Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on the same website compete to rank for the same keyword in search engines like Google. This happens when several of your pages are optimized for the same or very similar keywords, which can create confusion for both the search engine and the user. As a result, it can harm your pages by spreading their SEO potential and diminishing their overall visibility.
How does keyword cannibalization arise?
Keyword cannibalization typically occurs when a website has multiple articles, blog posts or product pages that are optimized for the same keyword. Rather than strengthening a single page's ranking, you end up competing with yourself in the search results. This can reduce the effectiveness of your SEO strategy and make it harder for search engines to determine which page is most relevant for a specific keyword.
Examples of keyword cannibalization:
- Two blog posts on your site cover the same topic and both are optimized for the same keyword, such as "best SEO tips".
- Several product pages that describe similar products but use the same keywords, e.g. "white sneakers".
Why is keyword cannibalization problematic?
Keyword cannibalization can have several negative effects on your SEO strategy:
- Weakening ranking: When several pages on your domain compete for the same keywords, they can end up undermining each other's ranking, so none of the pages rank well.
- Confusion for search engines: Google can become unsure which page should be prioritized for the given keyword, which can lead to poorer rankings in search results.
- Waste of crawl budget: Search engines spend time and resources crawling multiple similar pages, which could have been better utilized on unique pages with different content.
How do you solve keyword cannibalization?
To avoid or fix keyword cannibalization you can:
- Combine content: Merge the competing pages into one comprehensive and valuable page that covers the topic thoroughly.
- Update and redirect: Redirect old pages to a more relevant and updated page to consolidate traffic on one strong URL.
- Use different keywords: Ensure that your pages focus on different aspects of a topic and are optimized for unique keywords or keyword phrases.
Keyword cannibalization can easily be avoided by having a well-structured content strategy and ensuring that each page serves a clear and unique purpose with respect to your targeted keywords.