# User intent is what information science has called the information need since 1962. Canonical: https://www.searchresultoptimization.com/seo/user-intent/ Author: Johannes Faupel Last revised: 2026-09-16 A person has a need long before they have a query. Most of it never reaches the search box. A result can address the expressed query without supporting the intended task. See [what happens when the answer misses the task](https://www.searchresultoptimization.com/seo/presupposition/#what-is-pragmatic-failure-in-search-results). User intent is the whole of what a person wants to know, feel sure about or get done. Information science has studied it for more than sixty years under the name information need. This page states what is settled, what the usual accounts of intent leave out, and what follows for a page that wants to answer the person as well as the query. Every heading is a question. The answer stands directly under it, in plain words. ## What is the information need behind user intent? An information need is a person's conscious or unconscious desire for knowledge, to close a gap in understanding or to get a task done. It exists before any search and independent of it. User intent is this need, seen from the side of search. *How to act on the information need behind user intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Write one sentence on what you want to know or get done before typing a query | Pen and paper or a notes app | Whether the query carries the need or only a keyword | | SEO | Collect the full questions people type for the page | Google Search Console, Performance report, filter queries containing how, why or what | Needs stated in the searchers' own words | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:how OR intitle:why` | Pages built around a question a person has | *Who benefits from the information need behind user intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Writes for the question people have, beyond the keyword | Pages that end the search, so fewer visitors return to the result page | | Management | Sees which needs bring customers | Budget goes to content that answers real demand | | Readers | Find the answer to what they actually wanted | One visit is enough | ## What is a gap in knowledge when someone searches? A gap in knowledge is the absence of information that moves a person to look for facts, data or ideas. It is felt before it can be named. The search starts from the feeling of the gap. *How to act on a gap in knowledge with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Name what you already know and what is missing | A notes app | The gap each result has to close | | SEO | Read the questions asked around the topic | People also ask and related searches on Google | Gaps searchers still have after the top results | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"what is"` | Pages that close a basic gap | *Who benefits from a gap in knowledge, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Starts each page from what readers do not know yet | Content that adds something the top results leave open | | Customer support | Sees recurring gaps turned into pages | Fewer repeated basic questions | | Readers | Close the gap without piecing together several sources | Less time and less uncertainty | ## What does relevance mean for the person searching? Relevance links an information object to the task or question of a particular person. It is a relation between the person and the object. A document is relevant to someone, for something. *How to act on relevance for the person searching with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Judge a result by whether it moves your task forward | Your own task list | Personal relevance, which can differ from the ranking | | SEO | Watch recordings of visits that end within seconds | Microsoft Clarity, session recordings and quick backs | Visits where the page matched the query and missed the person | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"your topic"` | Which pages claim the topic, to compare with the need behind it | *Who benefits from relevance for the person searching, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Judges pages by the reader's task as well as by rankings | Rankings that bring visitors who stay | | Product team | Learns which situations the product has to serve | Features and help pages that match real use | | Readers | Get results that move their task forward | Less sorting through pages that only match words | ## What is a visceral need in information seeking? The visceral need is the first of Robert Taylor's four levels: an early, unexpressed and vague sense that something is missing. The person may not yet be able to put it into words. This is the kitchen table, before any query. *How to act on a visceral need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Describe the unease in plain words and search those words | Google search | Pages that meet you before you know the term | | SEO | Read threads where people describe a problem without the technical term | Reddit and forum search, Google with site:reddit.com | The vague wording of a need before any query | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "not sure" OR "confused"` | Pages that speak to people who cannot yet name the problem | *Who benefits from a visceral need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Writes entry texts in the words people use before they know the term | Visibility for early, vague searches that competitors ignore | | Management | Reaches people before they compare offers | Trust built before the purchase decision | | Readers | Feel understood before they can name the problem | A way in when they lack the vocabulary | ## What is a conscious information need? The conscious need is Taylor's second level: a mental description of a question that is still ill-defined. The person can think about it and may talk about it. It is still far from a search term. *How to act on a conscious information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Talk the question through or write it out | A colleague or a notes app | A clearer question before the first query | | SEO | Look for long, conversational queries | Search Console, custom regex filter for long queries | Needs people can describe without the field's term | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:explained OR intitle:guide` | Pages for people who can describe the question | *Who benefits from a conscious information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Answers questions people can describe but not yet name | Pages found for long, conversational queries | | Customer support | Links these pages in replies | Shorter conversations | | Readers | Find a text that follows their own description | Clarity without technical terms | ## What is a formalised information need? The formalised need is Taylor's third level: a concrete statement of the question before it meets a system or a human helper. It is what a person would say if asked carefully. It is already narrower than what they meant. *How to act on a formalised information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Write the question as you would ask an expert | A notes app | The full question with its conditions | | SEO | Compare questions from support and chat with the page's headings | Support inbox, chat logs, a Google Forms survey | Whether the headings answer formalised questions | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"how do I"` | Pages that answer a fully stated question | *Who benefits from a formalised information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Uses fully stated questions as headings | Passages that answer engines can quote directly | | Sales | Sends prospects to exact answers | Faster answers to qualified questions | | Readers | See their exact question answered | No need to reformulate | ## What is a compromised need in a search query? The compromised need is Taylor's fourth level: the question reshaped to fit what a system can take. A query in a search box is a compromised need. Search intent is read from this last and smallest form. *How to act on a compromised need in a search query with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Search the full question once, then the short query, and compare | Google search with Tools, All results, Verbatim | What the short query loses | | SEO | Place the queries of a page next to questions from a survey | Search Console and Google Forms | How far the query is from the need | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "your topic" -intitle:"your topic"` | Pages that mention the topic but carry other words in the title | *Who benefits from a compromised need in a search query, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Maps short queries back to the full questions behind them | Pages that serve the need, beyond the two words typed | | Content team | Writes for the full question and keeps the short query in the title | Clicks from short queries that turn into satisfied visits | | Readers | Get more than the shortened query asked for | Answers that fit the real situation | ## What is the anomalous state of knowledge behind a search? The anomalous state of knowledge, a hypothesis by Nicholas Belkin, holds that searching begins when a person recognises an anomaly in what they know. The person cannot specify what would resolve it. That is why a query can describe the need only partly. *How to act on the anomalous state of knowledge with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Note what surprised you or did not fit | A notes app | The anomaly that started the search | | SEO | Ask visitors what they expected to find | A one-question Google Forms survey linked from the page | The mismatch that brought them | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"why does" OR intitle:"why is"` | Pages that answer a surprise or an anomaly | *Who benefits from the anomalous state of knowledge, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Explains why something is surprising or does not fit | Pages found by people at the moment their search begins | | Product team | Learns where users' expectations break | Fixes that remove the reason to search | | Readers | Understand the anomaly that started their search | Relief and a clear next step | ## What is sense-making in information seeking? Sense-making, developed by Brenda Dervin, studies how people bridge a gap in a particular situation by making sense of information. It places the person, the situation and the use of information at the centre. A search is one step of building sense. *How to act on sense-making with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Note the situation you are in when you search | A notes app | Results you can judge against your situation | | SEO | Ask visitors about their situation, their gap and the use they plan | Google Forms with three open questions | Situation, gap and use for each group of visitors | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "if you are" OR "in your situation"` | Pages that address the visitor's situation | *Who benefits from sense-making, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Addresses situation, gap and use in each text | Pages that fit visitor groups, so fewer quick exits | | Management | Sees visitor groups by situation | Offers shaped around real situations | | Readers | Find information that fits where they stand | Answers they can use in their situation | ## What is Kuhlthau's Information Search Process for searchers? The Information Search Process, developed by Carol Kuhlthau, describes searching as stages over time, with thoughts, actions and feelings at each stage. Uncertainty and anxiety are part of the model. Searching has a course, and people feel it. *How to act on the Information Search Process with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Read broadly at the start before narrowing | Overview articles and encyclopedias | Less frustration in the early stage | | SEO | Sort queries by stage: exploring, focusing, collecting | Search Console queries grouped by wording such as what is, vs, best | Which stages the page serves and which it leaves out | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"what is" OR intitle:vs OR intitle:best` | Pages for exploring, comparing and collecting | *Who benefits from the Information Search Process, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Plans pages for exploring, focusing and collecting | Presence at every stage, including the early one | | Content team | Writes overviews for early stages and detail for late ones | Readers return at the next stage | | Readers | Get the right depth for their stage | Less confusion at the start, less repetition at the end | If the need were fixed at the first query, thoughts and confidence would stay where they started. Across one search they move, and half of the users still had no focus at the end. *Focused thoughts and high confidence of 385 library users at three points of one search* | Point in the search | Thoughts focused on a clear perspective | Confidence 9 or 10 out of 10 | | --- | --- | --- | | Initiation | 2 % | 14 % | | Midpoint | 9 % | 15 % | | Closure | 50 % | 38 % | Kuhlthau, C. C., Inside the search process: information seeking from the user's perspective, Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 1991. 385 academic, public and school library users in 21 sites, surveyed at initiation, midpoint and closure. ## What is a verificative information need? A verificative information need seeks to check a known item or attribute, such as an author, a citation or a date. Peter Ingwersen distinguished it from topical needs. The person already knows what they are looking for. *How to act on a verificative information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Search the exact item in quotation marks | Google exact-match search, Google Scholar | Whether the known item exists as remembered | | SEO | State checkable facts plainly: dates, names, figures | Rich Results Test for structured data | Facts a searcher can confirm at a glance | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "2024" "your topic"` | Pages with dated facts that searchers may want to check | *Who benefits from a verificative information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | States names, dates and figures plainly | Pages cited as the place to check a fact | | Legal and compliance | Keeps factual claims checkable | Fewer disputes over wrong statements | | Readers | Confirm a fact in seconds | Certainty without extra searching | ## What is a conscious topical information need? A conscious topical information need aims to clarify or pursue a subject within a domain the person knows. The person can describe the topic. Search works best for this kind of need. *How to act on a conscious topical information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Use the field's own terms in the query | Google search, Google Scholar | Results written for people who know the domain | | SEO | Check whether the page uses the vocabulary experts use | Google Scholar abstracts next to the page | Whether expert searchers recognise the page | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "technical term"` | Whether the field's vocabulary appears on the site | *Who benefits from a conscious topical information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Uses the field's own vocabulary | Recognition by expert searchers and their queries | | Sales | Reaches informed buyers | Conversations that start at a higher level | | Readers | Find content written at their level | No wading through basics | ## What is a muddled topical information need? A muddled topical information need concerns new territory the person does not yet know how to describe. It comes with uncertainty about concepts and words. A query for it is the least reliable description of all. *How to act on a muddled topical information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Start with an overview, then collect the terms it uses | Encyclopedias, related searches on Google | Words for a need that had none | | SEO | Add plain entry points and define terms at first use | Search Console queries containing what is or meaning | Whether newcomers find a way in | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"what is" OR intitle:meaning` | Entry points for newcomers | *Who benefits from a muddled topical information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Adds plain entry points and defines terms at first use | Visibility for newcomers who search in their own words | | Customer support | Refers newcomers to one clear starting page | Fewer first-contact questions | | Readers | Gain the words to search further | A path into an unfamiliar subject | ## What is informational intent within user intent? Informational intent is the search class for queries aimed at knowledge or content on a topic. It is the class most often assigned. It covers everything from a quick fact to a long investigation. *How to act on informational intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Open two or three sources and compare them | Google search | A fuller answer than a single snippet | | SEO | Check whether the answer stands in the first screen | Search Console click-through rate per query, the page on a phone | Whether informational visitors get the answer fast | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"what is" OR intitle:"how to"` | Pages that serve informational queries | *Who benefits from informational intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Puts the answer in the first screen | More satisfied clicks from informational queries | | Management | Builds reach before purchase | A brand people remember when they are ready to buy | | Readers | Get the answer fast | Less scrolling and fewer tabs | Also discussed at [https://searchengineland.com/search-intent-more-types-430814](https://searchengineland.com/search-intent-more-types-430814#:~:text=indicate%20a%20user%20who%20wants%20to%20gain%20further%20knowledge%20about%20something) ## What is navigational search intent? Navigational intent is the search class for queries meant to reach a particular website or destination. The need is already specific. The query is a shortcut to a known place. *How to act on navigational search intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Type the site name or use a bookmark | Browser bookmarks | The shortest route to a known destination | | SEO | Check that brand and page-name queries lead to the right page | Search Console queries containing the brand name | Whether navigational searchers land where they intend | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:contact OR intitle:login` | Destination pages people navigate to | *Who benefits from navigational search intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Makes brand and page-name queries land on the right page | Fewer lost visitors on branded searches | | Customer support | Keeps contact and login pages easy to find | Fewer calls about where to find things | | Readers | Reach the page they meant at once | No detours | Also discussed at [https://searchengineland.com/guide/search-intent-seo](https://searchengineland.com/guide/search-intent-seo#:~:text=goal%20of%20locating%20a%20specific%20website%20or%20page) Described in a Google patent: [https://patents.google.com/patent/US9092510B1/en](https://patents.google.com/patent/US9092510B1/en#:~:text=mean%20staytime%20for%20navigational%20queries%20versus%20other%20query%20categories) ## What is transactional search intent? Transactional intent is the search class for queries that aim to perform an action, such as buying or downloading. It marks the moment of doing. The need that led there is usually older and larger. *How to act on transactional search intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Check price, returns and contact before acting | The seller's terms and contact pages | Hidden costs of the action | | SEO | Check whether visitors can act without hunting on the page | Microsoft Clarity heatmaps and dead clicks | Obstacles between intent and action | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com inurl:cart OR inurl:checkout` | Action pages in the index, which usually do not belong there | *Who benefits from transactional search intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Sales | Removes obstacles between intent and action | More completed purchases or sign-ups from search | | Product team | Sees where checkout or forms stall | Fixes with direct revenue effect | | Readers | Complete the action without hunting | Less effort and less frustration | Also discussed at [https://searchengineland.com/guide/search-intent-seo](https://searchengineland.com/guide/search-intent-seo#:~:text=goal%20to%20complete%20an%20action) ## What is a simulated work task in user intent research? A simulated work task is an evaluation method in interactive information retrieval, developed by Pia Borlund, that gives test persons a realistic situation to search from. It brings the need back into the experiment. It shows how different the same query becomes in different situations. *How to act on a simulated work task with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Give three people a realistic task and watch them search | A written scenario and a video call with screen sharing | Where real needs meet the page and where they fail | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"step by step" OR intitle:tutorial` | Pages that walk a person through a task | *Who benefits from a simulated work task, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Product team | Tests pages with realistic scenarios | Problems found before searchers find them | | Content team | Sees where readers fail on the page | Pages that keep the visitors search sends | | Readers | Benefit from pages tested on real tasks | Pages that work the first time | ## What is a query in relation to the searcher's need? A query is the verbal or typed input a person submits to a search system. It is the visible trace of a need. It is never the need itself. *How to act on a query and the need behind it with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Rephrase the query when the results miss | Google search | What the first query did not carry | | SEO | Group the queries that bring visitors by the need behind them | Search Console export to Google Sheets | Which needs hide behind which words | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "your query"` | Which pages carry the exact wording of a query | *Who benefits from a query and the need behind it, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Groups queries by the need behind them | One strong page per need | | Content team | Knows which need each page serves | Less overlap between the site's own pages | | Readers | Find one page that covers their need | No contradicting pages from the same site | Also discussed at [https://www.searchenginejournal.com/understanding-difference-queries-keywords/126421/](https://www.searchenginejournal.com/understanding-difference-queries-keywords/126421/#:~:text=only%20refers%20to%20the%20literal%20text%20used%20to%20initiate%20a%20search) ## Who is the information user behind a search? The information user is the person who experiences the gap, searches and uses what is found. Every model of need starts with that person. Intent taxonomies start with the query. *How to act on the information user behind a search with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Tell the page what you need when it asks | The page's own question, where it has one | A route to the answer that fits you | | SEO | Describe the people behind the main queries from real evidence | Search Console, support questions, Google Forms | A person-based picture of the audience | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:beginners OR intitle:professionals` | Pages written for a named audience | *Who benefits from the information user behind a search, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Management | Understands the people behind the traffic | Decisions based on people, beyond keyword volumes | | Content team | Writes for described people | Pages that feel written for the reader | | Readers | Are addressed as people with a situation | Trust in the page | ## What did Robert S. Taylor contribute to the study of information needs? Robert S. Taylor described the information need in 1962 and set out its four levels in 1968, from visceral to compromised. His model shows how a need shrinks on its way into a system. Every discussion of user intent stands on it, whether it names him or not. *How to act on Taylor's levels of information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Notice at which of the four levels your question is | A notes app | Whether to explore or to look something up | | SEO | Sort collected questions by Taylor's four levels | Google Sheets with four columns | Which level of need the page serves | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:faq` | Where formalised questions are already collected | *Who benefits from Taylor's levels of information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Sorts questions by level from vague to compromised | Coverage of early, vague searches as well as short queries | | Content team | Knows which level each page serves | Clear roles for pages across the funnel | | Readers | Find help at their level of clarity | Support before they can phrase the query | ## What do the usual accounts of user intent leave out? Time, the task and the feelings. The usual accounts treat intent as a static category attached to one query. They leave out that needs change while people search, that tasks have stages and span sessions, that uncertainty and anxiety shape every query, and that people sometimes avoid the very information they seem to look for. The user intent is larger than the query, it moves, and it is felt. *How to act on what intent labels leave out with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Compare the queries of a page over time with its single intent label | Search Console, compare date ranges | Needs that move, which a fixed label hides | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com after:2025-09-01` | Pages Google dates as recent, to see whether content follows changing needs | *Who benefits from what intent labels leave out, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Tracks how needs change over time and sessions | Pages kept current as needs move | | Management | Avoids decisions based on a single intent label | Fewer misdirected content investments | | Readers | Get content that follows their changing question | Answers that stay useful | ## What is an evolving information need? An evolving information need changes as the person reads what they find. Marcia Bates described searching as berrypicking, where each find reshapes the question. An intent label fixed at the first query describes a need that no longer exists. *How to act on an evolving information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Keep a running list of what each find changed | A notes app | The path from the first question to the last | | SEO | Compare the queries for the same page across months | Search Console, compare date ranges | How the need behind a page moves | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com before:2023-01-01 "your topic"` | Older pages on the topic that may no longer match the need | *Who benefits from an evolving information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Links to the next question readers reach | Visitors stay on the site as their question changes | | SEO | Compares queries across months | Pages updated before they lose their fit | | Readers | Move on without starting a new search | A smoother path | Also discussed at [https://searchengineland.com/search-behavior-the-4th-building-block-of-search-engine-optimization-18933](https://searchengineland.com/search-behavior-the-4th-building-block-of-search-engine-optimization-18933#:~:text=these%20behaviors%20evolve%20with%20each%20perceived%20failure%20and%20success) ## What is a latent information need? A latent information need is a need the person has without having expressed it, sometimes without being aware of it. It lies before the first query. It is where recommendations and good pages can help before anyone asks. *How to act on a latent information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Ask what you would need next once this is solved | A notes app | The follow-up need before it becomes urgent | | SEO | Read reviews and comments around the topic | Google Maps reviews, YouTube comments, Reddit | Needs people have before they search | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:signs OR intitle:mistakes` | Pages for needs people do not state yet | *Who benefits from a latent information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Writes about needs people will have soon | Pages that rank before competition notices the demand | | Product team | Spots needs before users ask | Features and help ready in time | | Readers | Find answers to problems they had not yet named | Fewer surprises later | ## What is an affective information need? An affective information need is the wish for reassurance, confidence or the experience of others, alongside facts. People searching about an illness often want to know that they will be all right. A definition answers the query and leaves the person alone. *How to act on an affective information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Separate the facts you need from the reassurance you want | A notes app, official health or consumer sites | Answers that meet both needs | | SEO | Check whether sensitive pages address worry as well as facts | Microsoft Clarity recordings, a one-question Google Forms survey | Whether readers leave reassured | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "worried" OR "is it safe"` | Pages that address worry | *Who benefits from an affective information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Adds reassurance and next steps to facts | Readers leave reassured, with fewer returns to the result page | | Customer support | Receives calmer, better prepared customers | Shorter and friendlier contacts | | Readers | Feel safer after reading | Less anxiety alongside the information | ## What is task uncertainty in searching? Task uncertainty is how unsure a person is about what the task actually requires. It changes how they judge relevance. A system that treats an uncertain searcher like a certain one serves neither. *How to act on task uncertainty with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Search for what the task involves before searching for answers | Google search with steps or checklist | The shape of the task | | SEO | Offer a short checklist for people unsure what the task requires | A checklist section, Microsoft Clarity scroll depth | Whether uncertain visitors find a starting point | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:checklist OR intitle:steps` | Starting points for unsure visitors | *Who benefits from task uncertainty, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Offers checklists and starting points | Visibility for how to start and steps queries | | Customer support | Points unsure customers to a checklist | Fewer open-ended requests | | Readers | Understand what the task requires | A confident start | ## What is the pre-focus phase of a search? The pre-focus phase is the early stage of Kuhlthau's search process, when the person explores without a clear focus and feels confusion. Broad orientation helps most here. A precise answer snippet arrives too early. *How to act on the pre-focus phase of a search with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Read broadly first and expect some confusion | Overview articles and encyclopedias | A focus that forms over time | | SEO | Place an overview before the details | Microsoft Clarity heatmap of the overview | Whether early-stage readers use it | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:overview OR intitle:introduction` | Overview pages for the early stage | *Who benefits from the pre-focus phase of a search, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Writes overviews for the early stage | Early contact with people long before they decide | | Management | Builds awareness at the start of journeys | A familiar name at decision time | | Readers | Get orientation while still unsure | Less confusion in the first searches | ## What is a task stage in user intent? A task stage is the point a person has reached in the larger work their search serves. What counts as useful changes from the beginning of a task to its end, as Pertti Vakkari showed. The same query at two stages needs two answers. *How to act on task stages with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Name where you are in the task | A notes app | Which results are useful at this point | | SEO | Map queries to the beginning, middle and end of the task | Search Console and Google Sheets | Stages the page misses | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"getting started" OR intitle:advanced` | Pages for the beginning and the end of a task | *Who benefits from task stages, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Maps pages to stages of the task | Gaps in the journey become visible and get filled | | Sales | Knows which content fits which stage | Material that matches the buyer's progress | | Readers | Find content for the point they have reached | No repetition of what they already know | ## What is goal ambiguity for a searcher? Goal ambiguity means the person does not yet know exactly what would count as a good result. They cannot judge usefulness reliably. A quick exit then says more about the vague goal than about the page. *How to act on goal ambiguity with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Define what a good result would look like | A notes app | A test for every result | | SEO | Read quick exits together with low click-through queries | Microsoft Clarity quick backs, Search Console | Whether visitors knew what they wanted | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:which OR intitle:choose` | Pages that help people decide what they want | *Who benefits from goal ambiguity, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Writes pages that help people decide what they want | Visibility for which and how to choose queries | | Sales | Receives prospects who know what they need | Better qualified enquiries | | Readers | Clarify their goal | Better decisions | ## What is information drift across searches? Information drift is the gradual shift of topic across a series of related searches. Each search moves the question a little. Treating the searches as separate events misses the path. *How to act on information drift with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Check whether the current query still serves the original question | Browser history | Drift away from the goal | | SEO | Look at the queries that reach the same page within a week | Search Console, page filter and queries tab | How topics shift around a page | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "see also"` | Pages that lead to neighbouring topics | *Who benefits from information drift, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Links neighbouring topics at the right places | Longer visits across related pages | | SEO | Watches how queries shift around a page | Early signs of where new pages are needed | | Readers | Follow their shifting interest on one site | Less starting over | ## What is search goal modification? Search goal modification is the refinement or redirection of a goal in response to what was found. The target moves during the search. Results tuned to the first goal keep answering a question the person has already left. *How to act on search goal modification with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Let the goal change when a find shows a better question | A notes app | A sharper goal | | SEO | Link to the question people turn to next | People also ask and related searches on Google | Where goals move after the first answer | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:alternatives` | Pages for people whose goal has changed | *Who benefits from search goal modification, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Offers alternatives when the first goal no longer fits | Visitors who change their goal stay on the site | | Sales | Presents alternatives at the right moment | Fewer lost buyers | | Readers | See better options when their goal changes | A better outcome | ## What is a multi-session search task? A multi-session search task extends across several sittings, days or weeks. Planning, research and purchases often work this way. Each new session starts from where the person was, and the system usually starts from nothing. *How to act on a multi-session search task with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Save pages and notes between sessions | Browser bookmarks, Google Keep | Continuity across days | | SEO | Keep stable addresses, visible dates and a summary for returning readers | Google Analytics 4, new and returning users | Whether people come back to continue | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"part 1" OR intitle:series` | Content meant to be read over several visits | *Who benefits from a multi-session search task, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Keeps summaries and stable addresses | Returning visitors and repeat brand searches | | Management | Sees that long decisions return to the site | Value over weeks, beyond a single session | | Readers | Pick up where they left off | Continuity across days | Also discussed at [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/information-seeking-expectations/](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/information-seeking-expectations/#:~:text=can%20take%20several%20days%20or%20even%20weeks%20of%20work) If every query stood for a fresh need, repeats would be rare and shared across people. A third of all queries repeated the same user's earlier query, while only 7 % were typed by more than one user. *Repeat searching in one year of Yahoo queries from 114 users* | Query type | Share of queries | | --- | --- | | Exact repeat of a query the same user issued before | 33 % | | Query string issued by more than one user | 7 % | | Click on a result the user had already clicked for an earlier query | 39 % | | Re-finding queries, upper estimate | 40 % | | Own query misremembered, mostly within hours (survey of 119 volunteers) | 30 % | Teevan, J., Adar, E., Jones, R. and Potts, M. A. S., Information re-retrieval: repeat queries in Yahoo's logs, SIGIR 2007. 13,060 queries from 114 anonymous users over one year, plus a survey of 119 volunteers. ## What is commercial intent within user intent? Commercial intent describes comparing and evaluating before a purchase, a stage between informational and transactional. The classic three-part taxonomy has no place for it, and SEO practice added it. Comparison content filed as a transaction page misses the person who is still weighing. *How to act on commercial intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Look for independent tests and the return policy | Consumer test sites, the seller's terms | A sound basis for the decision | | SEO | Check comparison and review queries against the page | Search Console queries containing vs, best or review | Whether evaluating buyers find comparisons | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:vs OR intitle:review OR intitle:comparison` | Pages for buyers who compare | *Who benefits from commercial intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Sales | Provides honest comparisons and tests | Visibility for vs, best and review queries | | Management | Wins buyers during evaluation | Revenue from people close to deciding | | Readers | Compare options on sound information | Purchases they do not regret | Also discussed at [https://searchengineland.com/guide/search-intent-seo](https://searchengineland.com/guide/search-intent-seo#:~:text=looking%20for%20information%20to%20help%20make%20an%20informed%20purchase%20decision) ## What is investigational search intent? Investigational intent is the aim to understand a subject in depth, as distinct from looking up a fact. Gary Marchionini separated lookup, learning and investigation in exploratory search. A short answer widget cuts an investigation off at the first step. *How to act on investigational search intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Follow the citations of a good source | Google Scholar, Cited by | Depth beyond a single page | | SEO | Link to deeper sources and further reading | Google Scholar | Whether deep readers can go further | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com filetype:pdf OR intitle:research` | In-depth material for investigating readers | *Who benefits from investigational search intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Provides depth and further reading | Links and citations from others who investigate | | Management | Builds the reputation of an expert source | Authority that benefits every page | | Readers | Go deep in one place | A connected understanding | ## What is a subjective knowledge gap in searching? A subjective knowledge gap is the gap a person believes they have, which can differ from the gap they actually have. People who see themselves as beginners read differently from experts. Content pitched at the wrong self-image loses both. *How to act on a subjective knowledge gap with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Test your understanding with one concrete question | A notes app | Whether the gap is where you think it is | | SEO | Offer entry points for beginners and for experts | A Google Forms self-rating question | How readers rate their own knowledge | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:basics OR intitle:beginner` | Pages for people who see themselves as beginners | *Who benefits from a subjective knowledge gap, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Offers entry points for beginners and experts | Both groups stay and read | | Customer support | Refers customers by self-rated level | Faster help | | Readers | Start at the level they feel comfortable with | Confidence to read on | ## What is a post-purchase information need? A post-purchase information need arises after a transaction: setting up, using, fixing or returning. The need does not end with the purchase. A returning buyer sent back to the sales page has been misread. *How to act on a post-purchase information need with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Search the model number together with the problem | Google search, manufacturer support pages | Specific help | | SEO | Check support queries after the purchase | Search Console queries containing setup, return or not working | Needs after the transaction | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:setup OR intitle:troubleshooting OR intitle:return` | Help pages for the time after a purchase | *Who benefits from a post-purchase information need, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Customer support | Publishes setup, repair and return answers | Fewer tickets and calls | | Product team | Sees recurring problems after purchase | Product fixes | | Readers | Solve problems after buying without waiting | Satisfaction and repeat purchases | Also discussed at [https://www.semrush.com/blog/customer-journey/](https://www.semrush.com/blog/customer-journey/#:~:text=customer%20journey%20includes%20post%2Dpurchase%20activities) ## What is a user knowledge state in search? A user knowledge state is what a person already knows when they search. It decides how they read a snippet and what they ask next. The same content depth cannot fit a novice and an expert. *How to act on the user's knowledge state with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Start where your knowledge ends | Google search with for beginners | Content at the right depth | | SEO | Define terms in place and link to the basics | Microsoft Clarity scroll depth at the definitions | Whether readers need the basics | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:glossary OR intitle:definition` | Where terms are explained | *Who benefits from the user's knowledge state, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Defines terms in place | Pages that work for every level, found by more queries | | Sales | Speaks to prospects at their level | Fewer misunderstandings | | Readers | Read at the right depth | Understanding without detours | Also discussed at [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/writing-domain-experts/#:~:text=whether%20any%20given%20piece%20of%20content%20is%20written%20for%20their%20level) ## What is task determinacy in user intent? Task determinacy is how far a task has fixed rules for completion. Open tasks need discovery and structure, closed tasks need direct answers, as Katriina Byström and Kalervo Järvelin showed for task complexity. A system built for closed tasks fails open ones. *How to act on task determinacy with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Decide whether you need one answer or an overview | A notes app | The right kind of result | | SEO | Give direct answers to closed questions and structure to open ones | Search Console question queries | Which kind of task dominates | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"how to" OR intitle:guide` | Pages for closed tasks next to pages for open ones | *Who benefits from task determinacy, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Gives direct answers to closed questions and structure to open ones | Answer-box visibility and deep pages from the same topic | | Customer support | Links the right format per question | Faster resolution | | Readers | Get the kind of result the task needs | Less effort | ## What is information avoidance by searchers? Information avoidance is the tendency to steer clear of information that could cause discomfort, such as a feared diagnosis. People search around a subject as much as into it. A page that confronts too early loses the person it was written for. *How to act on information avoidance with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Name what you are avoiding and decide when to face it | A notes app or a trusted person | A deliberate choice | | SEO | Make difficult information approachable with gentle headings and next steps | Microsoft Clarity recordings of sensitive sections | Where readers stop | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "risks" OR "side effects"` | Pages that carry difficult information | *Who benefits from information avoidance, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Presents difficult information gently | Readers stay with hard topics | | Legal and compliance | Makes risks visible in a readable way | Duties to inform met in practice | | Readers | Face difficult facts at their own pace | Decisions based on the whole picture | ## What is the need for cognitive closure in search? The need for cognitive closure, studied by Arie Kruglanski, is the desire for a firm answer and an end to uncertainty. It differs between people and situations. It shapes how long someone searches and which result they accept. *How to act on the need for cognitive closure with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Check a quick answer against a second source | Google search | A firm answer that holds | | SEO | State the answer first, then its conditions | The page on a phone, first screen | Whether closure-seeking readers get what they came for | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"can you" OR intitle:"is it"` | Pages that should give a clear yes or no | *Who benefits from the need for cognitive closure, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Puts the clear answer first, then the conditions | Featured answers and satisfied quick visits | | Customer support | Sends links with a clear answer | Fewer follow-up questions | | Readers | Get a firm answer | Relief and a decision | ## What is information seeking anxiety? Information seeking anxiety is the unease people feel when searching is complex or unfamiliar, first described as library anxiety by Constance Mellon. It changes how people phrase queries and how fast they move. An overloaded interface adds to it. *How to act on information seeking anxiety with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Use one trusted starting point | Official sites, library services | Less overwhelm | | SEO | Reduce complexity with clear navigation, site search and plain labels | Microsoft Clarity rage clicks, Google Analytics 4 site search | Where searching causes stress | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com inurl:search` | Internal search result pages in the index, which usually do not belong there | *Who benefits from information seeking anxiety, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Product team | Simplifies navigation and site search | Fewer abandoned visits | | Customer support | Receives fewer where do I find calls | Time for real problems | | Readers | Search without stress | A pleasant experience of the site | ## What is serendipitous knowledge discovery while searching? Serendipitous knowledge discovery is the unplanned finding of valuable information while looking for something else. Sanda Erdelez called it information encountering. Intent models that assume a fixed target filter it out. *How to act on serendipitous discovery with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Keep a place for interesting finds outside the task | A bookmarks folder | Finds for later | | SEO | Link related subjects at natural points in the text | Google Analytics 4 path exploration | Whether readers follow unexpected paths | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com inurl:tag OR inurl:category` | Archive pages that lead to unplanned finds, and whether they are thin | *Who benefits from serendipitous discovery, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Links related subjects at natural points | More pages seen per visit | | Management | Gets visitors to discover offers they did not search for | Additional interest and revenue | | Readers | Find valuable things by chance | Enjoyment and new ideas | Also discussed at [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/information-seeking-behavior-changes/](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/information-seeking-behavior-changes/#:~:text=finding%20the%20information%20accidentally%20while%20browsing%20the%20web) ## What is a task-based user model for search? A task-based user model describes a searcher by role, task and situation, beyond the words of a query. It lets a system adapt to where the person is in their work. Keyword categories cannot carry that. *How to act on a task-based user model with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Tell a page or assistant your role and your task | The page's own question, chat assistants | Answers fitted to the task | | SEO | Describe visitor groups by role, task and situation | Google Forms, support conversations | A model of visitors beyond keyword lists | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"for teams" OR intitle:"for students"` | Pages that address a role and its task | *Who benefits from a task-based user model, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Product team | Designs by role, task and situation | Pages and features that fit real work | | Sales | Addresses roles with their tasks | Relevant offers | | Readers | Get answers fitted to their role | Less adaptation work | ## What is information satisfaction for the searcher? Information satisfaction is a person's own judgement of whether the need was met. Topical match and satisfaction often diverge. A result can fit the query perfectly and leave the need open. *How to act on information satisfaction with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Check whether you can act now | Your own task list | Whether the need was really met | | SEO | Ask one satisfaction question at the end of the page | Google Forms or a simple yes and no link | Whether the need was met, in the reader's judgement | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "was this helpful"` | Pages that already ask for satisfaction | *Who benefits from information satisfaction, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Asks readers whether their need was met | Pages improved where searchers leave unsatisfied | | Management | Measures satisfaction next to traffic | A truer picture of what content achieves | | Readers | Can say what was missing | Better pages next time | Described in a Google patent: [https://patents.google.com/patent/US8661029B1/en](https://patents.google.com/patent/US8661029B1/en#:~:text=a%20long%20click%20can%20be%20considered%20indicative%20of%20a%20good%20page) ## What is task completion time in search? Task completion time measures how long the whole task takes, beyond the time on one page. A short session can mean success or surrender. Only the task tells which. *How to act on task completion time with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Note how long the task took and where the time went | A timer | Where searching wastes time | | SEO | Measure the whole path to the goal | Google Analytics 4 funnel exploration | Time to finish the task | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:quick OR intitle:minutes` | Pages that promise a fast result, to test against real task time | *Who benefits from task completion time, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Product team | Measures the whole path to the goal | Shorter paths that convert more search visitors | | Content team | Removes steps that cost time | Pages people finish | | Readers | Finish tasks faster | Time saved | Also discussed at [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/castle-framework/](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/castle-framework/#:~:text=measures%20how%20quickly%20users%20can%20successfully%20complete%20key%20workflows) ## What is the query reformulation rate? The query reformulation rate is how often people change their query within a search. Each reformulation shows something the previous query did not carry. A high rate is the visible form of an unmet need. *How to act on the query reformulation rate with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Change one element per reformulation | Google search | Which word made the difference | | SEO | Look for many near-identical queries reaching one page | Search Console queries tab, filtered by page | Wording the page does not yet carry | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "your topic" OR "other word for it"` | Pages that carry the alternative wordings people try | *Who benefits from the query reformulation rate, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Adds the wording people try in their second query | The page found on the first attempt | | Content team | Covers alternative terms naturally | More queries lead to the same good page | | Readers | Find the page with their first words | No trial and error | Described in a Google patent: [https://patents.google.com/patent/US9116952B1/en](https://patents.google.com/patent/US9116952B1/en#:~:text=receiving%20a%20first%20query%20and%20a%20second%20query%20each%20comprising%20one%20or%20more%20n%2Dgrams%20for%20a%20user%20session) If one query expressed the whole need, the session would end there. Nearly 40 % of all queries reworked the previous one, and these are the ways they did it. *How searchers changed their previous query, in a Dogpile log of 1.5 million queries* | Change to the previous query | Share of 558,292 query changes | | --- | --- | | Same number of terms, at least one term kept (reformulation) | 22.7 % | | Suggested query picked from the engine (assistance) | 22.3 % | | More terms, same topic (specialization) | 16.3 % | | Narrower or broader, with new terms | 19.7 % | | Same query in another collection, such as images or video | 11.8 % | | Fewer terms, same topic (generalization) | 7.2 % | Jansen, B. J., Booth, D. L. and Spink, A., Patterns of query reformulation during Web searching, Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 2009. Dogpile log of 6 May 2005, 964,780 sessions, 1,523,072 queries. The row 'narrower or broader, with new terms' adds specialization with reformulation (9.95 %) and generalization with reformulation (9.78 %). ## What is cognitive authority for searchers? Cognitive authority, a concept from Patrick Wilson in 1983, is the influence a source has on what a person accepts as true. People adopt answers from sources they trust. Topical relevance without authority is ignored. *How to act on cognitive authority with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Check who stands behind a result | About this result on Google, the three dots next to a result | The standing of the source | | SEO | Show who wrote and checked the content, with credentials | A visible byline, Rich Results Test for author markup | Grounds for trust | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com inurl:author OR intitle:about` | Author and about pages that ground trust | *Who benefits from cognitive authority, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Shows authors, reviewers and credentials | Trust signals readers and search systems can see | | Management | Builds recognised expertise | A reputation that lifts the whole site | | Readers | Know who they can rely on | Safer decisions | ## What role does epistemic trust play in user intent? Epistemic trust is a person's willingness to believe information from a source they cannot check. It decides whether a found answer is used. A need for knowledge is also a need for someone to rely on. *How to act on epistemic trust with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Cross-check an important answer with an independent source | Google search, Google Scholar | Whether the trust is justified | | SEO | Link claims to evidence readers can check | Google Scholar, primary studies | What readers can verify for themselves | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "according to" OR "study"` | Pages that name evidence | *Who benefits from epistemic trust, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Links claims to evidence | Citations by answer engines and other sites | | Legal and compliance | Keeps claims supported | Lower risk from unsupported statements | | Readers | Check what they cannot know themselves | Justified trust | ## What is cognitive dissonance in search? Cognitive dissonance, described by Leon Festinger, is the discomfort of holding beliefs that conflict with new information. In search, it shapes which results people open and which they reject. Relevant opposing views are often passed over for that reason. *How to act on cognitive dissonance in search with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Search the opposite view on purpose | Google search with evidence against | Results beyond confirmation | | SEO | Present counter-evidence fairly | Google Scholar | Whether the page helps readers weigh views | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:myth OR intitle:misconceptions` | Pages that address beliefs readers may hold | *Who benefits from cognitive dissonance in search, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Addresses common beliefs and counter-evidence fairly | Visibility for myth and misconception queries | | Management | Positions the brand as fair and informed | Credibility with sceptical buyers | | Readers | Weigh different views | Better judgement | ## What is task workload in searching? Task workload is the mental effort a search demands, measurable with instruments such as the NASA Task Load Index. Dense result pages raise it. Effort spent sorting results is effort taken from the need. *How to act on task workload with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Break a heavy search into smaller questions | A notes app | Lower effort per step | | SEO | Have test users rate the effort of a task on the page | NASA Task Load Index questionnaire | The mental effort the page demands | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com filetype:pdf` | Heavy documents offered as answers | *Who benefits from task workload, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Product team | Reduces the effort a page demands | Visitors complete more tasks | | Content team | Splits heavy content into steps | Passages that are easier to find and quote | | Readers | Spend less mental effort | Energy left for the decision | Also discussed at [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/measuring-perceived-usability/](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/measuring-perceived-usability/#:~:text=instrument%20for%20measuring%20the%20perceived%20workload) ## What is perceived task difficulty in search? Perceived task difficulty is how hard a person believes a task to be. It predicts how they search and when they give up. The same interface for easy and hard tasks helps neither well. *How to act on perceived task difficulty with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Start with the easiest part | A notes app | Momentum | | SEO | Ask test users how hard the task felt, before and after | Google Forms with a rating from 1 to 7 | Where the page makes tasks feel harder | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:easy OR intitle:simple` | Pages that promise ease, to test with real users | *Who benefits from perceived task difficulty, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Makes tasks look as easy as they are | Fewer visitors giving up early | | Sales | Lowers the barrier to start | More enquiries | | Readers | Feel able to do the task | Motivation to continue | Also discussed at [https://www.nngroup.com/articles/measuring-perceived-usability/](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/measuring-perceived-usability/#:~:text=rate%20the%20difficulty%20of%20the%20activity%20they%20just%20completed) ## What is cognitive friction in search? Cognitive friction is the resistance people meet when a system does not work the way they think, a term Alan Cooper made known. In search, it lies between the thought and the words the box will accept. Failed sessions are often friction, and they are counted as missing content. *How to act on cognitive friction with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Tell the site owner where a page confused you | The site's contact form | Fixes that help the next reader | | SEO | Find clicks on elements that do nothing | Microsoft Clarity dead clicks and rage clicks | Places where the page works differently from expectations | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"not found" OR intitle:error` | Error pages that Google has indexed | *Who benefits from cognitive friction, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Product team | Fixes elements that behave unexpectedly | Fewer rage clicks and exits | | Customer support | Receives fewer confusion reports | Time for real issues | | Readers | Use the page without puzzling | A smooth visit | ## What is information exhaustiveness in a search task? Information exhaustiveness is the requirement of some tasks to see everything relevant, beyond the best few results. Legal research and systematic reviews work this way. A short summary answer fails a need for completeness. *How to act on information exhaustiveness with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Use databases with complete coverage for exhaustive tasks | Google Scholar, PubMed, EUR-Lex | Coverage beyond the top results | | SEO | State whether the page covers a subject completely or selectively | The page's own scope statement | Honest scope for exhaustive searchers | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"complete guide"` | Pages that promise completeness, to check against their scope | *Who benefits from information exhaustiveness, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | States the scope of a page honestly | Trust from researchers who need completeness | | Legal and compliance | Avoids implying completeness that is missing | Lower liability | | Readers | Know whether they have seen everything | No false sense of completeness | ## What is the hedonic value of a search task? The hedonic value of a search task is the enjoyment people get from searching and browsing itself. Not every session serves a goal. Recreational browsing misread as failed searching distorts every measure of success. *How to act on the hedonic value of a search task with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Allow browsing time without a goal | Browser bookmarks | Enjoyment as part of searching | | SEO | Separate browsing visits from goal visits | Google Analytics 4, engagement rate and views per session | Which visits are recreational | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:ideas OR intitle:inspiration` | Pages for browsing without a set goal | *Who benefits from the hedonic value of a search task, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Creates content people enjoy browsing | Repeat visits without a concrete need | | Management | Keeps the brand present between purchases | Loyalty | | Readers | Enjoy browsing | Inspiration | ## Why does the difference between user intent and search intent matter commercially? Search intent is read from the compromised form of the need, and content is built for that form. The person arrives with a larger need that moves, carries feelings and belongs to a task. Pages that serve only the query lose that person at the point where the need goes beyond the box. *How to act on the difference between user intent and search intent with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Searcher | Tell a page what you really need when it asks | The page's own question | A route beyond the query | | SEO | Compare the goals from a survey with the queries of the page | Google Forms and Search Console | The part of the user intent no query shows | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com intitle:"search intent" OR intitle:"user intent"` | How the site itself treats the two | *Who benefits from the difference between user intent and search intent, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Management | Invests in the needs no query shows | Demand competitors do not serve | | SEO | Reports beyond keyword rankings | Search results that bring business | | Readers | Get what they need beyond what they typed | Better outcomes | ## What should a page do about user intent? Answer the user intent and carry the search intent inside it. A page can name the situations people arrive from, address the stage they are in and the worry behind the question, and ask back what brought them. That is the idea of Supervised Search: the publisher supervises the last stretch of the search. *How to act on user intent on a page with free means* | Who | What to do | Free means | What it shows | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | SEO | Ask visitors one question and route each answer to the passage that fits | The page itself, Microsoft Clarity to watch the routes | Which routes people take | | SEO | Measure satisfaction and reformulations alongside clicks | Google Forms and Search Console | Search results that help people | | Your site | Check your own domain; replace example.com with it | `site:example.com "what brought you"` | Pages that already ask visitors why they came | *Who benefits from user intent on a page, and how it pays off in search results* | Who benefits | In everyday use | How it pays off | | --- | --- | --- | | Content team | Asks one question and routes each answer | Visitors who reach the passage that fits | | Management | Measures satisfaction and reformulations alongside clicks | A clear picture of what search brings | | Readers | Are guided to their answer | Search that ends on the page | [Search intent](https://www.searchresultoptimization.com/digital-marketing/search-intent/) First published 2022-12-11. Last revised 2026-09-16.