The other day, we were discussing with a client the importance of understanding the intent behind different audience searches in Google. The reason is pretty simple: If you can decipher how far along a customer is in a particular buyer journey, you can customize the messaging and outreach better to exactly what that customer needs at that particular point. There’s no doubt that it can certainly be challenging in many cases. But here’s a simple illustration.

Let’s say I’m getting started looking for basketball shoes. If I’m not already into the different shoe types, my first search might be for just that, “basketball shoes.” In other words, I’m just researching what’s out there. OK, let’s say, with that search, I find some brands and look at different colors. And I kind of leave it there.

About a week later, I come back and say, oh yeah, what were those shoes I looked at that I liked? Yeah, they were “Nike white basketball shoes” so I do a search for that. This is more the start of what we might call the “engagement phase.” You have a particular brand in mind (“navigational intent”) and you’ve narrowed it simply by color.

Great. Then, let’s say I see more specific options from that. A day later or so, I remember the shoes I really, really liked. So, I search for it: “Nike Lebron Witness 8 white basketball shoes size 10 Medium.” With this search, I’m in what we would call the buy/decision phase.

In this particular case, for example, as a retailer, I might be able to showcase the right ad or messaging for that specific query within the buyer journey, even adjust my pages (for SEO reasons) to show up better for each phase and answer the customer questions that might come along with that.

Let’s break this down further.

Recognizing the Types of Buyer Intent

Before we dive into the intricacies of the buyer journey, it’s essential to recognize the different types of buyer intent that users exhibit when making search queries. Broadly speaking, buyer intent can be categorized into the following types:

• • Informational Intent/Commercial Investigation Intent: Users with informational intent seek knowledge, answers, or solutions to a problem. They are looking for educational content, guides, or articles to satisfy their curiosity or gain insights into a particular topic. They might also be interested in comparing options, reading reviews, and evaluating products or services. They may use keywords like “best,” “reviews,” or “compare.
  • Engagement/Navigational Intent: Navigational intent indicates that users want to reach a specific website or page. They are often searching for a particular brand, product, or service.
  • Transactional Intent: Transactional intent implies that users are ready to make a purchase. They are looking for products, services, or deals and may use keywords like “buy,” “order,” or “discount.”
  • Local Intent: Users with local intent are looking for businesses, services, or products within their geographic area. Local intent queries often include location-specific terms such as “near me,” “in [city],” or “closest.”

Understanding these intent categories is crucial for tailoring your approach to different user needs effectively. For example, if you know a lot of people are searching for “_________ in Arlington, VA” you’ll probably want to make sure you have a page that’s customized to Arlington, VA, Northern Virginia, or somehow indicate that you serve that city as well.

Now let’s cover the different buyer journey phases and what you can do.

The Educational/Research Phase

The first phase of the buyer journey is known as the educational or research phase. During this stage, potential customers might be showing more of an informational intent/commercial investigation intent. They are looking for information, answers, and guidance. Here’s how small businesses can cater to this phase:

• • Create Informative Content: Develop high-quality, informative content that addresses the questions and concerns of users with informational intent. Blog posts, how-to guides, and tutorials can be powerful tools to capture their attention and establish your authority in your industry.
  • Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords related to your industry to ensure your content ranks well in search results. Incorporate long-tail keywords to capture users in the early stages of their research. The other thing here: You may not want to create a “best list” with your competitors, however, you can make sure that whoever is creating that list (a publication, site, Yelp) also lists your business as they may or may not be aware of your company if you don’t reach out to them.
  • Engage on Social Media: Share your educational content on social media platforms especially to reach a wider audience as this will help you brand your company and create that navigation interest we spoke about earlier. Encourage engagement and discussion by asking questions and responding to comments.

The Engagement Phase and Navigational Intent

The engagement phase is where potential customers start showing specific interest in your brand or products. They might use branded keywords or interact with your social media profiles. Here’s how to make the most of this phase:

• • Brand Monitoring: Keep an eye on mentions of your brand online. Respond promptly to inquiries, comments, and reviews. Engage with customers on social media to build a strong online presence.
  • Create Branded Content: Develop content that highlights your brand’s unique selling points, product features, and benefits. Use branded keywords to optimize this content for search engines. In particular, you can optimize your pages for those mid-funnel searches.
  • Name/Email Capture & Email Marketing: When individuals are in that engagement/navigational intent phase, it’s important that you provide opportunities for them to learn more about you. It’s especially critical that you acquire their emails so you can continue to put offers/products and services in front of them to stay top of mind when they’re ready to make a purchase.

The Buy/Decision Phase (Transactional Intent)

The buy or decision phase is when potential customers are ready to make a purchase. They use more specific, long-tail keywords, indicating a clear intent to buy. Here’s how to cater to this phase:

• • Optimize Product Pages: Ensure your product or service pages are well-optimized for search engines and user experience. Include detailed product descriptions, pricing information, and clear calls to action (CTAs). Make sure your product URLs, image URLs, image alt text, body copy, headlines, and the title page have unique keywords in them (especially those geared toward long-tail searches).
  • Landing Pages: If you’re more of a B2B business, create dedicated landing pages for specific products or services. These pages should provide all the information a buyer needs to make an informed decision and facilitate the purchase process. Make sure to optimize any ad landing pages here in particular.
  • Customer Support: Make it easy for customers to contact you during this phase. Include a help number prominently on your website and offer live chat support for instant assistance.

The Post-Purchase Phase

The post-purchase phase is often overlooked but is equally important. Customers may seek how-tos, installation guides, or other details related to their purchase. Here’s how to support them:

• • Knowledge Base: Create a comprehensive knowledge base or FAQ section on your website. Include step-by-step guides, troubleshooting tips, and answers to common questions.
  • Video Tutorials: Produce video tutorials or demonstrations that help customers get the most out of their purchases. Upload these to platforms like YouTube and embed them on your website.
  • Customer Feedback: Encourage customers to leave reviews and feedback. Address any post-purchase issues promptly and professionally.
  • Customer Support: It kind of goes without saying but it’s critical to continue to provide excellent customer support even after the purchase. Make sure your help number is easily accessible, and offer multiple channels for customer inquiries.

Conclusion

We hope this has been helpful. As always, if you need help, don’t hesitate to contact us for a free consultation about your business. We’re here to help you excel in digital marketing.