Let's be honest, not all Google searches are the same. In fact, a massive 80% of all searches are informational. This means the person searching wants to learn something, not immediately buy a product or find a specific website.
These searches are powered by informational keywords, and they represent a huge opportunity for businesses. By creating content that genuinely answers questions and solves problems, you can attract a wide audience, build trust, and drive long term growth. Think of it as the first handshake with a future customer. This guide will walk you through exactly what informational keywords are, how to find them, and how to use them to supercharge your SEO strategy.
What Are Informational Keywords?
Informational keywords are the search terms people use when they want to find information. The user's goal, or search intent, is purely educational. They might be looking for an answer to a question, a step by step tutorial, or an explanation of a complex topic.
A great example is a search like "how to fix a leaky faucet". The user isn't looking to buy a new sink right away; they're looking for knowledge to solve an immediate problem. Someone searching for informational keywords is in research mode. They are at the very top of the marketing funnel, often in the "awareness" stage. They might not even know what solution they need yet.
If you provide a helpful answer, you capture their attention early on and introduce them to your brand. Users with informational intent often use words like "how", "what", "why", "guide", or "tutorial" in their searches. By understanding this, you can create content that perfectly matches what they're looking for.
Informational vs. Other Keyword Types
To really get it, it helps to see how informational keywords stack up against other search types. SEO professionals usually group keywords into a few main categories:
- Informational: The user wants to learn something. For example, "what are the benefits of email marketing".
- Navigational: The user wants to find a specific website. For example, "Facebook login".
- Transactional: The user is ready to make a purchase or take an action. For example, "buy Nike running shoes".
- Commercial: The user is researching before a purchase. For example, "best DSLR cameras under $1000".
Each keyword type maps to a different stage in the customer journey. Informational keywords are for the early awareness stage, while transactional keywords are for the final decision stage. A Penn State study found that search queries are roughly 80% informational, 10% navigational, and 10% transactional. If you only focus on "buy now" keywords, you're missing out on the vast majority of your potential audience.
Key Characteristics of Informational Keywords
Informational queries have a few things in common that make them easy to spot.
- They often sound like questions. Many searches start with words like "how", "what", or "why". Users are directly asking search engines for answers, and your content should provide them.
- They have educational intent. The user wants to learn, understand, or research a topic. They're not ready to buy anything yet.
- They're often longer and more specific. Instead of searching for "marketing", someone might search for "how to create a marketing strategy for small businesses".
- They tend to have higher search volume but lower commercial value. Lots of people want to learn, but fewer are ready to purchase immediately.
The beauty of informational keywords is that they let you meet people at the beginning of their journey. You become their trusted guide, which positions you perfectly when they're ready to make a decision later.
Why Informational Keywords Matter for Your Business
You might be thinking, "If people aren't ready to buy, why should I care?" Here's why informational keywords are pure gold for smart businesses:
Build Trust and Authority
When you consistently provide helpful answers, people start to see you as an expert. This builds trust, which is crucial for future sales. A study by Demand Metric found that content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing while generating 3x more leads.
Capture Early Stage Traffic
Most of your competitors are fighting over the same "buy now" keywords. Informational keywords are often less competitive, giving you a better chance to rank and capture traffic before your competition even knows these users exist.
Create Long-Term Value
A well written informational article can drive traffic for years. Unlike paid ads that stop working the moment you stop paying, great content compounds over time. The investment you make today in creating helpful content continues to pay dividends month after month.
Feed Your Sales Funnel
People who discover you through informational content can be nurtured into customers through email marketing, retargeting, and strategic internal linking to your product or service pages.
How to Find Informational Keywords
Finding the right informational keywords requires a mix of tools, creativity, and understanding your audience. Here's a step by step process:
Start with Your Audience's Pain Points
What questions do your customers ask most often? What problems are they trying to solve? Start by brainstorming a list of topics your ideal customer would want to learn about. Talk to your sales team, customer service team, or directly to customers to understand their most common questions.
Use Keyword Research Tools
Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, or SEMrush can help you expand your initial list and see search volumes. Look for keywords with decent search volume but reasonable competition. Focus especially on long tail keywords that are more specific to your niche.
Analyze Google's Search Features
Google itself gives you clues about informational intent. Look for search results that include:
- "People Also Ask" boxes
- Featured snippets
- "Related searches" at the bottom of the page
- Video results and image carousels
These features indicate that Google sees the query as informational and is trying to provide quick answers.
Study Your Competitors
Look at what your competitors are ranking for. What informational content are they creating? What topics are they covering that you're not? Use tools to see which of their pages get the most organic traffic for informational queries.
How to Create Content for Informational Keywords
Creating content for informational keywords is different from writing sales pages. Your goal is to educate and help, not to sell directly.
Focus on Comprehensive Coverage
Google rewards content that thoroughly covers a topic. Don't just scratch the surface. Create the most complete, helpful resource available on your chosen topic. Research shows that longer, more detailed content tends to rank higher in search results.
Use Clear, Scannable Formatting
People scan online content rather than reading word by word. Use headings, bullet points, numbered lists, and short paragraphs to make your content easy to digest. Include a table of contents for longer articles.
Answer the Question Directly
Don't bury the answer to the main question. Address it early and clearly, then provide additional context and details. This increases your chances of being featured in a snippet and satisfies users who want quick answers.
Include Strategic Internal Links
While your informational content shouldn't be salesy, you can strategically link to relevant product or service pages where it makes sense. For example, an article about "how to choose the right CRM" could naturally link to your CRM consulting services.
Measuring Success with Informational Keywords
Success with informational keywords looks different from transactional keywords. Here's what to track:
- Organic traffic growth: Are more people finding and reading your content?
- Time on page and engagement: Are visitors spending time with your content and engaging with it?
- Social shares and backlinks: Are other people finding your content valuable enough to share or link to?
- Email sign-ups: Are visitors joining your email list to learn more?
- Rankings for featured snippets: Is Google featuring your content as the best answer?
Remember, the goal isn't immediate sales but building long-term relationships and authority. For a comprehensive look at what metrics matter most, check out our guide on measuring SEO success.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, it's easy to make mistakes when targeting informational keywords:
- Being too promotional: Save the sales pitch for later. Focus on genuinely helping first.
- Creating shallow content: Don't just answer the surface question. Provide comprehensive, valuable information.
- Ignoring search intent: Make sure your content actually matches what people are looking for when they search.
- Forgetting to optimize: Even informational content needs proper SEO optimization to rank well.
- Not having a follow-up strategy: Create ways to stay connected with people who find your informational content.
Your Informational Keyword Strategy
Informational keywords are your opportunity to meet potential customers at the very beginning of their journey. By providing genuinely helpful, comprehensive content that answers their questions, you build trust, authority, and a pipeline of future customers.
The key is to think long term. Every piece of informational content you create is an investment in your brand's authority and visibility. Start with the questions your audience is asking, create the best possible answers, and optimize them for search engines.
Ready to dominate informational keywords? Rankai specializes in creating comprehensive content strategies that capture informational traffic and convert it into business growth. Learn how our expert team can help you build authority through strategic content creation.
