Keyword Intent
Keyword intent is the underlying goal behind a search. The four standard categories are informational, navigational, commercial investigation and transactional. Matching your page format and depth to the intent behind a query matters far more than matching the keyword itself.
Why it matters for your rankings
Intent mismatch is the most common reason a well-written page fails to rank. If every result for a query is a comparison table and you published a long essay, no amount of optimisation will fix the format mismatch.
It also determines commercial value. Informational queries build audience and authority but rarely convert immediately. Transactional queries convert but carry far lower volume and much higher competition. Building a content plan without separating these produces either traffic that never converts or a handful of impossible target terms and nothing in between. The reliable way to read intent is not to theorise about it but to look at what Google already rewards for that exact query.
How to check it on your site
Read the SERP for each target
Search the query and note what formats dominate: guides, product pages, comparisons, videos or local results. Match that format.
Classify your keyword list
Tag every target as informational, navigational, commercial or transactional before writing anything.
Check your existing pages match
A service page targeting an informational query, or a blog post targeting a buying query, is a mismatch worth fixing.
Balance the mix
A healthy plan covers all four tiers, with informational content feeding the commercial pages through internal links.