How Understanding Search Intent Can Transform Your Digital Strategy
I’m new to cycling, and recently, I found myself in search of the perfect bicycle to get me around my Seattle neighborhood. My journey began on Google a few months back with a series of search queries including “choosing the right bike,” “best hybrid bike,” and then more recently with “bike shops in West Seattle,” followed by the inevitable deep dive into cycling gear. It turns out, I’m part of the 8.5 billion searches Google processes daily, each fueled by individual stories and needs.
This personal journey through search is one many of us navigate and it got me thinking about human curiosity and intent, specifically what search behavior can tell us and how it can inform digital strategies.
What is Search Intent?
Our Director of Digital Strategy, Brittany Smith, describes search intent as “a valuable tool in learning where your audience falls in their customer journey. It can inform if your audience has just identified a problem, if they’re comparing options, or if they’re ready to take action.” Search intent is the purpose behind a search query. It’s what motivates someone to turn to a search engine: to find information, locate a website, make a purchase, or compare products. For instance, a search for “best bike paths in Seattle” signifies (to Google or Bing) my desire to immerse myself in the local cycling scene like a true newbie. If I were crafting the digital strategy for a local bike shop, this insight could guide me to create targeted content or promotions around the city’s top cycling routes for beginners like me.
What’s really interesting is when we start analyzing search intent, we can uncover patterns that identify desires, trends, gaps in knowledge, misinformation, you name it. A spike in branded search terms like “2 Line bike access” or “Westside Bicycles” demonstrates people know about a brand (org, etc.) and are seeking it out or finding it through related searches. Whereas searches using non-branded keywords like “bike paths near me” or “alternative routes to downtown” searched in May, while more broad, are still helpful and suggests a shift in consumer interests and priorities to engage in outdoor activities with the warmer weather. This provides a prime opportunity for engaging the public using digital channels like social media to promote alternate bike-friendly transit routes, for example.
How to Leverage Search Data to Enhance Communications
As communications professionals, we can leverage search data in all sorts of ways to optimize our programs. We can tailor messaging and pitches to address prevalent misconceptions, confusion or questions about products or programs, ensuring stakeholders like media or online influencers have the correct information. Conversations and content will be more relevant, but also helps organizations connect more deeply with their audience, building trust and brand loyalty.
We regularly perform organic search analyses like this to better understand search behavior and inform digital campaigns. This includes incorporating AI to analyze sometimes hundreds (and hundreds) of keywords, signposts to what audiences deem important and the foundation upon which we can build and optimize our digital strategies.
We recently analyzed vaccine-related search queries to better understand what concerns or hesitations parents have as they navigate the world of preventative health for their children. Our organic search analysis revealed not just hesitancy (which we’d anticipated) but also a need for reassurance that parents were on track or in the right place to find information to make their own informed decisions. Knowing this, we’re able to better understand the decision-making process and modify our strategies to provide the right information and meet parents where they are at.
The Road Ahead
Interestingly, the emergence of TikTok as a search tool, particularly among Gen Z, is a testament to the ever-changing digital landscape of not just how search is evolving but where it’s evolving. Nearly 10% of Gen Z users now prefer TikTok over established search engines like Google when looking for information. This emphasizes a need for not just a powerful paid search program but diversifying both organic and paid digital strategies to reach our audience where they choose to go for information.
You don’t need to wait for a paid search campaign to harness the power of search data for optimizing your digital strategy and communications. In fact, starting with an organic search analysis during the research and planning phase will provide you with the right data-driven foundation for building your strategy. Kind of like mapping a route before a ride—it ensures you’ll better know the terrain and environment to navigate it more smoothly.
Interested in knowing more about how organic search analysis can help inform digital strategy? Reach out to our team.
Photo by Liza Summer
