An SEO glossary of terms every marketer should know in 2026
A practical, current glossary covering the essential SEO terminology every marketer should be comfortable with, from foundational concepts to 2026-specific terms.
6 min read
Search intent — the underlying goal behind a specific query — determines what kind of content Google considers a good match, independent of keyword matching alone. A page perfectly optimised for a keyword but mismatched to the query's actual intent will consistently underperform, often for reasons that are not obvious from the content alone.
The four main intent categories
- Informational: the searcher wants to learn something ('how does X work').
- Navigational: the searcher wants to find a specific site or page ('Fibvo contact page').
- Commercial investigation: the searcher is researching before a purchase decision ('best email marketing tool for small business').
- Transactional: the searcher is ready to take an action, often a purchase ('buy Klaviyo subscription').
How to identify intent for a specific query
The clearest, most reliable method is simply searching the term yourself and studying what Google is already ranking — if the results page is dominated by product pages, the intent is transactional; if dominated by guides and comparisons, it is informational or commercial investigation.
Google has already told you the intent it believes a query has — it is visible directly in what it currently chooses to rank for that term.
Common intent mismatches
- A product page targeting an informational query that actually wants a guide, not a purchase page.
- A long, comprehensive guide targeting a query where searchers actually want a quick, direct answer.
- A comparison page targeting a query where searchers have already decided and want a specific product page instead.
Content format should follow intent
Once intent is clear, match the content format accordingly — a genuine, thorough guide for informational intent; a clear comparison table for commercial investigation intent; a direct, frictionless product or service page for transactional intent.
Frequently asked questions
Can a single query have mixed intent?
Yes, some queries genuinely blend intent types, which is often visible in the results page itself showing a mix of content formats — in these cases, a page that addresses multiple angles can perform well.
Does intent change over time for the same query?
It can, particularly as Google refines its understanding, or as genuine searcher behaviour shifts around a topic — periodically re-checking priority queries' current results page is worthwhile.
Is keyword research still separate from intent research?
They are closely related but distinct steps — keyword research identifies what terms to target; intent research determines what kind of content should target them.
If you want help auditing your content against actual search intent, contact our team.
The takeaway
Before writing any page, search the target term yourself and study what is currently ranking — the existing results page is the clearest available evidence of what intent Google has already determined for that query.
Written by Fibvo — Bengaluru and Erode, India — working with clients in other time zones. Questions, or think we have it wrong? Tell us.
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