What is the difference between informational, transactional and local search intent?

Informational search intent is when a person wants to learn or understand something, transactional search intent is when a person wants to do an action such as buy or book, and local search intent is when a person wants something in a specific geographic area.

Simple difference

• Informational: “What is …?”, “How to …?”, “Why does …?”
• Transactional: “Buy …”, “Book …”, “Price …”, “Order …”
• Local: “Near me”, “in Singapore”, “open now”, “best salon in Tampines”

In plain terms

• Informational = researching
• Transactional = ready to act
• Local = looking for something nearby or location-based

Example

• Informational: “How does a credit card work?”
• Transactional: “Apply for a credit card”
• Local: “Credit card branch near me”

Quick note

Local intent is often a location-focused version of informational or transactional intent, because the user may be searching to learn about nearby options or to visit or contact a nearby business.