Search Ads for chocolate truffles. The organic results will also likely reflect a commercial intent, with top-ranking content such as “best chocolate” review guides.
These results indicate that most users are looking for information about what to buy and where to buy it, demonstrating a high-value commercial intent.
On the other hand, if you search for “DIY car repair,” you’ll likely find a long list of guides and tutorials. This search suggests an informational intent. While some users might purchase tools or parts from your site to perform the repairs themselves, their primary interest is in learning how to fix their vehicle.
Important Tip: Focus on organic search results rather than just the PPC results. Organic results provide the best indication of what most users want to see, helping you avoid situations where Google might misinterpret broad match keywords.
For example, someone searching for “local plumber” is likely looking for a plumbing service in their area. However, this search might trigger an ad for a plumbing certification course—a less relevant result. While this is uncommon, it can happen in Google Ads, but it’s much less likely to occur in organic results.
Use Google’s Keyword Planner to Add Filters
Google’s Keyword Planner is a valuable (and free!) tool for keyword research.
One useful feature for discovering potential search intent is the “Refine keywords filter,” located on the right side of the dashboard.
These filters vary for each keyword, providing insights into the seed keyword you’re researching and its general intent.
For example, consider the term “laptop deals.” The available filters include options to find related branded keywords, non-branded keywords, and specific models or brands. These filters suggest that the keyword has a commercial intent, as they focus on specific products and offers.
Now, compare this with the keyword “how to choose the right laptop for school.” This long-tail, question-based keyword clearly indicates informational intent.
To verify this, check the keyword filters: you’ll primarily find non-branded keywords with few product-focused filters. This confirms that it’s not a commercial intent keyword.
Additionally, you can use these filters to discover new potential keywords or identify irrelevant ones to add to your negative keyword list.
Look at Cost & Competition
While not entirely foolproof, analyzing the cost and competition levels of individual keywords can provide valuable insights into keyword intent.
High-intent, valuable commercial keywords typically command higher bids. Advertisers are willing to pay more for these keywords, especially at the lower end of the bidding range, reflecting their high value. Similarly, higher competition often leads to higher costs.
Google’s Keyword Planner provides data on the number of monthly searches for each keyword, as well as its cost and competition for pay-per-click (PPC). This information is crucial, as it reveals the investment level for keywords, which differs between organic content marketing and PPC campaigns.
Reminder: Not every high-value, high-cost commercial intent keyword will necessarily be suitable for your brand. Continuously monitor keyword performance to ensure that your investment aligns with your campaign goals.
Consider the Context
One of the most effective approaches to understanding search intent is using common sense and context clues to figure out what users are likely searching for when they enter a specific keyword into Google.
There’s no absolute rule, like “all long-tail keywords have informational intent.”
For instance, long-tail keywords like “best budget smartphones” or “top-rated New York electricians” are high-intent despite being longer phrases. These can be effectively leveraged with well-targeted ads.
Many question-based keywords may seem informational, such as “how to improve smartphone battery life,” but they still indicate solid intent. The user might be in a consideration or research phase. In such cases, a well-timed blog post might be more effective than a sales-heavy landing page to capture and nurture these users.
When analyzing keywords, consider why a user might enter a specific search and what their underlying needs could be. With practice, this approach becomes easier and more accurate over time.
4 Tips to Better Reach Relevant Audiences
Want to reach more relevant, higher-quality, higher-converting audiences with your newfound search intent knowledge? Here are four tips to elevate your keyword strategy:
- Eliminate Irrelevant Keywords: During your search intent research, you’ll likely identify some keywords that aren’t a fit for your campaigns. If they’re close to the keywords you are targeting or if you’re using broad match keywords, add them to a negative keyword list. This will help prevent low-intent or irrelevant searches from triggering your ads.
- Stick to Phrase Match and Exact Match Keywords: Especially when launching new campaigns, consider using phrase and exact match keywords. These options increase the likelihood of reaching the right audience and ranking for the right keywords. Once these campaigns perform well, you can explore using broad match keywords to discover more potential keywords but monitor them closely.
- Utilize Information-Based Keywords Elsewhere: Some keywords may not fit your Google Ads campaigns because users aren’t searching for something you offer. However, great information-based keywords can be perfect for content marketing strategies or SEO campaigns. Don’t disregard them just because they’re not a match for your ads.
- Always Test Your Theories: Testing is a critical aspect of every Google Ads campaign, including your approach to keyword intent. Sometimes, keywords will surprise you—broad match keywords might deliver results, while even your most researched keywords might underperform. Watch for signs of misaligned intent, such as high clicks but low conversions, which could indicate a landing page or targeting issue or a mismatch in search intent.
Final Comments
It’s tempting to think that any relevant keyword could benefit your Search Ad or Shopping Ad campaigns, but curating a list of relevant, high-intent keywords is the most effective way to drive stronger leads, more sales, and a better ROAS.
Make use of both standard keyword lists and negative keyword lists, and opt for exact match or phrase match keywords when testing new lists to get a better sense of performance.
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