Navigational Keyword

A navigational keyword is a search query used by someone whose explicit intent is to find a specific website, brand, or physical location, rather than researching a topic or shopping for a product. Examples include searching for “Facebook login,” “Bank of America customer service,” or “YouTube.” Because the user already knows exactly where they want to go, attempting to rank a third-party website for another brand’s navigational keyword is almost entirely futile and yields a near-zero conversion rate. Google’s algorithm will always heavily bias the SERP to display the official brand’s domain at the absolute top.

Navigational Keyword Simplified

A navigational keyword is when someone searches for a specific website because they are too lazy to type the actual “.com” address. If someone searches for “Netflix,” they just want to go to Netflix. Trying to get your website to rank for that word is a complete waste of time.