AI for Bloggers & SEO8 minLesson 31 of 60
Keyword Research and Search Intent Basics
SEO writing starts before the writing. A perfect article aimed at the wrong query ranks for nothing. The job is to find what people search for, understand why they search it, and only then write the piece that answers it better than what already ranks.
Keyword vs intent
A keyword is the phrase typed in. The intent is the goal behind it. "Best running shoes" wants a comparison; "how to clean running shoes" wants a tutorial; "running shoes near me" wants a shop. Same words, totally different pages. Match the page to the intent or you lose before you start.
The four classic intents
- Informational: learn something ("what is cold brew").
- Navigational: find a specific site or page.
- Commercial: compare before buying ("best espresso machine under 500").
- Transactional: ready to act ("buy x").
Let the results reveal the intent
Search your target phrase and look at what ranks. If the page-one results are all listicles, the searcher wants a list, not your essay. The current results are the clearest signal of what readers and the engine expect.