Algorithm, Search & Distribution
Search intent
Also called: query intent, user intent
Two people searching the same words can want different things. Someone typing 'best microphone' may want a ranked list, a single recommendation, or a comparison against the one they already own. Matching the keyword is easy; matching the intent is what keeps the viewer watching once they arrive. The usual split is informational, navigational, commercial and transactional, though for video the more useful question is what the searcher expects to see in the first ten seconds. Guessing wrong shows up as a healthy click rate followed by a fast exit.