Consider the following statements:

• Best dog breed to adopt.
• What is a blockchain?
• Buy t-shirts.
• Café near me.
• Free online courses.

You may have used the same formats whenever you searched for something on Google. But have you ever wondered how it displays the same result that you wanted it to show?

I mean, whenever you search for ice cream parlors near you, Google will show you places where you can buy ice-creams instead of displaying the process to make one.

Well, we do concentrate on adverbs and verbs associated with a particular noun to understand the hidden purpose of a statement. But do search engines also have some tricks up its sleeve to understand the intent of the search?

The answer is yes. Google uses an algorithm called Hummingbird to understand the intention of a search query and display results related to it.

Also read: Guide Of Major Google Algorithms to Acquire Summit of Result Pages

What are intent modifiers?

To improve results related to search engine optimization and reach the right audience, it is essential to understand the intent behind a search query and implement them in business.

The words that people use while searching for something describe what they want to do with it. These words are called intent modifiers and signals search engines about their objective associated with the product/service they are searching about.

Are they going to buy it, or are they just gathering information about it? These types of questions can be easily answered by understanding the verbs they use during searching.

By studying and effectively using these intent modifiers with keywords a business can modify its content to suit different stages of its marketing funnel to boost its conversion rate.

Some of the common intent modifiers that searchers use are:

• Information based intent modifiers: Gathering information is the most rudimentary usage of search engines. People spend too much time on Google to search for something then they realize. It offers a crisp solution to their problem or just feed their curiosity. Words that form easy questions like what, how, why, or when falls under the category of information based intent modifiers. There are also many other modifiers that can be used based on the nature of the search inquiry. In the example, we looked in the beginnings of the blog, “What is blockchain?” is a search query based on information intent modifier. This query will simply influence Google to show all the relevant links related to content that can fulfill the need of searcher to learn about blockchain. These types of modifiers can be used to develop powerful keywords that can be used in compelling content which can help you to acquire more leads, increase your brand authority, or boost your SERP ranking.
• Commercial based intent modifiers: Consider this example: Top 10 PPC agencies in India. In the above statement, the word “top” is a commercial based intent modifier. These type of intent are also called commercial investigating intents. People use this type of modifiers when they are confused to choose from different options available to them. They undergo a comparative analysis and are interested only in a specific attribute of a product. They will use words like best, compare, deals, or reviews for their research to surface more precise information and choose from the best. These intent modifiers can then be used to develop content that can help you build their interest and trust in your brand.
• Purchase based intent modifiers: People buy things online and surf the internet in order to find the best purchase. They use purchase based intent modifiers when they are ready to make a purchase. These types of modifiers are directly linked with the transaction of a product. These searchers are most likely to convert and generally use words that are related to a financial transaction like buy, purchase, affordable, cheap, price, or free. People also search for free items on the internet. Thus, many online service providers also give free samples of their services and product. Landing pages that allow users to transact directly are most likely to be displayed on the top of the search engine for these types of intent modifiers.
• Navigation based intent modifiers: Do a simple task. Open a new tab, search Facebook, and come back. The first link must have been the URL that leads to the Facebook site. People generally do this in order to get to a specific website. Having a good SEO rank is important to benefit from this type of intent modifier. If your site is the site people are looking for, they will definitely open your URL without thinking twice.
• Location-based intent modifiers: This is self-explanatory. People search for stores, cafes, or any other spot near them to easily travel to the nearest destination without going through a hassle to find them manually. “Near me” is the favorite location-based intent modifier that is used by people to find local results. Organizations working on their local SEO generally incorporate this modifier to boost their local ranking.

How targeting intent of a search query benefit SEO results?

Search intent is a crucial part when it comes to search engine optimization. Content optimized with intent is more likely to be displayed to a more relevant and targeted audience.

A person can also optimize its website based on different intent modifiers which will increase its chances to reach a wider audience.

As people get what they want they are more likely to stay, which will decrease the bounce rate of your website and improve total number of views.

CLOSURE:

It can be quite hard to determine the intent of a search query. It is often better to develop good pieces of content infused with information and commercial intent modifiers scattered over multiple platforms that link back to a purchase transaction page.

Intent modifiers are a powerful tool which when understood clearly can help to develop powerful keywords for your website and meet your SEO requirements.