Conversion Optimisation
User Intent
Plain English
What the user is trying to do.
Definition
glossarySearch IntentSearch intent is the underlying goal or purpose behind a user’s query, such as finding information, making a purchase, or navigating to a specific site.Open glossary term is the underlying goal or reason behind a user’s action, glossarySearchSearch is the functionality that allows users to find content or information by entering queries. It relies on indexing, metadata, and relevance algorithms to return useful results.Open glossary term, or glossaryInteractionInteraction refers to any action a user takes within a product and how the system responds. It includes clicks, taps, gestures, and inputs that drive the user experience.Open glossary term.
In practice
Used to design content, journeys, and glossaryFeatureA feature is a specific piece of functionality within a product that delivers value to users. It represents something users can do or experience as part of the overall product.Open glossary term that align with what users are trying to achieve.
In context
It is the difference between a page that ranks and a page that works. The same query typed by someone learning and someone buying needs two different answers.
The reality
Users rarely state glossarySearch IntentSearch intent is the underlying goal or purpose behind a user’s query, such as finding information, making a purchase, or navigating to a specific site.Open glossary term clearly - it must be inferred from glossaryContextContext is the set of surrounding conditions that shape how someone behaves and decides, including their goal, their environment, their time pressure, and what happened immediately before. The same action can mean different things in different contexts.Open glossary term and glossaryBehaviourBehaviour refers to how users interact with a system, including actions, patterns, and responses.Open glossary term.
Compared with
User Intent vs User Motivation
glossarySearch IntentSearch intent is the underlying goal or purpose behind a user’s query, such as finding information, making a purchase, or navigating to a specific site.Open glossary term is the immediate goal, what they came to do. Motivation is the reason underneath it. Intent shapes the page; motivation shapes the proposition.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is user intent?
glossarySearch IntentSearch intent is the underlying goal or purpose behind a user’s query, such as finding information, making a purchase, or navigating to a specific site.Open glossary term is the goal or purpose behind a user’s action.
Why is user intent important?
It ensures products and content align with user needs.
How do you identify user intent?
Through serviceUser ResearchUnderstand user behaviour, validate ideas, and make clearer product decisions with evidence you can act on.Open service, analytics, and behavioural glossaryPatternA pattern is a reusable solution to a design problem that recurs across products and contexts. It captures an approach already shown to work, so a team solves the problem once rather than every time it appears.Open glossary term.
What are types of user intent?
Informational, navigational, and transactional glossarySearch IntentSearch intent is the underlying goal or purpose behind a user’s query, such as finding information, making a purchase, or navigating to a specific site.Open glossary term.
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