Keyword cannibalization is one of those pesky technical SEO issues that can sneakily erode your search rankings without you even realizing it. It‘s what happens when multiple pages or posts on your website target and compete for the same keyword or phrase. Basically, your own pages end up eating away at each other‘s chances to rank, leaving searchers (and you) confused about which URL is the most relevant result.
But don‘t worry, keyword cannibalization is a pretty common problem, especially for large websites that have been consistently publishing content for years. The good news is that once you know how to identify cannibalization, it‘s relatively straightforward to fix.
In this guide, we‘ll walk through everything you need to know to find and eliminate keyword cannibalization on your site and keep it at bay for good. We‘ll cover:
- What keyword cannibalization is and how it hurts your SEO
- How to know if you have a cannibalization problem
- 5 proven strategies to resolve keyword cannibalization
- Tools and techniques to prevent it in the future
- Examples and case studies of cannibalization done right
So grab a cup of coffee and let‘s dive in!
What Is Keyword Cannibalization and Why Is It Bad for SEO?
In the wild, cannibalization refers to the act of one animal eating another of its own species. In SEO, it‘s when two or more pages on your site target and compete for the same search query. The pages may have very similar content, or simply be optimized around the same keyword.
There are a few reasons why keyword cannibalization messes with your SEO:
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It confuses search engines. When multiple pages seem equally relevant for a keyword, search engines don‘t know which one to prioritize and rank highest. As a result, they may continually fluctuate the ranking positions or not rank any of the pages as high as they could.
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It dilutes page authority. Instead of consolidating all the link equity, engagement, and other ranking signals into one authoritative page, cannibalization spreads them thin across multiple pages, preventing any one from reaching its full potential.
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It provides a poor user experience. Cannibalization often leads to two or more of your pages showing up on the search results for the same query. This forces users to guess which result will give them the information they need and potentially sends them in circles between similar pages on your site.
According to a 2022 study by Ahrefs, nearly 30% of websites have some degree of keyword cannibalization that‘s likely impacting their search traffic. The study found that keyword cannibalization was more common on older, larger sites with lots of content. However, even newer sites are not immune, especially in competitive niches where many articles tend to be written about similar topics.
So how do you know if your website suffers from keyword cannibalization? Here are some tell-tale signs to watch out for.
How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization on Your Website
Manually checking every page on your site for cannibalization would be extremely tedious, if not impossible. Fortunately, there are a few tricks and tools to quickly sniff out cannibals in your content.
1. Look for Duplicate Page Titles and Meta Descriptions
Your page title and meta description are two of the most important on-page elements for telling search engines what a page is about. If you have multiple pages using the exact same title tag and meta description, it‘s usually a good indication they‘re targeting the same keyword.
To check for duplicate titles and descriptions, you can run your site through a crawler tool like Screaming Frog or DeepCrawl. These will scan all indexable pages and generate a report flagging any identical SEO elements.
2. Check Your Organic Search Traffic in Google Analytics
If you suspect certain pages may be competing for keywords, go to your Google Analytics account and check the organic search traffic for those specific URLs. If you see the traffic frequently flip-flops between the pages or has mysteriously declined for one or both of them, cannibalization could be the culprit.
3. Do a Manual Google Search for Your Target Keyword
A quick way to confirm cannibalization is to simply search your target keyword and see what shows up. If two or more of your pages appear on the first page or consistently flip-flop in the rankings, it‘s a clear sign they‘re competing with each other.
4. Use Keyword Cannibalization Checker Tools
There are various SEO tools specifically designed to identify pages cannibalizing each other‘s keywords. Some top options include:
- Moz Keyword Explorer
- SEMrush Keyword Cannibalization Checker
- Ahrefs Site Audit
- Keylogs Cannibalization Checker
These tools can quickly scan your entire site, find competing pages, and even offer suggestions to resolve any issues found. However, some require a paid subscription for full access.
Once you‘ve identified the cannibalizing culprits on your site, it‘s time to whip them into shape. Here‘s how.
5 Proven Strategies to Resolve Keyword Cannibalization
The right approach to fixing cannibalization will depend on the specific scenario and which pages are involved. Here are a few of the most effective tactics.
1. Consolidate the Content Into One Page
If you have two or more pages with very similar content targeting the same keyword, consider combining them into a single, authoritative page. You can either merge the content together or use a 301 redirect to permanently send traffic from the old URLs to the new master page.
For example, let‘s say you have two pages on "best running shoes for beginners" – one listing the top 5 brands and another listing the top 10. You could merge the content into a single "15 Best Running Shoes for Beginners in 2024" post and redirect the old URLs to the new one.
2. Differentiate the Content and Keywords of Each Page
In some cases, the cannibalizing pages may be on similar but distinct topics that warrant having their own page. In this case, the goal is to differentiate the content and keyword targeting enough that search engines understand the unique value of each page.
For example, say you have a page on "how to train for a 5K" and another on "5K training plan for beginners". While related, these are distinct topics. To differentiate them, you could optimize the first page for the keyword "5K training tips" and the second for "beginner 5K training schedule". Ensure the content backs up the keyword distinction.
3. Create a New Landing Page to Direct Traffic
If you have several pages related to the same broad topic, consider creating a new landing page that links to all of the subpages. This not only helps direct traffic to the most relevant resource, but also tells search engines which page is the most authoritative on that topic.
For example, HubSpot has various pages related to "email marketing". Rather than letting them compete, they created a pillar page on "email marketing" that links out to all the subtopics like "email marketing tips", "email automation", "email subject lines" etc. The pillar page ranks highest for the head term.
4. Use Canonical Tags to Specify the "Preferred" Page
If you have pages with very similar or duplicate content that you want to keep for user experience reasons, you can use the canonical tag to tell search engines which URL is the "master version" you want to rank. This solves cannibalization by consolidating all the link equity and authority to the canonical page.
For example, many ecommerce sites have product pages with very similar content, like a microwave available in different colors. By canonicalizing all the variations to the "main" color, you can rank the canonical version higher and avoid cannibalization.
5. Optimize the Cannibalizing Pages for Different Keywords
If the cannibalizing pages are all ranking well and getting steady traffic, it may make sense to keep them and just optimize each for a different keyword variation. Conduct keyword research to find related but distinct terms each page could rank for.
For example, say your website sells plant-based protein powder. Instead of having multiple pages competing for "plant protein powder", you could optimize one for "pea protein powder", one for "hemp protein powder", one for "best-tasting vegan protein" etc.
Tools and Tips to Prevent Keyword Cannibalization in the Future
Fixing keyword cannibalization is just half the battle – you also need to take steps to keep it from coming back. Here are some tips and tools to keep your pages playing nice in the sandbox:
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Create a keyword map. Before creating any new content, map out your target keywords and assign each to only one page. This helps prevent overlap and keeps your site architecture organized. Tools like SEMrush and Moz can help streamline the process.
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Establish a content review process. Set up an editing checklist that includes checking for keyword cannibalization before hitting publish. Have editors cross-reference the target keyword with existing content to ensure there‘s no competition.
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Conduct regular content audits. Periodically audit your content to check for cannibalization, especially after migrations, merges, or major website changes. Screaming Frog and Ahrefs are great for this.
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Use rank tracking tools. Monitor your target keywords and page rankings with tools like AccuRanker or Wincher. If you see pages starting to compete, nip it in the bud early.
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Implement a pillar-cluster content model. Organize your content into broad topic "pillars" that link to more specific "cluster" pages. This keeps your content and keywords organized to prevent overlap. Tools like HubSpot make creating topic clusters easier.
By proactively preventing cannibalization with these tips and tools, you can keep your pages out of each other‘s way and ranking their best.
Cannibalization Case Studies and Examples
Still not convinced cannibalization is worth fixing? Check out these examples of websites that saw impressive results after resolving keyword cannibalization issues.
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Brafton, a content marketing agency, identified and fixed cannibalization on their blog. The result? Organic traffic increased by 20% and leads generated from the blog increased by 45% year over year.
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Porch.com, a home services platform, used canonicalization to fix over 5000 cases of duplicate content and cannibalization sitewide. Within 3 months, their organic traffic increased by 61%.
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Ahrefs found over 230,000 keywords for which they ranked with 2-5 different pages. By merging, removing, and canonicalizing these pages, they were able to grow their overall search traffic by 7.57% in just 3 months.
These examples show that cannibal pages are not just harmlessly feasting on each other – they‘re eating away at your SEO results. By strategically finding and fixing keyword cannibalization, you can consolidate your content, give search engines clear signals, and watch your rankings rise.
The Bottom Line: Don‘t Let Your Pages Eat Each Other Alive
Keyword cannibalization is a common but dangerous problem that can happen to any website. When pages compete for the same terms, it confuses search engines, dilutes authority, and prevents any page from ranking as high as it could.
Luckily, cannibalization can be resolved by:
- Consolidating similar content into one page
- Differentiating pages by content and keyword targeting
- Using canonical tags to specify the "preferred" version
- Creating new landing pages to direct traffic to subtopics
- Optimizing competing pages for distinct keyword variations
Remember, the goal is to let each page stand out and be the best result for its target keyword. By eliminating cannibalization, you can show search engines exactly what each page has to offer and rank higher as a result.
So don‘t let your pages eat away at each other‘s hard work. Instead, use the tips and tools in this guide to find and fix cannibalization and make all your pages work together in tasty, traffic-driving harmony.
