Contents
- What are transactional queries
- Types of transactional queries
- The importance of transactional queries in SEO
- Challenges of working with transactional queries
What are transactional queries
A transactional query is a search query that a user enters into a search engine with the aim of performing a specific action online. It typically includes verbs such as "buy," "download," "order," or specifications like "mp3," "pdf," "price," "cost." These queries demonstrate the user's intention to complete a specific task, making them important for internet marketing.
Types of transactional queries
Users mainly search for three primary categories of information online: news, products, and reference data. They may ask questions on the same topic but with different purposes. For example, the query "make borscht" implies searching for a recipe, while "order borscht" indicates an intention to buy a ready-made product. Both queries are related to borscht, but their goals are fundamentally different.
A notable example of a transactional query is the phrase "marketing complete book." Users are likely aiming to download or purchase the complete edition of a marketing book but encounter snippets or demo materials, prompting them to search for the full version.
The importance of transactional queries in SEO
Most transactional queries have a geo-dependent nature, meaning they are aimed at finding goods and services in the immediate vicinity of the user. For example, a resident of Omsk is likely to search for a taxi or pizza specifically in their city.
An interesting fact is that promoting a website through transactional queries is most effectively done using short texts. This is because users want to quickly obtain information about the product, its price, and other important details. If the text does not provide an instant response to the user's query, they may switch to competitors.
Challenges of working with transactional queries
When a user enters a transactional query, they are already set on taking action. This makes such queries particularly attractive to SEO specialists, as they can lead potential customers directly to the desired product or downloadable file. However, the main challenge of working with transactional queries is the high competition, as many commercial websites strive to rank for such queries. This leads to the necessity of using low-frequency queries to reduce the level of competition and increase the chances of successful promotion.