What It Is
Search intent is the purpose behind a search. Two people may type similar words but want different things. Intent is commonly grouped into four types: informational (learning, like "how to fix a leaky faucet"), navigational (finding a specific site), commercial (comparing options, like "best hair salon near me") and transactional (ready to act, like "book haircut online"). Search engines try to show the kind of page that best fits each intent.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Matching intent is often the difference between ranking and not ranking. If people searching "bathroom remodel cost" want a guide with price ranges and factors, a page that only says "call us for a quote" will struggle. A contractor who writes a clear guide to costs, then invites readers to request a quote, serves the searcher and wins the lead.
Good to Know
Tip: before writing a page, search for your target phrase and study the top results. Are they guides, service pages, product pages or maps? That tells you what Google believes people want. Shape your page to match, then make it more helpful or more local than what is already there.