Glossary
Intent : Informational
Search-intent type where the user wants to understand, learn or get informed, with no immediate purchase goal. Often phrased as an open question.
Concrete example
"How does a ventless air conditioner work?", "What do BTUs actually mean?"
Why it matters
Informational intents dominate the top of funnel and are heavily served by generative engines. Being present there builds notoriety before the buying moment.
Related terms
- Intent: commercial investigation
Intent where the user compares offers, brands or models before deciding. Neither pure informational (close to purchase) nor pure transactional (not yet buying).
- Intent : Transactional
Search intent with a clearly anticipated action or purchase. Often contains an action verb ("buy", "order", "download", "book") or a modifier ("price", "cheap", "promo code").
- Intent : Navigational
Search intent where the user wants to reach a specific brand, site or page they already know. The brand appears explicitly in the phrasing.