The Ultimate guide to transactional keywords
Understanding the intent behind search queries is crucial for ranking high in search engines and attracting the right traffic.
Not every visitor is ready to buy something, but those often use concrete search terms, known as transactional keywords.
These keywords indicate high intent, signalling that the user is close to purchasing or taking another significant action.
In this blog, we’ll explore transactional keywords, why they matter and how to identify them. We will also provide examples to help you optimise your site for these powerful search terms.
What Are Transactional Keywords?
At their core, transactional keywords are search terms that users enter when deciding whether to buy a product, subscribe to a service, or sign up for a consultation.
These keywords reflect transactional search intent, indicating that the user’s primary goal is to complete a transaction.
These keywords are often action-oriented, containing phrases such as "buy," "order," "get a quote," or "subscribe."
Unlike informational keywords, used when users gather information or research a topic, transactional keywords signal the user is ready to move further down the marketing funnel.
The Role of Transactional Keywords in the Marketing Funnel
To understand the value of transactional keywords, it’s helpful to place them within the context of the marketing funnel. The funnel can be divided into three stages:
Top of the Funnel (TOFU): Users search for information, often using broad, informational keywords. They learn more about a topic but aren’t necessarily ready to decide.
Middle of the Funnel (MOFU): Users better understand what they want and are comparing different products or services. They may use a mix of informational and navigational keywords to research brands and solutions.
Bottom of the Funnel (BOFU): This is where transactional queries come into play. Users are now looking for specific options to buy or engage with. Keywords at this stage reflect an intent to act immediately.
For example, someone researching "best smartphones of 2024" is at the top or middle of the funnel, while a search for "buy iPhone 14 online" shows transactional search intent, indicating readiness to purchase.
The Importance of Targeting Transactional Keywords
Why should you care about transactional keywords? The answer lies in their ability to drive highly qualified traffic to your site.
When users search with transactional intent keywords, they’re not just browsing but looking for products or services they’re ready to purchase.
This makes transactional keywords essential for eCommerce websites, service providers, and any business looking to convert visitors into customers.
By targeting these keywords, you can increase your chances of ranking higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) for queries that matter most.
These keywords not only bring users with high intent but also increase the likelihood of them converting, as they are already in a purchasing mindset.
Transactional Keywords Examples
To better illustrate what transactional keywords look like, here are some examples that can apply across various industries:
eCommerce: "Buy men’s running shoes," "Order women’s winter jackets," "Get Xbox Series X online"
Services: "Sign up for SEO services," "Get a plumbing quote," "Subscribe to personal training"
Software: "Download project management software," "Get free CRM trial," "Buy video editing software"
Each search query reflects an immediate intent to act, whether making a purchase or signing up for a service.
These examples contrast with purely informational keywords, such as "what is SEO" or "best project management tools for teams," which indicate earlier stages of the decision-making process.
Identifying Transactional Keywords
Identifying the correct transactional queries for your website requires thoughtful keyword research. Fortunately, several keyword research tools can help you pinpoint the terms most relevant to your business.
1. Use Keyword Research Tools
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Ubersuggest, and Google Keyword Planner are essential for uncovering transactional intent keywords.
These tools can provide insights into search volume, keyword competition, and the intent behind specific queries.
Many of these tools offer filters to help you sort keywords by intent, allowing you to focus on transactional queries likely to drive conversions.
Below is an example of a keyword filter on Semrush to find transactional keywords.
Look for keywords with high commercial intent when using a keyword research tool. Terms like “buy,” “order,” “get quote,” and “subscribe” are strong indicators of transactional search intent.
Moreover, these tools can show you the estimated search volume for each keyword, helping you understand how many people are searching for that specific term.
2. Analyze Competitor Pages
Another helpful strategy for identifying transactional keywords is analysing your competitors' landing and product pages.
See which keywords they use in their title tags, headings, and meta descriptions. You can craft your SEO strategy by understanding which transactional keywords are driving traffic to your competitors.
3. Look for Specific Buying Signals
Many transactional keywords contain specific phrases that indicate a readiness to buy. Terms such as "buy," "order," "get a quote," "subscribe," and "sign up" are common in transactional queries.
When conducting keyword research, consider these signals, which often indicate high purchasing intent.
For instance, someone searching "buy DSLR camera online" is looking to make a purchase, unlike a search for "best DSLR cameras," which reflects more of a research phase.
Difference Between Transactional and Other Keyword Types
Understanding the distinction between transactional and other keywords is crucial for developing a well-rounded SEO strategy.
Informational Keywords
These keywords are typically used by users in the early stages of the buying process. For example, "What is SEO?" or "Best project management tools" are informational keywords.
Users are looking for more details, but they are not yet ready to make a purchase. While informational content is valuable, it doesn’t drive direct conversions like transactional keywords do.
Navigational Keywords
Navigational keywords are used when users already know where they want to go. These are often brand-related searches, such as "Amazon login" or "Nike store."
The user is specifically looking for a particular website rather than a general product or service. While these keywords can be valuable, they don’t have the same commercial intent as transactional keywords.
Commercial keywords
Transactional keywords are used when users are ready to take action, like buying a product or subscribing to a service.
These keywords signal immediate intent. Commercial keywords, however, indicate that users are still in the research phase, often comparing products or services, such as "best running shoes" or "top CRM software."
How to Optimize Your Site for Transactional Keywords
Once you’ve identified relevant transactional queries, it’s time to incorporate them into your site’s SEO strategy. Here’s how to effectively optimize your content for these high-value keywords.
1. Focus on Product and Landing Pages
Transactional intent keywords are best suited for product pages and landing pages where you want users to take action. These pages should feature calls to action (CTAs) like “Buy now,” “Get started,” or “Sign up.”
Aligning your target keyword with the page's goal is critical. For example, if you run an online store, your product pages should be optimized for terms like “Buy [product name] online.”
Service-based businesses should target phrases like “Get a free consultation” or “Sign up for [service].”
2. Craft Compelling Title Tags and Meta Description
Your title tag and meta description are often the first things users see on SERPs, making them critical for driving clicks.
When optimizing for transactional keywords, ensure your title tag includes the keyword, and your meta description contains a clear call to action.
For example, a page targeting “Buy Nike running shoes” might have a meta description like: “Shop Nike’s latest running shoes online and get free shipping today!”
3. Use Internal Linking to Guide Users
While transactional keywords are great for converting ready-to-act users, you should also consider how to move visitors through the marketing funnel.
Internal linking can play a key role here. For example, a blog post targeting an informational keyword like “best running shoes for beginners” could link to a landing page optimized for “Buy running shoes online.”
This type of internal linking encourages users to transition from the research phase to the buying phase.
4. Create Content That Matches Search Intent
When optimizing your website for transactional intent keywords, it’s essential to ensure your pages' content matches the searcher's expectations.
If someone is searching for “sign up for SEO services,” the page they land on should make it easy to sign up, whether through a form or direct purchase option.
A mismatch between the keyword type and the page content can frustrate users, leading to a higher bounce rate.
Monitoring and Adjusting Your Strategy
Once you’ve optimized your site for transactional keywords, it’s important to monitor your results and adjust your strategy as needed regularly.
Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console can provide insights into how well your pages rank for transactional queries and whether those visitors convert.
If you notice low conversion rates, revisit your content, CTAs, and landing pages to ensure they align with user intent.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
While optimizing for transactional keywords can boost conversions, there are some pitfalls to avoid:
Overstuffing Keywords: Use your target keyword naturally within your content. Overstuffing keywords can lead to poor readability and may even harm your rankings.
Ignoring Other Keyword Types: While focusing on transactional keywords is important, you shouldn’t neglect informational and navigational keywords altogether. A balanced SEO strategy incorporates all three.
Not Updating Content: SEO is not a one-and-done strategy. Regularly update your content to ensure it stays relevant to users and search engines.
Conclusion
Optimizing your site for transactional keywords is crucial in attracting high-converting visitors.
Targeting users with transactional search intent can increase the likelihood of turning website traffic into real revenue.
Conduct thorough keyword research, focus on product and landing pages, and continuously monitor your progress.
Understanding what transactional keywords are and how to use them effectively will set you on the path to SEO success and long-term business growth.