What is Keyword Cannibalization? (with Example)

Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on a website target the same keyword or similar keywords, leading to competition between those pages. As a result, the search engines struggle to determine which page should rank for the keyword. This can negatively impact your website’s SEO performance because the pages essentially “cannibalize” each other’s ability to rank. In essence, rather than strengthening a single page, multiple pages are dividing the attention, which can reduce visibility and authority in the eyes of search engines.

Example:

Imagine you have an e-commerce website selling shoes. You might have multiple pages like:

• “Best Running Shoes”
• “Top Sneakers for Runners”
• “Buy Running Shoes for Men”
• “Running Shoes Reviews”

All these pages might be targeting similar keywords like “best running shoes,” “buy running shoes,” and “top sneakers for runners.” If these pages all focus on similar keyword themes, search engines might not know which one to prioritize. Instead of one page ranking highly for the term, you end up splitting your chances between multiple pages, causing keyword cannibalization.

This issue can occur with blog posts, product pages, or any content where the same or very similar keywords are used across different pages.

How to Avoid Keyword Cannibalization

Avoiding keyword cannibalization is crucial for maintaining a strong SEO presence. Here are a few strategies to prevent it from happening:

1. Conduct Keyword Research Properly: Before creating new content or optimizing an existing page, ensure thorough keyword research is done. This will help you identify unique keywords for each page, reducing the chance of overlap.
2. Use Long-Tail Keywords: Instead of targeting broad keywords, focus on more specific, long-tail keywords. For example, instead of optimizing for “running shoes,” target “best running shoes for flat feet” or “comfortable running shoes for marathon training.”
3. Content Mapping and Strategy: Develop a content strategy where each page targets a unique set of keywords or addresses different aspects of a topic. Create an organized content plan that prevents the overlap of similar keywords across multiple pages.
4. Internal Linking Structure: Establish a strong internal linking strategy. This helps search engines understand the relationships between your pages. It can also ensure that the most important page for a specific keyword gets the most link authority.
5. Canonical Tags: If you must have similar content on multiple pages, use canonical tags to indicate to search engines which page is the “primary” one. This can help ensure that only one page receives SEO credit for the keyword.
6. Regular Audits: Periodically audit your website’s content to identify potential keyword cannibalization issues. By keeping track of keywords and content performance, you can quickly spot any overlap and address it before it becomes a major issue.

By following these strategies, you can significantly reduce the risk of keyword cannibalization and ensure each page has the best chance of ranking for its intended keyword.

How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization

If keyword cannibalization is already present on your website, here are some steps to fix the issue and improve your SEO performance:

1. Consolidate Content: If you have multiple pages targeting the same keyword, the most effective solution is to merge the content into one comprehensive page. This way, you can combine the authority of multiple pages into one strong, optimized page.
   • For instance, if you have two pages targeting “best running shoes,” consider combining the content, maintaining the most valuable elements of each page, and redirecting the old URLs to the new, consolidated page using 301 redirects.
2. Redirect Pages: If consolidation is not possible or practical, you can use 301 redirects to point one page to another. This will transfer the SEO value from the cannibalized page to the main page. However, make sure that the content on the page being redirected is either merged into the primary page or deleted.
3. Adjust On-Page SEO: Modify the on-page SEO of affected pages to target different, more specific keywords. For example, if two pages are both targeting “best running shoes,” consider revising one to focus on a specific type of shoe (e.g., “best shoes for marathon runners”) while the other focuses on a broader term (e.g., “top running shoes for beginners”).
4. Utilize Hreflang Tags: If you operate in different geographic locations with similar content, hreflang tags can help search engines understand which page to display to users based on their language or location, preventing cannibalization across regional pages.
5. Improve Content Depth: Sometimes, the pages competing for the same keyword have different levels of content depth. In this case, improving one page with more detailed, valuable information can help establish it as the authority on that topic. This will help the page rank higher and outperform others.
6. Optimize for Intent: Search engines prioritize search intent. By ensuring that each page serves a distinct search intent (e.g., one for informational queries and one for transactional queries), you can prevent cannibalization. Clarify whether a page is targeting users looking for information or those intending to make a purchase.
7. Monitor with Google Search Console: Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor keyword performance and identify which pages are competing for similar queries. This will give you a clearer view of where the cannibalization is happening.

By fixing keyword cannibalization, you can enhance your site’s overall SEO strategy and boost the performance of individual pages.

How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization

Identifying keyword cannibalization can be challenging, but it is essential for maintaining a solid SEO strategy. Here are some ways to identify keyword cannibalization:

1. Google Search Console: Google Search Console can be a powerful tool in identifying keyword cannibalization. By reviewing the performance reports, you can spot if multiple pages are ranking for the same keyword or if one page is outranking the others.
   • Look for pages with overlapping keyword rankings and assess their click-through rates (CTR), impressions, and positions. If one page has a better ranking than others, it’s likely cannibalizing the others.
2. Keyword Ranking Tools: Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can provide detailed keyword analysis for each page on your website. You can use them to check if multiple pages are ranking for the same keyword or phrase.
   • These tools often have features that allow you to track keyword rankings across various pages. Look for keywords that appear across multiple pages.
3. Manual Search and Site Search Operators: Conduct manual searches using the “site:” operator on Google. For example, search “site
   .com best running shoes” to see how many pages from your site rank for that term.
   • If you see multiple pages ranking for the same or similar keywords, keyword cannibalization is likely happening.
4. Page Analysis: Check if your content is too similar across multiple pages targeting the same keywords. Look for any overlap in headings, content structure, or targeted keywords. If pages seem too similar, this could indicate cannibalization.
5. Use Rank Tracking Tools: Rank tracking tools can help you identify changes in ranking positions. If you notice that rankings fluctuate for a given keyword across multiple pages, it’s a strong sign of cannibalization.

By using these tools and strategies, you can efficiently pinpoint any keyword cannibalization issues and address them before they negatively affect your SEO.

Is Keyword Cannibalization Bad?

Yes, keyword cannibalization is generally bad for your website’s SEO and performance. Here’s why:

1. Diluted Page Authority: When multiple pages target the same keyword, the link authority and ranking power get split among those pages. Instead of one page gaining all the SEO benefit, each page gets a smaller share, weakening the overall chances of ranking well.
2. Confusion for Search Engines: Search engines like Google rely on clear signals to determine the relevance of a page for a given keyword. If multiple pages target the same keyword, it can confuse the algorithm about which page to rank. This can lead to lower rankings or even none of the pages appearing in the top results.
3. Lower Click-Through Rates (CTR): When users see several pages with the same keyword ranking in search results, they may become confused and avoid clicking on any of them, resulting in a lower CTR.
4. Poor User Experience: Cannibalization often results in redundant or similar content appearing in search results. This can frustrate users, who may click on multiple pages but find the content doesn’t provide much additional value. This harms the user experience and can lead to higher bounce rates.

But in certain situations, keyword cannibalization can be mitigated or even beneficial if handled strategically (e.g., by using internal linking and focusing on specific long-tail variations of the keyword). But, as a general rule, it’s crucial to address keyword cannibalization to optimize your SEO efforts.