SEO glossary · S

Search Query

What is a Search Query?

A search query is the actual word or phrase someone types or speaks into a search engine, such as “best seo agency stockholm” or “how to add a sitemap to google”. Keywords are the terms you target; queries are what people really search, often with typos, questions and extra words.

Types of search queries

  • Informational: the searcher wants to learn something (“what is a canonical tag”).
  • Navigational: they want a specific site or page (“mexseo contact”).
  • Commercial: they are comparing options before buying (“ahrefs vs semrush”).
  • Transactional: they are ready to act (“book seo audit”, “buy running shoes”).
  • Local: they want something nearby (“dentist near me”).

Where to see your queries

The Performance report in Google Search Console lists the queries your pages appeared for, with clicks, impressions, click-through rate and average position. In Google Ads, the Search terms report shows the queries that triggered your ads, which helps you find new keywords and negative keywords.

Why queries matter

Queries show the language your customers really use. Pages that answer those questions, in those words, are more likely to rank and to turn visitors into customers.

Get in touch

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