I got a nudge the other day from a new member, Carl, who does a lot of thinking about working those Web search engines. Given how over-saturated the Web is, I asked him to provide some thoughts for all of us below on maximizing search results – or the psychology of the search:

When it comes to search terms used in the search engines, not all searches are created equal, because not all searches have the same intent.

When you enter search terms to perform a search, there is a distinct psychology of search terms used. This psychology of search terms can be broken down into several general types of intent. The different stages of intent typically follow a progression from discovery to gradual levels of specificity.

Let's use a story to illustrate a typical progression of a person's search intent. A guy sees a Mustang, thinks it’s awesome and decides to go online and look at sports cars, as well as Mustangs:

1) “HEY, I LIKE THAT”: At this phase he’s just cruising the Web to check out “sports cars” or “retro cars.” If they really catch his attention and he decides to get serious about considering a purchase, he will move to Phase 2 . . .

2) “I THINK I MIGHT WANT THAT:” Now he’s going to be seeking actual locations that sell Mustangs. They could be dealerships or individuals, which could lead to more exact terms like "sports car dealers" or "fast cars"

3) “BUT WHAT ABOUT FEATURES?:” He’s hooked and wants to get down and dirty about things like horsepower, color choices and gear ratios. His search gets honed further to "Mustang features," or "Specs for Ford Mustang.”

4) “GETTING EXPERT OPINIONS:” This level of search leads to the knowledge that there are different types of Mustangs, but what about the details? Now it’s time to look at "Ford Mustang reviews" or "Best Features for Ford Mustang."

4) “IT’S TIME TO BUY:” Recognizing that he’s “not getting any younger,” our Mustang lover decides to move into purchase mode. But what’s the right place? He can hone deeper by typing things like "best blue Mustang GT prices" or "special prices Mustang GT.”

This example story represents types of searching people do. Generally, they move from broad to specific as their intent or interest develops. And, if the person is ready to buy - the search terms can get very, very specific. The four levels are:

1. Broad information, information gathering and discovery.
2. Research: More specific searching, what are the features, what are the accessories
3. Comparison: Which is the best choice, most reliable, etc..
4. Buy: the money is out, product/service acquisition