Search Intent.

Search Intent (also: User Intent) is the goal a user pursues with their search query. Google understands the intent behind a search better and better and displays matching result types. There are four main types: Informational (the user wants information, e.g., 'What is SEO?'), Navigational (the user is looking for a specific website, e.g., 'DLM Digital'), Transactional (the user wants to buy/act, e.g., 'book web design agency Zurich'), and Commercial Investigation (the user is comparing before a decision, e.g., 'best SEO agency Zurich').

Why is Search Intent so important? If your content doesn't match the search intent, it won't rank — no matter how well it's optimized. A blog post about 'What does web design cost?' answers an informational intent. If you show a sales page instead, Google won't rank you because the intent doesn't match. Always analyze the top 10 results for your target keyword: Does Google show blog posts, product pages, comparisons, or local results? That reveals the dominant intent.

For Swiss SMEs, Search Intent is particularly crucial in content planning: Create the right content type for each phase of the customer journey. Informational: blog articles and glossary entries. Commercial: comparison pages and case studies. Transactional: optimized service pages with CTAs. Navigational: strong brand and clear website structure. DLM Digital analyzes search intent before every content project — ensuring your content reaches the right audience.