Search Intent
Not All Searches Are Equal.
5 min read
Two people search on the same afternoon. One types "how does air conditioning work." The other types "ac repair near me open now."
Both are searches. Only one is a customer. The words people choose carry a surprising amount of information about what they intend to do next, and matching your ads to that intent is most of the difference between advertising that works and advertising that drains.
The four kinds of searching
Search behavior sorts into four modes, and they're easy to tell apart once you're looking for them:
- Informational — "why is my ac blowing warm air." They want an answer, not a business. Advertising here is expensive and rarely converts.
- Navigational — "cool breeze hvac pasadena." They already know who they want and are looking for them by name. Nothing to win here unless the name is yours.
- Commercial — "best ac repair company reviews." They've accepted they need help and are deciding who. Worth reaching, but they're still shopping.
- Transactional — "ac repair near me," "emergency ac repair open now." They want someone today. This is where a local ad budget earns its keep.
Why the ready searches cost more, and are still the bargain
Transactional terms are competitive, because every business in your area wants them. A click can cost several times what an informational one costs.
It's still usually the better spend. Paying more for a click from someone actively trying to hire is cheaper per customer than paying less for a hundred clicks from people doing homework. Cost per click is the number that's easy to see. Cost per customer is the number that matters.
Small words that change everything
Certain words reliably mark a transactional search: near me, open now, today, emergency, same day, quote, cost, price. Others reliably mark an informational one: how, why, diy, yourself, free, what is.
That second list is worth as much as the first. Telling Google which words should never trigger your ad stops you paying for the wrong audience, and it's one of the fastest improvements available to most accounts.
Match the promise to the moment
Someone searching transactionally doesn't want a brand story. They want to know you cover their area, you're available, and what happens next. An ad that says "Same-day AC repair in [your town] — call now" does more work than one that says "Excellence in home comfort since 2009."
The page they land on has to keep that promise. If the ad says same-day and the page doesn't mention it, the click is wasted at the last possible second.
You can't change how many people need you this week. You can make sure your money reaches the ones who do.
Common questions
01What is the difference between a commercial and a transactional search?
A commercial search is comparing — “best ac repair company” — where someone has accepted they need help and is deciding who. A transactional search is acting — “book ac repair near me”. Both are worth reaching, but transactional searches convert sooner and cost more per click because every competitor wants them too.
02Should I bid on informational keywords?
Usually not, at least not early. Someone searching “how does air conditioning work” wants an answer, not a business, and clicks from that audience rarely turn into jobs. Those searches are better served by a guide on your site that earns the visit for free.
03How do I find out what people actually searched before clicking?
Google Ads has a search terms report showing the real queries that triggered your ads, which is often very different from the keywords you chose. It is the single most useful screen in the account, and it is where your negative keyword list should come from.