Keyword Cannibalization: Don’t Let Your Site Eat Itself

Do you ever wonder why your blog posts or site pages aren’t ranking despite all the effort you’ve put in? 

Maybe you’ve spent hours researching keywords, writing creative content, and optimizing for SEO, but the results are disappointing.

Your site might be cannibalizing itself.

Keyword cannibalization might sound like something out of a dystopian thriller, but it’s a real and surprisingly common issue in SEO. It occurs when multiple pages on your website compete for the same keyword, creating confusion for search engines and splitting your ranking potential.

If you’ve got a traffic problem, understanding this can make a huge difference to your website. So, in this guide, we’ll unravel keyword cannibalization, why it’s bad for your site, and—most importantly—how to fix it. 

What is Keyword Cannibalization?

Keyword cannibalization is an SEO issue that arises when multiple pages on the same website target the same keyword or a set of similar keywords. Instead of helping each other rank better, these pages end up competing against each other, making it harder for any of them to perform well on SERPs.

For example, let’s say you have two pages targeting “best running shoes.” 

If both pages rank for this keyword, they might split the traffic between them. Instead of one page achieving a high ranking, both might get pushed lower because search engines are unsure which one to prioritize.

In essence, keyword cannibalization weakens your SEO strategy by dividing the ranking potential across multiple pages. 

Search engines like Google might struggle to determine which page best matches a user’s search intent, leading to suboptimal rankings for all the pages involved.

Why Is Keyword Cannibalization Bad for Your Rankings?

Keyword cannibalization can harm your SEO in a few critical ways:

1. Lower Ranking Potential: When two pages compete for the same keyword, they often rank lower than a single, well-optimized page would. This is because search engines don’t know which page to prioritize, resulting in both pages underperforming.
2. Confusing User Intent: If users click on a cannibalized page that doesn’t fully meet their needs, they may leave quickly. For example, if one page is about “running shoes for beginners” and another is about “trail running shoes,” targeting the same keyword could lead users to the wrong page, frustrating them and impacting engagement.
3. Divided Authority and Backlinks: When multiple pages target the same keyword, they each attract a portion of backlinks and authority. Instead of one page building strong credibility, multiple pages end up with fragmented authority, making it harder for any of them to rank well.

Left unaddressed, keyword cannibalization can become a silent SEO killer. 

To prevent this, assigning unique keywords to each page and ensuring every page has a clear purpose and audience is essential.

Keyword Cannibalization Examples

Understanding keyword cannibalization is easier with real examples.

Imagine you run a website selling fitness gear, and you have two blog posts: one titled “Best Running Shoes for Beginners” and another called “Top Running Shoes for New Runners.” 

Both posts target similar keywords, such as “running shoes for beginners.”

In this case, both pages might appear in search results for the same query. Instead of one strong page capturing all the search traffic, each page might receive only a fraction of the attention.

Worse, search engines might push both down the rankings because they can’t determine the most relevant one.

This issue isn’t limited to just small websites. 

Even high-authority domains like Forbes face keyword cannibalization challenges.

For instance, when targeting keywords such as “SEO and AI,” Forbes had two competing articles: one titled “AI Is Driving the Future of SEO: How to Adapt” and another called “How AI Will Revolutionize the Future of SEO.” 

Both articles competed for similar search queries, potentially splitting the traffic and authority between them.

Such instances of cannibalization hurt visibility and reduced each page’s potential impact. Websites can avoid these pitfalls by consolidating content or clearly differentiating topics and keywords.

Another example could involve product pages. 

If you’re an ecommerce site selling various types of running shoes, you might have several product pages with overlapping keywords, such as “trail running shoes,” “running shoes for trails,” and “best trail running shoes.” 

These pages might compete with each other, resulting in lower rankings across the board.

Keyword cannibalization like this can hurt both your traffic and your conversion rates. By understanding these examples, you can start identifying similar issues on your website.

How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization

Identifying keyword cannibalization is the first step to solving it—it’s one of the first steps we take when diagnosing problems on our clients’ websites. Here are some of the most effective ways to detect it on your site:

1. Using a Keyword Cannibalization Checker Tool

One of the most efficient ways to identify keyword cannibalization is by using specialized SEO tools like Ahrefs or Semrush. 

These platforms can quickly analyze your website and pinpoint instances where multiple URLs rank for the same keyword, allowing you to tackle the problem head-on.

For example, Ahrefs provides a “Multiple URLs Only” filter in its Organic Keywords report. By applying this filter (as shown in the screenshot below), you can see keywords where more than one URL from your site is competing for the same search term. 

This feature is especially helpful for quickly identifying instances of keyword cannibalization across large websites with thousands of pages.

We can see keywords like “why is SEO important” and “website SEO companies” being targeted by multiple URLs. This overlap creates competition within the site, splitting its ranking potential. 

By identifying these overlaps, you can decide whether to consolidate the content, redirect weaker pages, or adjust your keyword targeting to resolve the cannibalization issue.

These tools are invaluable for managing and optimizing your SEO strategy, especially as your website grows and content expands. By regularly monitoring your keyword performance using these features, you can ensure that your pages complement rather than compete with one another.

2. Manually Looking Through Your Site

For smaller websites, you can manually review your pages to check if any are targeting the same keywords. This involves some on-page optimization by going through each page’s SEO metadata, including title tags and meta descriptions, to ensure they’re unique.

While this method is time-consuming, it can be effective if you don’t have access to SEO tools. However, larger websites are not recommended, as it becomes difficult to manage as your site grows.

3. Using Google Search Operators

Google search operators can help you identify keyword cannibalization directly on the search engine. By typing site:yourwebsite.com “target keyword” into Google, you can see which pages on your site show up for a specific keyword.

This method allows you to pinpoint which pages are targeting the same term. It’s particularly useful if you want a quick overview without using paid tools. 

However, it’s not foolproof and might not catch all instances of cannibalization.

4. Through Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) is another helpful tool for finding keyword cannibalization issues. In GSC, navigate to the “Performance” section, filter by a target keyword, and see how many different URLs are getting impressions for that keyword.

You can also export data and use a spreadsheet to analyze which keywords are associated with multiple URLs. This will give you a clear view of where cannibalization may be happening and help you prioritize which issues to address first.

How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization

Once you’ve identified instances of keyword cannibalization on your site, the next step is to resolve them effectively. Depending on the specific situation, there are several approaches you can take to address cannibalization issues and improve your site’s SEO:

1. Consolidate Content

If you have two pages targeting the same keyword and covering similar topics, merging them into one comprehensive piece can be the best solution. 

For instance, if you have separate pages for “Best Running Shoes for Beginners” and “Top Running Shoes for New Runners,” consider combining the content into a single, in-depth guide on running shoes for beginners.

Consolidating content allows you to create a stronger, more authoritative page. That’s why I always thoroughly map keywords to existing pages before recommending new content. It also consolidates any backlinks or authority the original pages had, making the new page more likely to rank higher. 

After merging the content, be sure to set up a 301 redirect from the old pages to the newly combined page. This redirects visitors and passes SEO authority to the new page.

2. Redirect the Weaker Page

If the two competing pages are similar but you don’t need both to exist, consider using a 301 redirect on the weaker page. A 301 redirect sends users and search engines from the lower-ranking page to the stronger one, allowing you to consolidate SEO signals and improve rankings.

For example, if one page is consistently ranking lower or receiving less traffic, you can redirect it to the more successful page targeting the same keyword. This way, any backlinks, authority, and user traffic from the redirected page are transferred to the primary page.

3. Deoptimize the URL for the Particular Keyword

In some cases, two pages might target the same keyword but serve different search intents. This is common with homepage URLs and blog articles targeting similar terms. If you need both pages to rank for different reasons, try adjusting the on-page elements and keyword mentions on one of the pages.

For instance, if both the homepage and a blog article are competing for the keyword “best outdoor gear,” consider using different language and targeting slightly different keywords for each. This can help differentiate them and reduce competition between the pages.

4. NoIndex it

If one of the cannibalized URLs is important for your site but doesn’t need to rank in search engines, you can use the NoIndex meta tag. Adding noindex to the page’s HTML will instruct search engines not to include it in their index, thus eliminating it from search results.

This method works well for pages that are necessary for user experience or navigation but don’t add SEO value. For instance, if a secondary product page is competing with a main product category page, you might consider using NoIndex on the secondary page to ensure the primary one ranks.

How to Avoid Keyword Cannibalization

Preventing keyword cannibalization is far more effective than fixing it after it has occurred. By implementing a few proactive strategies, you can ensure your site remains optimized and free from unnecessary competition between pages.

1. Develop a Clear Keyword Strategy

Before creating content, establish a robust keyword strategy that assigns unique target keywords to each page. Use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Google Keyword Planner to identify keywords with high relevance and search volume, then map them to specific URLs on your site.

Creating a keyword map can help you visualize which keywords belong to each page. This document serves as a reference for your team, ensuring that no two pages inadvertently target the same keyword.

2. Plan Content with Search Intent in Mind

When selecting keywords, focus on understanding search intent. Each keyword represents a specific user goal—whether informational, navigational, or transactional. Ensure your content matches the intent behind the keyword.

For example:

• A blog post titled “Best Running Shoes for Beginners” should focus on informational content for readers researching options.
• A product page targeting “Buy Beginner Running Shoes” should cater to users ready to make a purchase.

By aligning your content with user intent, you can avoid overlap and ensure every page has a distinct purpose.

3. Regularly Audit Your Content

Even with a solid keyword strategy, it’s crucial to conduct regular content audits to catch potential cannibalization issues early. Over time, as your website grows and new content is added, keywords may unintentionally overlap.

Use tools like Google Search Console or Ahrefs Site Explorer to monitor your site’s performance. Check which pages are ranking for specific keywords and confirm that each page aligns with its assigned keyword strategy.

4. Use Internal Links Wisely

Internal linking helps distribute authority across your site, but it’s important to use it wisely. Avoid over-optimizing anchor texts with identical keywords that point to multiple pages. For instance, linking to different pages using the same anchor text, like “best running shoes,” can confuse search engines about the most relevant page.

Instead, use descriptive and varied anchor texts that accurately represents the content of each linked page. This signals to search engines which page is most authoritative for a given keyword, reducing the risk of cannibalization.

5. Create Unique, Valuable Content

SEO and content marketing are two sides of the same coin. Each piece of content on your site should serve a specific SEO purpose and provide unique value to your audience. Avoid creating multiple pages that cover the same topic or repeat similar information.

For example, if you’ve already written an in-depth guide on “Choosing the Right Running Shoes,” don’t publish another blog post covering the same ground. 

Instead, explore related topics like “Caring for Your Running Shoes” or “Top Running Accessories for Beginners.”

Avoid Keyword Cannibalism. But Stay Hungry for Results.

Keyword cannibalization is a common SEO pitfall, but it’s one that you can avoid with proper planning and ongoing maintenance. 

By understanding the causes and consequences of cannibalization, you can take proactive steps to keep your content strategy on track.

If you’re ready to optimize your content strategy and eliminate keyword cannibalization, we’re here to help. At Digital Commerce Partners, we specialize in creating content strategies that maximize visibility and drive results.

Visit our Content Marketing Services page to learn more, and let’s take your content strategy to the next level!