Search Intent SEO: The Key to Attracting Clients Who Are Ready to Book
Don’t Forget to Pin it.
You’ve probably heard you need to rank on Google to get clients. But here’s the catch: not all website traffic is equal.
You can appear on page one for “nutritionist” and still not receive a single enquiry. Why? Because you're not showing up in the right searches – the ones aligned with what your ideal clients are actually looking for when they’re ready to take action.
That’s where search intent comes in. This guide is your no-nonsense breakdown of what search intent really is, why it matters for your website, and how to use it to attract clients who are already halfway to booking.
Whether you’re building your business from the ground up or you’ve had a website sitting quietly online for a while, this is one of those foundational strategies that can make a real difference, especially if you’re feeling a bit over social media and ready for a more sustainable way to grow.
Table of Contents
What Is Search Intent (and Why It’s More Important Than Traffic Volume)
The 4 Types of Search Intent: Explained Simply
Why Ranking for ‘Nutritionist’ Isn’t Enough
Why Informational and Navigational Searches Still Matter
How to Align Your SEO Strategy With Search Intent
Bonus: Turning Blog Content Into a Client Funnel
Final Thoughts
FAQs About Search Intent and SEO
What Is Search Intent (and Why It’s More Important Than Traffic Volume)
Search intent is the reason someone types something into Google. It’s their why – what they’re really looking for.
Understanding it means you stop chasing clicks and start showing up in front of people who are already looking for what you do.
Someone searching for ‘PCOS nutritionist London prices’ isn’t the same as someone Googling ‘PCOS diet’. One wants help now. The other is gathering information.
When you align your keywords and content with intent, you stop attracting people who bounce after five seconds and start bringing in the ones who stick around and get in touch.
The 4 Types of Search Intent: Explained Simply
Informational
Mindset: ‘I’m learning and researching’
Examples: ‘what to eat for endometriosis’, ‘benefits of gut health’
Best content: Blog posts, FAQs, educational guides
Your client is in research mode. They’re not ready to book, but they are looking for insight – and this is your chance to become a trusted voice.
Navigational
Mindset: ‘I know what I’m looking for – I just need to find it’
Examples: ‘The Fertility Nutrition Centre blog’, ‘Anna Wulff nutritionist’
Best content: Clearly labelled website pages, optimised SEO titles, branded Google profile
They’re already aware of you or your brand. Make sure your site and socials are easy to find and navigate, with consistent naming and links that work.
Commercial Investigation
Mindset: ‘I’m weighing up my options’
Examples: ‘best nutritionist for perimenopause UK’, ‘Flodesk vs MailerLite for health coaches’
Best content: Service pages, comparison blogs, testimonials
This is where people are comparing services and providers. They want to know who’s the right fit – so show them what makes you different.
Transactional
Mindset: ‘I’m ready to take action now’
Examples: ‘book nutritionist near me’, ‘IBS nutritionist free discovery call’
Best content: Booking pages, CTAs, lead magnets, contact forms
These are your ready-to-book clients. Make it easy for them to take the next step – with fast-loading pages, clear buttons and a message that speaks directly to their need.
A strong website supports all four of these intents. But if you’re not showing up for commercial or transactional searches, you’re likely missing out on clients who are ready to get started now.
Why Ranking for ‘Nutritionist’ May Not be Enough
Many wellness professionals focus on ranking for terms like ‘nutritionist’ or ‘gut health’. It makes sense – these are the job titles you use and the obvious terms you think people are searching. And yes, they do matter — especially for brand awareness and helping people find you once they already know about you.
But here’s what I see in real SEO data and client traffic patterns — and this might surprise you:
Ranking for ‘nutritionist’ rarely brings enquiries. Because that traffic often has nothing to do with people looking for personalised help.
People searching for ‘nutritionist’ are often:
Looking for someone they already know or have worked with before – a direct brand search
A student doing career research – maybe they’re considering studying nutrition
Peers in your own industry – other practitioners checking out your website or comparing your services
Marketers like me – SEO experts, designers, digital strategists, all scoping their niche
None of those people are hiring you.
That’s not to say ‘nutritionist’ is a useless keyword — it has a place. But if it’s the only thing you’re optimising for, you’re setting your website up to be a directory, not a conversion tool.
Worse still, your ideal clients might not even use the word ‘nutritionist’ when they’re looking for support. They might not know if that’s what they need — they’re focused on their symptoms, their struggles, their specific situation.
Here’s what they might actually search:
‘Help for bloating after every meal’
‘What to eat for hormone balance over 40’
‘Best diet for perimenopause weight gain UK’
These are the searches that reflect intent. They’re grounded in need, not curiosity. And if your website includes this kind of language – the kind your audience is really using – you’re far more likely to get found by the people who are genuinely ready for support.
So yes, use your professional titles. Use the words that explain who you are. But don’t stop there. Layer in the terms and phrases that speak directly to what your ideal clients are living through and experiencing.
Because the people who need you aren’t searching for a title – they’re searching for a solution.
Why Informational and Navigational Searches Still Matter
Not every search needs to lead to a booking right away. Think about the last time you hired someone – you likely Googled, compared, read a few blogs, then enquired.
That’s why informational content and navigational clarity are still powerful. They:
Build trust over time
Get your name and brand into search results
Warm up cold traffic and turn it into future clients
Informational intent supports visibility at the top of the funnel – the very beginning of the client journey. Blog posts, FAQs, and downloadable resources help people get to know your expertise. They also give Google more content to crawl and index, which strengthens your site overall.
Navigational intent, on the other hand, shows up once someone is already aware of you. If a potential client heard you speak on a podcast, saw your post on Instagram, or was referred by a friend, they’ll likely search your name, clinic, or brand. Your job is to make sure they find you – and land on a clear, professional website that builds confidence straight away.
You might not get a client directly from your ‘PCOS and Bloating: What to Eat’ blog post – but if that post ranks and links to your services page, it’s doing its job as part of a funnel.
How to Align Your SEO Strategy With Search Intent
Here’s where things get practical.
Step 1: Know your ideal client
What are they Googling late at night when they’re fed up, uncomfortable, or anxious? Use their language – not industry terms or clever branding.
Step 2: Get specific with your keywords
Broad: ‘nutritionist’
Better: ‘gut health nutritionist UK’
Best: ‘book gut health nutritionist specialising in over forties women UK’
Step 3: Match content to mindset
Write blogs for the curious. Optimise service pages for the ready-to-book. Make sure your homepage and menu reflect exactly what you do and who you help.
Step 4: Update your meta titles and descriptions
Make it obvious what each page is for, and include a call to action that matches the user’s intent. These are the short snippets that show in search results, and they have the power to either invite a click or get skipped entirely.
If you’re not sure how to write them, try prompting ChatGPT like this:
‘Write an SEO title and meta description for a gut health nutritionist who helps women with bloating and IBS in the UK.’
What to Do With This Knowledge: Your Next Step
Now that you understand search intent, the next step is simple – use it.
Take five minutes to look at your own website:
Do your service pages reflect what people are actually searching for when they’re ready to book?
Are your blogs answering real questions your clients have?
Does your homepage clearly explain who you help and how?
This isn’t about rewriting everything from scratch. It’s about tweaking the language to match your client’s mindset and search behaviour. Small changes here can have a significant impact, especially when they help Google display your content to the right audience.
And from there, you can begin using that same language throughout the more technical parts of your SEO, like SEO titles and descriptions, image alt text, and even your URL slugs. That’s when everything starts to work together.
Not sure where to start? My Google Search Secrets guide at the bottom of this page gives you five simple SEO actions you can take today to align your site with the kinds of searches that bring real enquiries, including best practice tips for tech elements like URLs, SEO titles and descriptions.
Final Thoughts
If your website isn’t bringing in enquiries, the problem might not be the design, and it might not even be the traffic. The real issue is often this: you’re not matching your content to the intent behind the search.
When you start creating pages, blogs, and service descriptions that speak to what your ideal client is truly searching for – in their words, not yours – everything begins to shift. You stop guessing, and you start showing up in exactly the right places.
Search intent isn’t just for SEO experts. It’s a practical, foundational tool that helps you connect with real people who are actively looking for the support you provide.
FAQs
What is search intent in SEO?
Search intent refers to the purpose behind a user’s search – whether they’re looking to learn, compare, find something specific, or take action. Aligning your content with the right intent is key to converting traffic into clients.
Search intent examples
Informational: ‘how to reduce bloating naturally’
Navigational: ‘Jane Jones fertility nutritionist’
Commercial: ‘best perimenopause nutritionist UK’
Transactional: ‘book PCOS nutritionist online’
4 types of search intent
Informational – research-based
Navigational – brand or website-specific
Commercial investigation – comparing providers
Transactional – ready to buy or book
So what’s next?
Get in touch to enquire about the SEO Blueprint package.
If you’re not ready for the Blueprint level of support, I also offer an SEO Health Check which provides a clear and concise personalised report on your website’s current SEO status.
Or, if you’re ready to go ALL IN and invest in my fully managed, ‘hands-off’ SEO Partnership package, you can read all about that here.
And if none of this is where you’re currently at, but you plan to start learning about SEO to manage it entirely independently, then download my new ebook to get a step ahead.
5 Google Search Secrets walks you through 5 key steps I recommend to clients who want to improve their visibility on Google without throwing more time at Instagram or second-guessing their website. And you’re already a step ahead with the first one!
These are real, actionable steps that most SEO agencies wouldn’t share without a contract!
Click 👇 and Download the guide to uncover five powerful fixes you can implement today to start building momentum the smart way.
These are some of the behind-the-scenes actions I take for clients in my SEO Blueprint and SEO Partnership packages, now available to you, free.
Sam Ferguson is a website designer and SEO specialist for nutritionists, functional medicine practitioners, and women in wellness. With a unique blend of industry insight and technical expertise, Sam helps clients create impactful websites that attract, engage, and convert. When she’s not designing, you’ll find her sharing practical digital marketing tips to help wellness professionals grow their online presence with confidence.