What Are the Different Types of Keywords?
The different types of keywords for SEO are: informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional. These categories reflect the general purpose behind a user’s search.
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Informational: Searchers want to gain knowledge about a topic
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Navigational: Searchers want to find a specific website or page
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Commercial: Searchers want to research brands, products, or services
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Transactional: Searchers want to complete an action (for example, make a purchase)
There are other types of keywords too, like local or long-tail keywords. Focusing on intent, however, helps you figure out how to rank better in search engine result pages (SERPs).
A searcher's intent shows whether they're ready to buy, browsing, or just learning.
Let’s look at the different types of keywords in more detail below.
1. Informational
Informational keywords are search queries used by people who want to learn something. Examples include:
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“Coffee calories”
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“National coffee day”
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“What is the difference between cold brew and iced coffee”
Many informational queries take the form of questions, starting with words like “what,” “why,” or “how.” Google often displays articles, videos, or guides for informational searches.
Sometimes you'll see a quick answer pop up—a featured snippet.
These keywords are usually at the top of the marketing funnel. People at this stage are less likely to make a purchase. Still, informational content can help build brand awareness and position you as an authority in your niche.
2. Navigational
Navigational keywords lead searchers to a specific site or page. Typing a brand or website name into a search engine is often a navigational query. Examples include:
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“Youtube”
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“Semrush blog”
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“Where is angelino’s coffee located”
Searchers already know the company or product and want to reach a certain website or location.
When a brand or site is well-known, ranking for navigational keywords should come naturally.
For example, when users Google “YouTube,” the top result is YouTube’s website with relevant sitelinks:
3. Commercial
Commercial keywords help people research specific products or services. They may check reviews, compare options, or look for discounts. Examples include:
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“Free coffee”
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“Dunkin iced coffee flavors”
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“Peet’s cold brew vs starbucks cold brew”
Searchers with these queries often plan to buy soon. Content such as comparisons, listicles, reviews, or how-to articles can target these searches.
For instance, someone searching “Peet’s cold brew vs starbucks cold brew” will probably see a comparison article that guides their purchase decision:
To make the most of commercial keywords, create high-value content. Answer any related questions (like those found in the “People Also Ask” section) to offer a more complete resource.
4. Transactional
Transactional keywords show the strongest intent to buy or complete an action. Target these with ads and optimized product pages or landing pages where users can act immediately. Examples include:
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“Buy crypto online”
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“Sandwich places near me that deliver”
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“Pickup truck for sale”
These searches usually occur after a person has finished researching and is ready to purchase—that’s why they’re also called buyer keywords.
For example, “buy crypto online” leads to pages where users can buy cryptocurrency directly.
Transactional keywords often include terms like “buy,” “subscribe,” or “for sale,” which can trigger Google Shopping Ads, like these:
Because transactional keywords represent the bottom of the funnel, they are highly valuable for SEO and pay-per-click (PPC) strategies.
Generally, more precise keywords (e.g., “neon blue unisex watch”) are transactional, while broader ones (e.g., “men’s watches”) are commercial.
How to Check Types of Keywords
Determining intent can be tricky. Sometimes a single keyword, like “apple,” could refer to the fruit—or the brand. One way to check is by analyzing what Google displays on the SERP.
In the U.S., for example, typing “apple” into Google gives you information about the tech brand, meaning the search engine recognizes “apple” as a navigational keyword:
Some queries, like “coffee beans,” may return both commercial and informational results—indicating mixed intent.
Semrush can help you identify a keyword’s intent by labeling each with abbreviations:
I (informational), N (navigational), C (commercial), or T (transactional).
Semrush considers SERP features, keyword indicators (e.g., “buy,” “how,” “address”), and branding when assigning intent.
Finding Insights About Keyword Types in Semrush
Below are three ways to use Semrush for search intent insights:
1. Check the Intent of Any Keyword (or List of Keywords)
Use Semrush’s Keyword Overview tool to check the intent of up to 100 keywords at once.
Enter your keywords, choose your country, and click “Search.” The “Intent” column shows each keyword’s type.
Look at the “Intent” column in the results to get an overview of the types of keywords:
You can also analyze the SERP by clicking the screen-and-magnifying-glass icon under “SERP Features.”
2. Analyze a Competitor’s Keyword Intent Profile
Use the Domain Overview tool to see what types of keywords your competitors rank for.
Enter their domain, choose your location, and click “Search.”
Under “Organic Search Traffic,” hover over the colored bar to see the breakdown of keyword intent.
Click the blue number above the bar to open the “Positions” report in the Organic Research tool.
Each keyword’s intent is displayed, along with keyword volume and other data.
Filter by intent if necessary:
Next, check the “Pages” tab to see the top pages and their keyword intent breakdown. Examine which types of keywords drive traffic to those high-value pages.
Let this research inspire your own content strategy.
3. Find Keywords by Intent
Use the Keyword Magic Tool to discover keywords by intent. Enter a seed keyword, choose your location, and click “Search.”
You’ll see a table with the keyword’s data, including intent:
Transactional and commercial keywords often indicate a higher likelihood of purchase. They’re good targets for paid ads or pages where users can complete transactions.
Use the dropdown filters to show only these intent types if you prefer.
For more information, consult our Keyword Research for SEO guide.
How to Optimize for Different Types of Keywords
Here’s how to optimize your website content for the different types of keywords.
Optimizing for Informational Keywords
Optimizing for informational keywords includes producing high-quality content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
Check which pages rank for your target query, include detailed explanations, address FAQs, cite expert authors, and link to reputable sources.
For example, say you’re trying to target the informational keyword “vegan diet.”
See what kind of content Google wants to return for this term. Take a look at the SERP by Googling your term. See which pages are ranking and if there are any relevant SERP features (like “People Also Ask”).
To create high-ranking content that demonstrates E-E-A-T:
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Provide plenty of detail and genuinely helpful information
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Answer commonly asked questions
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Use an expert author and cite their qualifications in an author bio
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Display badges for any industry accreditations you have
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Include data and stats from reputable sources, with links
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Provide answers to PAA questions
Optimizing for Navigational Keywords
Optimizing for navigational keywords helps searchers find your business more easily.
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Highlight your brand name on your site, in your homepage’s H1 tag, and across key pages
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Maintain clear menus and an updated sitemap
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Create a Google Business Profile to verify your business
These measures increase visibility in navigational queries. For example, when you Google “Semrush,” you’ll see that the Semrush website is the first organic search result:
Optimizing for Commercial Keywords
Optimizing for commercial keywords can help guide customers toward a purchase.
To optimize for commercial keywords, create product or service pages with detailed information and high-quality images. Write the content to address searchers’ needs.
For example, Adidas ranks highly for the commercial keyword “running shoes.” Their “women’s running shoes” page includes helpful content alongside a range of running shoes available for purchase.
This content answers frequently asked questions and provides information that helps shoppers make informed decisions. It also signals to search engines that the website is reputable and helpful.
Optimizing for Transactional Keywords
Optimizing for transactional keywords focuses on providing a direct way to buy or convert.
When people search for transactional keywords, they are ready to buy. To optimize for these keywords, make purchasing quick and easy.
Place the purchase option near the top of the page that targets your chosen keyword.
For example, BitPay ranks highly for the keyword “buy crypto online.” Its high-ranking page is simple and features a form to start buying crypto on the first screen.
Include the target keyword in the title tag, H1 tag, and, if possible, the page URL. Reassure customers with reviews, professional certifications, and secure payment badges.
How to Track Keyword Rankings with Semrush
Use Semrush’s Position Tracking tool to monitor your rankings.
Enter your domain and click “Set up tracking.”
Or, if you’ve created projects before, click “+ Create project” in the upper right to make a new one.
Enter the domain of the website you want to track. Click “Create project.”
Next, select your search engine, device type, and location. Add any relevant business name for local map pack tracking.
Click “Continue To Keywords.”
Enter the keywords to track. Click “Start Tracking.”
In the “Overview” tab, scroll to see the “Rankings Overview” with key metrics:
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Intent: Shows the search intent type
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Current position: Your current ranking for each keyword
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Last week’s position: Your ranking from seven days ago
Click the arrow next to any keyword to see how a ranking has progressed over a longer period.
Click the date range box in the top-right corner. Select a date range option or set a custom range. Click “Apply.”
Change the date range in the top-right corner to see ranking progress over time. Use these insights to refine your content and track improvements for different types of keywords.
