{"id":335,"date":"2018-08-14T12:24:57","date_gmt":"2018-08-14T12:24:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=335"},"modified":"2022-09-05T19:23:52","modified_gmt":"2022-09-05T17:23:52","slug":"why-user-intent-must-be-top-of-the-mind-when-designing-marketing-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/digital-marketing-blog\/why-user-intent-must-be-top-of-the-mind-when-designing-marketing-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"Why User Intent Must be Top priority in a Design Marketing Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"DSM<\/div><\/div>

Are you in the process of designing a digital marketing strategy but don\u2019t know what should come first? Maybe you\u2019re thinking that all it involves is backlinks to your sites or that merely ranking higher on search engines will do the trick. If this is the case, then you are making a grave mistake which could hinder the success of your digital marketing strategy. You should consider user intent first and foremost.<\/p>\n

What does digital marketing strategy ACTUALLY involve?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Gone are the days when major search engines used to be only mechanical, robotic and mathematical. They delivered search requests to users but without satisfying them with relevant answers.<\/p>\n

But since then, the standard of Google\u2019s algorithm has improved significantly and focuses more on what users are searching for. This is why the search engine giant continually monitors user behaviour to gain more information about queries that people are making as well as how to deliver relevant content that answers their queries.<\/p>\n

Any web page that shows up in SERPs \u2013 or Search Engine Results Pages – as a result of domain authority or backlinks but does not deliver relevant information \u2013 as a result of shallow or plagiarised content \u2013 will be de-ranked, irrespective of other signals. This is why user intent<\/em><\/strong> continues increase in popularity in any SEO strategy<\/em><\/strong> of any organisation that wants to make an impact with potential and existing customers. So if you don\u2019t employ the concept of user intent in your marketing strategy, then you may be wasting your time and money online without any substantial profit.<\/p>\n

What is user intent<\/em>? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

User intent is about the objective or goal that your users want to achieve whenever they type a phrase or term into any search engine. It is based on the context of search queries and keywords. Although this concept is not complicated it is difficult to determine accurately what your reader is looking for based on a simple search query.<\/p>\n

There are three primary categories that you can use which will be helpful when designing your marketing strategy based on the intent of your users. When you accurately identify these categories, you will know how to address their specific needs and ensure they have a pleasant and rewarding experience on your website.<\/p>\n

\"DSM<\/em><\/p>\n

Information Seekers<\/em><\/h5>\n

The first category involves information seekers. They look for more information about your organisation, product or service, or how to get in touch with you.<\/p>\n

Educational Users<\/em><\/h5>\n

The next group is the educational users. They are only interested in learning more about topics that are tailored to your industry. They may need answers to a problem they are facing.<\/p>\n

Transactional Users<\/em><\/h5>\n

The last group consists of transactional users who are ready to subscribe to your newsletters, download anything you have or make a purchase. They visit your site with one clear intention in mind: to buy something. They are the most important group of website visitors and you must ensure that the process is as seamless as possible.<\/p>\n

User intent<\/em><\/strong> matters a lot as it is the primary component that converts visitors to your website to customers and this is considered as a psychological challenge. Therefore, identifying a user\u2019s intent must be paramount in your marketing strategy.<\/p>\n

You can identify \u2013 and understand \u2013 the intent of users by following the steps outlined below:<\/strong><\/h5>\n