Search Intent Scoring: How to Classify Keywords for Your Content Pillar

Ben — Founder

Intent scoring is classifying search queries by their underlying intent type (informational, commercial, transactional, navigational) to decide which keywords to target. For example, ‘best project management tool’ signals commercial intent (comparison, purchase-ready), while ‘how to set project milestones’ signals informational intent with buyer-readiness. Intent scoring guides content strategy by separating defensible branded keywords from exploratory long-tail searches.

Most founder-CMOs I talk to pick content topics by gut. They write what feels related to the product, skip the scoring step, and wonder six months later why nothing converts. The problem is rarely the writing. It is that they never decided which keywords were worth defending in the first place. This article fixes that. It sits inside Andy’s broader branded search strategy, and it shows you how to score intent so you write the right articles, not just more of them.

What Intent Scoring Is and Why It Matters

Intent scoring is a filter. You run every keyword through it before you write a single outline, and it tells you which ones to pursue and which to drop. That is the whole point. Everything starts by the search intent, and you cannot change what people are typing. You can only decide which of those searches your brand should own.

The generic four buckets (informational, commercial, transactional, navigational) are a starting point, not the answer. They tell you the category. They do not tell you whether a keyword is worth your time. A beginner reads “commercial intent” and thinks “good.” But “best CRM” and “best CRM for a two-person law firm” are both commercial, and only one of them is winnable for a small brand.

So intent scoring answers a sharper question: which content should I write for this pillar, and which keywords should I skip? That is the strategic move. You end up with a list of articles that you want to write and a list of articles that you do not want to write. Long-tail chasing ignores buyer readiness. Intent scoring builds toward it.

The 4 Intent Types and What They Signal

Four intent types cover almost every query. Learn the signals and you can read a keyword in two seconds.

Informational (learn). Modifiers like “how to,” “what is,” “guide to,” “examples of.” The user wants knowledge, not a checkout page. SERPs fill with long guides, FAQ blocks, and high-authority publishers. Example: “how to set project milestones.” Useful, but the searcher is not buying today.

Commercial (research). Modifiers like “best,” “top,” “review,” “vs,” “alternatives.” The user is evaluating options and is close to a decision. SERPs show listicles, comparison tables, and buying guides. Example: “best project management tool.” This is the research phase, and it is gold for SaaS.

Transactional (buy/do). Modifiers like “buy,” “sign up,” “install,” “pricing,” “free trial.” The user is ready to act. SERPs serve product pages, pricing pages, and ads. Example: “Asana pricing.” Short query, high urgency.

Navigational (branded). Brand names, product names, company queries. The user already knows the entity and wants to reach it. Example: “Notion login” or “Andy SEO.” These are the most defensible searches you own, because nobody outranks you for your own name.

One more habit: read the live SERP for each. The format, the domains that rank, and the ad placement tell you the real intent faster than any modifier list. The SERPs don’t lie. If “best CRM” returns ten comparison articles, Google has already decided the intent for you.

For a deeper walk-through of how scoring plays out on brand-owned searches, see these branded search intent examples.

How to Score Intent Signals in Your Keywords

Scoring is three steps. Signals, confidence, SERP check.

First, pull the signals. Look at the modifier (“best,” “how to,” “buy”), the domain types that rank (ecommerce, knowledge sites, brand pages), and the SERP format (listicles, comparison tables, product pages). Each signal points at one intent type. When they all point the same way, you have a clean read.

Second, apply a confidence score:

• High — strong commercial or transactional signals, SERP packed with comparison or product pages. Pursue.
• Medium — mixed signals, intent split across formats. Investigate before committing.
• Low — generic phrasing, low buyer readiness, broad informational SERP. Usually skip.

Third, map it to real examples in your pillar. “Best CRM for small business” scores high commercial: the modifier is “best,” the SERP is comparison content, the domains are SaaS review sites. “What does CRM stand for” scores low informational: pure definition, zero buyer readiness, a query AI Overviews answer in one line before anyone clicks. Same topic. Opposite scores. You write one and you skip the other.

This is also why generic explainers are a trap. If you do not have a strong opinion, your content is going to be replaced by AI, because a model answers “what does CRM stand for” without sending anyone to your site. Score those low and move on.

Using Intent Scoring to Choose Which Content to Write

Here is where scoring earns its keep. Score every keyword in your pillar list before you write the outline. The score, not your gut, decides the queue.

Branded and high-commercial keywords go first. They convert, and they signal to Google and to LLMs that you are an expert in your niche. Intent scoring guides which articles get written within a pillar, separating defensible branded search from exploratory long-tail strategies. That is the rule to tape above your desk.

Exploratory low-intent keywords still have a job. They fill topical gaps and round out the cluster. But they need real volume to move anything, so write them after the branded and commercial keywords are secured. Order matters. Think in clusters and content pillars, and let the high-intent articles anchor each one.

Scoring shapes your internal links too. Point your exploratory informational articles toward the commercial and transactional pages that actually convert. The learn-stage reader lands on a guide, then follows a link to the comparison page where the decision happens.

Then make the strategic call. Build branded search volume, which is high-value and defensible, or chase long-tail exploratory keywords, which are harder to own. Andy’s methodology synthesizes Backlinko’s canonical 7-step SEO program and Reforge’s 2026 strategic framework, both of which emphasize intent-driven content strategy over generic keyword volume chasing. Across multiple client engagements, one pattern held: founder-CMOs care about attribution and conversion, not vanity long-tail traffic. That is why the branded call almost always wins. If you are weighing the two, this guide on deciding between branded and exploratory keywords breaks down the trade-off.

Once the articles ship, watch the right numbers. Track measuring intent-driven results so you know whether your high-intent picks are pulling their weight, then double down on what converts.

FAQ

What are the 4 types of search intent?

Informational (learn), commercial (research and compare), transactional (buy or do), and navigational (branded or specific). Each has its own signal words. “How to” and “what is” mean informational. “Best” and “review” mean commercial. “Buy” and “pricing” mean transactional. A brand or product name means navigational.

How do you determine if a keyword has commercial intent?

Score three things. The modifier (look for “best,” “top,” “review,” “vs”), the SERP format (comparison pages and buying guides signal commercial), and the ranking domains (ecommerce and SaaS product sites). When all three line up, you have high-confidence commercial intent.

Why is search intent important for SEO?

Wrong intent means wasted content. An article that misreads what the searcher wants does not convert and does not build topical authority. Intent scoring stops you from writing content nobody actually wants, and it keeps your pillar focused on keywords you can defend.

What’s the difference between commercial and transactional intent?

Commercial is the research phase: the user compares and evaluates options. Transactional is the action phase: the user buys, signs up, or installs. Both are buyer-ready. They differ in urgency, with transactional sitting one step from the decision.