# Search intent

> What search intent means, which four types there are, and why Google and AI assistants show the page that fulfils the intention behind a question.

Synonyms: user intent, search intention

Every search has an intention behind it. Someone searching “what is a knowledge graph” wants to understand. Someone searching “web designer Bolzano cost” is already comparing offers. Four types are commonly distinguished:

- **Informational** — wanting to know or understand something.
- **Commercial** — weighing up providers or solutions.
- **Transactional** — wanting to buy, book or make an inquiry.
- **Navigational** — wanting to reach a specific page or brand.

Search engines and AI assistants try to recognize the intention behind a question and pick the source that fulfils it best. A page that contains the search term but misses the intent is therefore rarely shown or cited.

In btlabs Core, the search intent is set per page and post in the SEO section; if an AI access is configured, the AI assistance uses the intent as a guideline for the tone, depth and call to action of a draft.

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Source: https://btlabs.dev/en/glossary/search-intent
Last-Modified: 2026-09-25T15:08:29.321Z
Languages: [de](https://btlabs.dev/llms/de/glossary/suchintention) · [it](https://btlabs.dev/llms/it/glossary/intento-di-ricerca)
See also: [llms.txt](https://btlabs.dev/llms.txt) · [ai.txt (Policy)](https://btlabs.dev/ai.txt) · [identity.json](https://btlabs.dev/identity.json)