Search Intent
Search intent is the underlying goal a user has when typing a query into a search engine. The four primary types are: informational (learning something), navigational (finding a specific page), commercial investigation (comparing options), and transactional (ready to buy or act). Matching your content to search intent is the most important on-page SEO factor.
Why Search Intent Matters for SaaS Companies
If your page does not match search intent, it will not rank — regardless of how good the content is. A detailed product page will not rank for 'what is churn rate' (informational intent). A blog post will not rank for 'churn calculator' (transactional intent). Google has gotten extremely good at identifying intent. For Seed to Series B companies, correctly mapping content types to intent types is the foundation of a working SEO strategy.
An Operator's Take
The biggest SEO mistake I see SaaS companies make is creating product pages for informational queries. Someone searching 'what is net revenue retention' wants to learn — they are not ready to buy anything. Give them a comprehensive educational page (like this glossary) and earn their trust. The commercial pages (/tools, comparison guides) target commercial and transactional intent. Each content type has its place in the funnel. This glossary targets informational intent. The comparison pages target commercial intent. The tools target transactional intent. Match the content to the intent.
Common Mistakes
What I see go wrong at Seed to Series B companies.
Creating sales-focused content for informational keywords. If someone is searching 'what is X,' they want education, not a product pitch.
Not checking what currently ranks for a keyword. The top 10 results reveal what Google thinks the intent is — match that format.
Ignoring commercial investigation intent. Keywords like 'best [category] tools' or '[X] vs [Y]' indicate someone comparing options — create content that helps them compare.
What to Do This Week
Concrete steps you can take right now.
For your target keywords, Google each one and analyze the top 5 results. What content type ranks? (Blog post, tool, product page, comparison?) That is the intent.
Map your existing content to intent types. Identify gaps — are you missing informational content, commercial comparison content, or transactional pages?
Create content that matches intent for your highest-priority keywords. Do not try to make one page serve multiple intents.
Related Resources
Try These Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you determine search intent for a keyword?
Google the keyword and analyze the top 5-10 results. If they are all blog posts and guides, the intent is informational. If they are product pages and tools, the intent is transactional. If they are comparison articles and review roundups, the intent is commercial investigation. The SERP itself is Google telling you what intent it has identified.
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