The Four Core Types of Searches—Plus Emerging Ones You Should Know

When people need information, their first instinct is to conduct an online search. It’s such a natural reflex that the most popular search engine, Google, now processes between 5.8 and 6.3 million searches every minute. That adds up to roughly 2 trillion searches every year.

If you want your enterprise’s content to show up in search results to the right audience at the right moment, then it’s essential to understand types of searches, how people search, what they expect to find, and how to optimize your content so it appears in the results they’re most likely to click.

It’s worth the effort, considering organic search results continue to drive the vast majority of user engagement. In fact, about 94 percent of all clicks go to organic results, with the No. 1 result alone capturing 39.8 percent of all clicks.

This article will cover the four primary search types, including navigational, informational, transactional, and commercial. We’ll also touch on other search behaviors like local and voice. We’ll wrap up with best practices for optimizing your content for different types of search.

What you’ll learn:

• What are the core search types?
• Beyond the four: emerging search types
• Why matching content to search type matters
• How to target each type of search query: best practices
• Make search intent work for you

 

What are the core search types?

People use search engines in different ways depending on what they need—whether they’re trying to get somewhere fast, research a topic, or make a purchase decision. Understanding the four core types of search queries helps you create content that meets users where they are and moves them toward action. Here’s a quick look at the four core search types:

1. Navigational search

The first type of search query is a navigational search. These types of searches account for nearly 30 percent of all Google searches, according to Datos’s The State of Search Q1 2025 report.

A lot of times, people already know where they want to go, and they use search to get there quickly. Navigational queries are what users type when they’re looking for something specific, like a login page, a help center article, or a product dashboard. With a navigational search, they’re trying to get to a known destination as directly as possible.

For example, navigational searches by Slack users might include these:

• “Slack login”
• “Slack marketplace”
• “Slack integrations”
• “Slack help center”

Understanding how navigational search works matters because it helps you guide users directly to high-intent pages. These users already know your brand and are trying to complete a task. If they hit a dead end or get lost along the way, it creates friction and degrades their experience.

2. Informational search

Informational searches make up the majority of all queries—55.2 percent to be exact. These are the questions, curiosities, and research prompts that fill the search bar all day long.

Unlike navigational searches, informational queries are open-ended. People are looking to learn, compare, or explore. They’re asking how something works, what something means, or which option is best.

For example, an informational search for Slack would be something like this:

• “What is Slack used for?”
• “How does Slack work for teams?”
• “How to create a Slack channel”
• “What are Slack huddles?”

These types of searches are important because they offer a chance to reach users early. Someone may not be ready to sign up or buy yet, but they’re in research mode. If your content answers their question well, you’ve started building trust.

3. Transactional search

Transactional searches are the rarest type—only 0.82 percent of all queries fall into this category. But while the volume is low, the intent is strong.

These are the searches people make when they’re ready to take action. They’ve already done the research. Now they’re looking to make a purchase, start a trial, or sign up for something.

A few examples of transactional search for Slack include:

• “Slack pricing”
• “Download Slack for Windows”
• “Buy Slack Pro plan”
• “Slack business plan features”

These queries often come from people at the bottom of the funnel—the stage in the customer journey where users are closest to making a purchase decision. They’re close to making a decision and want quick, friction-free access to the next step. Transactional search may be a small slice of traffic, but it’s packed with value.

4. Commercial search

Commercial searches make up 14 percent of all queries. These users are in the middle of the decision process. They’re researching, comparing, and narrowing search results to find the best fit, but they’re not yet ready to buy.

This type of query signals interest with intent building in the background. It’s where people weigh pros and cons, look at reviews, and evaluate which product or service best fits their needs.

For example:

• “Slack vs. Microsoft Teams”
• “Best collaboration tools for remote teams”
• “Slack pricing comparison”
• “Top workplace messaging apps”

Commercial search is where trust begins to build. Showing up here positions your brand as a serious contender—before users ever reach a pricing page.

Beyond the four: Emerging search types

Most searches still fall into one of the four core types. But with changes in technology and user habits, new patterns are becoming more common. Here are some other search types:

Local search

Local searches are tied to geography. They often come from users on mobile devices who are looking for nearby help, support, or services.

For example, someone might search for “Apple laptop repair near me” when looking for a certified technician or Genius Bar. This kind of search pulls up map listings, contact info, and directions, often based on proximity.

A local search triggers location-specific results, like Google Maps listings or local business profiles. To show up in local search results, your content needs accurate location data, up-to-date local pages, and solid visibility on platforms like Google Business Profile.

Voice search

Voice search happens through tools like Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant. These queries tend to be more natural, often phrased as full questions or commands.

For example, a user might say, “Hey Siri, open Slack.” Voice search can trigger simple actions like opening apps or sending messages, depending on the app’s integrations and device settings.

Because these queries are phrased like natural speech, content that mirrors real conversation is more likely to align with voice search behavior.

Mixed intent

Some searches blend multiple goals. A person might be comparing products while also signaling they’re close to making a decision.

For example, the query “Best project management apps with free plan” shows commercial intent (comparison) with a hint of transactional intent (interest in signing up).

Effective content for this type of search helps readers weigh options without pushing too hard. Comparison pages, pricing overviews, and side-by-side feature breakdowns tend to perform well here.

LLM and AI search

Search is changing fast with the rise of large language models (LLMs) and AI search like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.

These LLM and search tools encourage users to ask multipart questions and expect full, organized answers. A typical query might look like, “What’s the difference between Slack, Teams, and Zoom, and which one is better for a hybrid team?”

The debate is still open about how to best rank your content for LLMs, but a good bet is to keep your content well-structured, grounded in facts, and written in a way that makes it easy for large language models to extract answers. Use strong headers, plain language, and content that directly addresses layered questions.

Why matching content to search type matters

Not every search has the same goal, and your content shouldn’t treat them all the same. Matching content to search type helps you meet users where they are and guide them to the next step more effectively. Here are the primary benefits of matching content to search type:

• Improves visibility: Search engines prioritize content that clearly aligns with user intent. The closer the match, the better your chances of ranking.
• Reduces bounce rates: When users land on a page that meets their needs, they’re more likely to stay, read, and take action.
• Builds early trust: Informational and commercial content can introduce your brand in a helpful, non-salesy way—laying the groundwork for future conversions.
• Guides users forward: When content matches where someone is in their journey, it naturally supports the next step, whether that’s learning more or making a decision.
• Improves user experience: Clear structure and relevant answers reduce frustration and help people find what they need without digging.
• Supports SEO strategy: Categorizing content by search type helps you plan, optimize, and fill content gaps more effectively.
• Increases conversion rates: Transactional pages that meet intent—like pricing, sign-up, or product selection—remove barriers and encourage action.

 

How to target each type of search query: best practices

Different searches call for different content, and knowing how to target each one is what separates good strategy from guesswork. Search intent gives you clues about what your audience needs and how close they are to taking action. The better you align your content to that intent, the more likely it is to perform.

Some best practices apply no matter what kind of query you’re targeting. Clear headlines and metadata help search engines understand your content—and help people find what they need faster. Tracking performance by intent type can uncover which queries are converting and where people drop off. And doing a content gap analysis by search type helps you spot untapped opportunities.

With those foundations in place, here’s how to build content that matches each core search type:

Navigational search

Help users find what they already know exists. They’re trying to get to a page or feature directly. Here’s how to optimize a page for navigational search intent:

• Create dedicated pages for key functions: Think login, dashboards, help centers, or product integrations.
• Use straightforward page titles: Don’t overcomplicate it. Match the exact search term (for example, “Slack login”).
• Keep URLs short and descriptive: Use paths like /login or /pricing rather than vague or nested links.
• Organize site navigation around user priorities: Make common actions accessible from the homepage or top menu.

Informational search

When optimizing for informational search queries, focus on creating content for users who are looking to learn something or solve a problem. Here’s how:

• Write content that answers real questions: Start with what users are actually searching (for example, “How to set up Slack channels”).
• Use headers that match search phrasing: Break long content into digestible sections with clear H2s and H3s.
• Include step-by-step instructions and examples: Guide the reader through processes with screenshots, videos, or real use cases.
• Map this content to blog posts, tutorials, or help articles: These formats perform well for educational queries.

Commercial search

With commercial search, it’s important to customize your content to reach users who are comparing products, features, or plans. Here are some ideas on how to do that:

• Build comparison pages: Show how your product stacks up against others on key features, pricing, or customer fit.
• Use clear, scannable formats: Tables, charts, and bullets help users absorb info quickly.
• Support claims with examples: Use quotes, reviews, or customer success stories to build credibility.
• Create buyers’ guides and decision-stage content: Roundups and tool comparisons help users choose with confidence.

Transactional search

For transactional search, create content that captures users who are ready to act—buy, download, or sign up. Focus on the following:

• Use focused landing pages: Limit distractions and guide users toward a clear action (such as “Start free trial”).
• Make pricing and product options easy to find: Don’t bury key details behind forms or extra clicks.
• Answer final-step questions: Include plan breakdowns, upgrade paths, and basic FAQs to reduce friction.
• Use schema markup when applicable: Help search engines recognize transactional intent (for example, pricing or product pages).

 

Make search intent work for you

Search behavior follows patterns. By aligning your content with the four core types of queries (and the emerging ones), you make it easier for users to find the exact information they need, right when they need it.

Supporting each different type of search intent with the right content (from tutorials to landing pages) makes your platform more accessible and more useful. It also strengthens your search performance and helps users get value faster.

People use internal search in tools like Slack, too, looking for channels, documents, or past conversations.

That’s where AI search tools like Slack’s enterprise search come in, helping users surface what they need faster.

Enterprise search is available to all customers with Slack AI licenses on the Enterprise Grid plan. To obtain a license, please contact our sales team.