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The secret to PPC ads that convert?

It’s not always higher bids or increased impressions. The magic sauce? Matching what people want when they click an ad.

The problem:

Businesses throw tens of thousands of dollars into PPC campaigns that target the wrong intent. Ads focused on buying show up for research queries, or content ads come up for buyers ready to purchase. So when 65% of PPC ad clicks are from users who are already actively searching with an intent to purchase, miss that intent and you lose revenue.

It’s the difference between a PPC campaign that makes you money, and one that burns through your budget with nothing to show for it.

In this guide, we’ll cover

● Breaking Down the Four Types of User Intent
● Why Matching Intent Boosts PPC Performance
● Structuring Campaigns Based On Search Behavior
● 4 Intent Targeting Mistakes To Avoid
What Is User Intent in PPC?
In simple terms, user intent is the goal of someone’s search query.

When people type a phrase into Google, they’re looking for something. Or someone. It’s not random browsing. There’s a purpose behind their searches, and they want Google to serve them the results they need.

Here’s why this is so important to PPC campaigns…

An expert PPC Google Ads agency will tell you matching ad copy and landing pages to user intent is critical to successful PPC agency services. The more a user’s search query and desired result match the ad and landing page content, the better the performance.

Put simply, if someone searches “how to fix a leaky faucet”, they are looking for information. But if they search “emergency plumber near me”, they are looking for service. Same industry. Completely different intent.

Serve the wrong ad to either, and you’re just throwing money away.
The Four Types of User Intent
Before we dive into how to build campaigns with intent in mind, let’s break down the four intent types that people fall into when they search.
Informational Intent
As you might expect, people with informational intent want to know or learn something. Questions, guides, explanations…

The types of searches include:

● How to…
● What is…
● Guide to…
● Ways to…

Informational searches sit at the top of the funnel. People aren’t ready to buy yet, they’re just trying to educate themselves and understand their options. Successful PPC campaigns target this intent by building trust and authority, and positioning themselves as the expert solution.
Navigational Intent
Navigational intent is straightforward.

People want to find a specific website or page. They already know what they’re looking for, they just want to use Google to get there faster.

Brand names, product names, login pages, etc. are all navigational intent. Someone’s searching for a competitor’s brand name? There’s an opportunity for competitive differentiation.
Commercial Intent
Commercial intent is where things start to get a little juicy.

Commercial intent indicates a searcher is in the process of researching their next purchase. They want to compare options, read reviews, and understand features. They haven’t made a buying decision yet, but they will very soon.

Searches include:

● Best…
● Top…
● Reviews
● Vs. or comparison

71% of potential customers prefer ads that are customized to their interests and shopping habits. Commercial intent is a ripe target for customized ad messaging that speaks to the specific benefits of a product or service.
Transactional Intent
Transactional searches mean it’s “go time.”

People are ready to take action. To buy, to sign up, to decide right now. Transactional searches have the highest value of all four because conversion rates are through the roof when intent matches the offer.

Look for these keywords…

● Buy…
● Purchase…
● Discount…
● Near me + service action

Remember, visitors from PPC are 50% more likely to buy than organic visitors. Capture transactional intent, and it’s no longer an option.
Why Matching Intent Matters for PPC Success
Here’s the bottom line:

Matching ad copy and landing pages to user intent isn’t just a best practice. It’s a PPC campaign performance make-or-break.

Everything from Quality Score to conversion rates is impacted by how relevant the ad is to the user’s query. Google factors intent in. Ads that match what users are looking for have higher Quality Scores, lower costs-per-click, and better ad positions.

Intent is more than Google though…

People bounce when their expectations don’t match the landing page. A searcher looking for information gets a sales page? They’re out. A searcher ready to buy lands on a blog post? Ditto. They won’t find you again. They’ll buy from a competitor who got it right.
How to Build Intent-Based PPC Campaigns
Now the fun part — how to structure a PPC campaign with intent in mind.
Start With Keyword Research
Intent-based campaigns must start with intentional keyword research. Examine the actual phrases and questions people use, then group them by intent.

PPC management and hire PPC agency near me have different intent. PPC management is information. PPC agency near me is transactional.
Create Separate Ad Groups by Intent
Mixing intent types in a single ad group is the biggest mistake.

Split campaigns or ad groups by intent type so messaging, landing pages, and tracking are aligned. This also makes it easy to filter out undesirable intent with negative keywords.

The setup might look something like this…

● Campaign 1: Informational (blog posts, guides, white papers, etc)
● Campaign 2: Commercial (comparison pages, features, company information)
● Campaign 3: Transactional (service pages, checkout/signup)

Each campaign has different ad copy, different landing pages, and different metrics for success.
Write Intent-Specific Ad Copy
Ad copy must speak directly to the user’s goal.

Informational searches want to know you have the answers. Commercial searches want comparisons and features. Transactional searches want clear benefits and easy action.

Headline, description, and CTA all need to match the intent.
Match Landing Pages to Intent
This is the point where most campaigns fall apart.

The landing page must align with the intent behind the search, or else it’s a waste of money. Informational needs content-rich pages. Commercial needs comparison tools. Transactional needs easy checkout or sign-up paths.

Every click should lead directly to what the user wants.
4 Intent Targeting Mistakes To Avoid
Even for seasoned marketers, these mistakes are surprisingly common…
Showing Transactional Ads for Informational Searches
Searcher types = services. These folks want information. Not to buy PPC services. Show them a “Buy Now” ad, and you’re just wasting money and annoying users.

Fix? Build separate campaigns for each stage of the buying funnel. Use negative keywords to keep intent types from bleeding into each other.
Neglecting Commercial Intent
Many campaigns are built for either informational or transactional, with commercial completely left behind.

Commercial intent represents people in active consideration mode. Skip it, and you lose sales to more savvy competitors.
Broad Match Keywords Without Intent Filters
Broad match keywords have a very broad reach, and sometimes that’s too broad.

Without using negative keywords to filter out unwanted intent, campaigns can bleed budget into irrelevant clicks. Free PPC tools have a different intent than PPC agency pricing.
Traffic to Homepage for Everything
Homepage won’t serve every intent type effectively.

Traffic commercial intent searches to a homepage and you’re forcing users to click around to find what they need. They won’t. They’ll leave and go to the next brand who makes it easy.

Wrapping Things Up

Understanding user intent isn’t just helpful for PPC campaigns. It’s essential.

Four distinct intent types (informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional) each require different approaches. Match ad copy, landing pages, and calls-to-action to the user’s actual goal, and conversion rates improve while costs come down.

Expert PPC agency services understand and build campaigns around intent. Not just keywords. They plan separate strategies for each stage of the buying funnel, and make sure every click takes the user exactly where they want to go.

Key takeaways:

● Categorize keywords by intent type before building PPC campaigns
● Create separate ad groups for different intent categories
● Write ad copy that speaks directly to the user’s goal
● Ensure landing pages match the intent behind the search

It’s the difference between a PPC campaign that wastes money, and one that drives business growth.