What is Keyword Cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization is an SEO issue that occurs when multiple pages on a website target the same keyword or a closely related variation with the same search intent.
Instead of strengthening your site’s rankings, these competing pages work against each other in search results, making it harder for search engines to determine which page is the most relevant for user queries.
As a result, the involved pages’ ranking potential gets diluted, reducing their overall visibility and limiting the organic traffic they can attract.
For example, Ahrefs targets the keyword “SEO” for several informational pages, possibly causing keyword cannibalization between them:
Instead of one canonicalized and authoritative page ranking high, similar pages struggle, splitting backlinks, clicks, and engagement. Google may not know which page to prioritize, causing duplicates to rank lower than they could if consolidated.
However, there are cases when you can rank for the same keyword without triggering content cannibalization if they target different search intents.
For instance, consider the search query “mexican restaurant California,” SERP will show as follows:
Based on the search results, Google serves informational listicles and commercial homepages for the same query.
In practice, a website can publish several pages optimized for the same keyword as long as each of them targets a unique search intent (We’ll cover this more later):
- Informational: The user is looking for answers or seeking knowledge about a subject (e.g., “what is keyword cannibalization?“)
- Navigational: The user wants to find a specific website or page (e.g., “feedmyrank website“)
- Commercial investigation: The user is comparing options before deciding (e.g., “best keyword cannibalization tracking tools“)
- Transactional: The user is ready to convert and take your desired action (e.g., “feedmyrank pricing“)
Why is Keyword Cannibalization Harmful for SEO?
We’ve glossed over some negative implications of maintaining pages targeting similar keywords, but there’s more to them.
Here are the specific impacts of content cannibalization on your website’s SEO:
Drop in SERP ranking and organic traffic
Have you ever had a page performing decently in SERPs that suddenly dropped in rankings and traffic after publishing another article?
You might be dealing with keyword cannibalization.
You create unnecessary competition between your pages when you publish several pages for the same keyword. This confuses search engines about which page is the most relevant, resulting in cannibalized pages experiencing drops in SERP positioning and organic traffic.
For example, suppose an online store has both a category page and multiple product pages optimized for “women’s running shoes,” Google may rotate rankings between them or might even rank none.
Moreover, if duplicate pages are ranked on the same search engine results page, some users might be confused about which page to click.
Typically, no one has the time to click both links to see which page serves their need best. Some users might ignore both pages altogether.
Weaker page authority
Cannibalizing keywords indirectly weaken page authority by splitting ranking signals across multiple competing pages instead of consolidating them into one authoritative page.
For instance, Brevo, the email marketing platform, has a few content that use “email marketing strategy” as one of the target keywords:
- https://www.brevo.com/blog/small-business-email-marketing-tips/
- https://www.brevo.com/blog/email-marketing-strategies/
- https://www.brevo.com/blog/what-is-email-marketing/
While they attempted to diversify the content among these pages, it might have served their business better if they had merged the content into one piece.
This way, backlinks, and other user engagement metrics—key factors that boost authority—would not be divided, reducing each page’s ability to rank well.
By fixing cannibalization issues, you can concentrate these ranking signals on one canonical page, boosting its page authority and allowing it to reach its full ranking potential.
Lower relevance signals
In addition to quantifiable ranking signals, such as backlinks and keyword frequency, Google also uses relevance scores to assess how well a page should perform in search engine rankings.
One of the elements for calculating the relevance score is the anchor text.
Here is how Google explained what defines a “good” anchor text:
When a page’s incoming internal links are descriptive and optimized, Google can better understand the destination page’s content and its contextual relationship with the linking page. This is pivotal in helping Google rank pages accurately based on their relevance to a user’s search query.
So, how does this impact content cannibalization?
Let’s say you have three pages about social media marketing. Using the exact match anchor “social media marketing” across all the cannibal pages dilutes the anchor text’s relevance score because it confuses Google about which of the three duplicates is the most relevant page for that particular search query.
In addition, you’re limiting the impact of internal link juice on your website by distributing your links and anchors across several pages instead of just one.
Wasted crawl budget
Crawl budget refers to the time and resources Googlebot allocates to crawling a website.
A higher crawl budget means Google will have more room to index newly published and recently updated pages. Conversely, a lower crawl budget limits how frequently Google crawls and indexes your content in search results.
Keyword cannibalization wastes the crawl budget by forcing Google to crawl multiple similar pages. Because of this, Googlebot might overlook other more valuable pages that deserve indexing.
For example, if you have 10 cannibal pages that share the crawl budget, you deny nine other pages the chance to be crawled and indexed by Google.
While small websites rarely face crawl budget issues, large sites that experience keyword cannibalization problems may struggle with inefficient crawling and delayed indexing.
Overall, pages targeting the same keyword and search intent result in weak SERP performance.
That is why it is essential to find ways to fix cannibalization issues before they erode your website’s rankings.
4 Ways to Find Cannibalized Keywords
Here are several ways to detect keyword cannibalization on your website:
1. Try using the “site:” search operator
A “site:” search restricts Google SERPs to the preferred website. Use the following format to identify cannibalized keywords on multiple pages:
site:example.com “example keyword”
Doing so shows all keyword mentions on every page within the selected website.
For instance, searching “domain authority” on Moz’s website will reveal the following:
Based on the screenshot, SERP results #1, #3, and #4 may cannibalize each other.
When you dig into the first result, which is Moz’s comprehensive guide on Domain Authority, you will see that it includes a subheading that provides tips on how to boost a website’s DA, as shown:
Meanwhile, Moz’s result #4 also comprehensively covered how site owners can increase their DA in a 2019 article, as seen below:
This is an indicator that results #1 and #4 may be cannibalizing each other.
But how about result #3? It is less likely to cannibalize with results #1 and #4 for that exact keyword.
However, a section of the content featured in result #3 talks about domain authority, which both #1 and #4 extensively discuss. Because of this, it is possible that result #3 might also cannibalize the other two pages to some extent.
When using the “site:” search operator, analyze the pages’ meta title, meta description, and URL slug. If these sections capture the same keyword, keyword cannibalization can occur.
If it is still unclear whether cannibalization is happening, conduct a content audit by clicking the page and reading the content to see if the pages fulfill the same search intent. If yes, then they might be cannibal pages.
2. Investigate using Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a powerful tool for uncovering keyword cannibalization issues, but involves plenty of manual work.
After signing in to your GSC account, locate the desired property from the upper-left corner.
Click the Search Results tab under the Performance Report on the sidebar menu.
This will show how your website performs on Google SERPs. Scroll down to see the list of queries your pages are ranking for. Select a query and transfer to the Pages tab. This will reveal all pages ranking specifically for that keyword.
Conversely, you can click “Add filter” above the search performance trend and then select query to write your desired keyword manually.
For instance, consider the keyword “internal linking tool.”
Here are the pages ranking for that keyword according to GSC:
Looking at the results, your initial instinct might tell you you’re dealing with competing keyword rankings. That is not the case because every listed page answers a different search intent despite targeting the exact long-tail keywords.
For instance, https://linkstorm.io/ is the homepage and dominates SERP for the keyword. It answers a commercial search intent.
The other high-ranking pages, such as the pricing, sign-up, helpdesk, and resources, are Google-generated site links, often nestled under the homepage result.
On the other hand, the listicle of the best internal linking tools for SEO corresponds to an informational search intent.
In other words, no keyword cannibalization is happening.
Try to experiment with your site’s pages using GSC as well. To investigate further, analyze click-through rates, impressions, and average positions for these URLs.
If rankings fluctuate between pages or traffic is split, it might signify cannibalization. Identifying these patterns in GSC helps you determine which pages need consolidation or optimization.
3. Perform a content audit
A content audit systematically reviews a website’s content to assess its performance, relevance, and optimization. This can also uncover issues like keyword cannibalization and identify areas for improvement.
If you intend to audit your content manually, begin by compiling a list of published pages and their primary target keywords. You can use any spreadsheet app for this purpose. Then, look at the meta titles or H1 of pages competing for the same keyword, as these may be potential cases of cannibalization.
Next, review the analytics of these purported duplicate content, such as their organic traffic, rankings, and engagement metrics, and identify the top performers. Use tools like Google Search Console or Google Analytics to find the most valuable page.
To speed up the process, you can use tools like Ahrefs, Semrush, or Screaming Frog to audit your content.
For instance, Screaming Frog automatically crawls every page on your website, so you won’t have to list them individually.
Click the H1 tab at the top to see a list of all your pages’ primary headings. Then, analyze which content pieces are ranking for the same keyword.
Semrush, on the other hand, has a dedicated Cannibalization tab that shows two things:
- Affected keywords with more than a page ranking in the top 100 results
- Cannibal pages that share keyword rankings with fellow pages
Click on any keyword to see their comparative SERP performance:
Rankings dips or traffic fluctuations in duplicate pages’ search performance might point to cannibalization issues.
4. Use a keyword cannibalization tool
A keyword cannibalization tool is a dedicated software designed to help you identify the cannibal pages on your site.
Unlike many SEO tools with complicated interfaces and steep learning curves, content cannibalization tools are more straightforward. They automatically detect cannibalized keywords after crawling your website.
Here is an example:
Using the information provided, you can implement appropriate actions to ensure that your different pages rank for unique long-tail keywords and do not compete for the same ones.
So, how exactly can you resolve cannibalization issues on your website? Keep reading.
How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization Issues?
Often, fixing cannibalization issues aims to keep a 1:1 ratio of page to keyword. That means having a single page ranking for one keyword.
However, it is okay to maintain several pages targeting the same query if they don’t harm the site’s overall organic performance.
For instance, suppose page A and page B rank for keyword C. If page A is position #3 and page B is position #27, then no cannibalization is actually happening since there is no apparent competition between the two pages. They just happen to rank for the exact keywords.
But if the competition between the pages is a little cut-throat, you must fix them accordingly.
Here are two solutions to do it:
Solution #1: Consolidate the content and then set 301 redirects
Based on the search performance and analytics data of the cannibal pages, select a “preferred page” among them. This page shall be the prime representative among the duplicates.
Here are the things to consider when selecting your preferred page:
- Page Authority
- Number and quality of backlinks
- SERP ranking
- Organic traffic
- Impressions and clicks
Instead of creating a new page, improve your preferred page’s content by taking and inserting the valuable insights and essential information found in the duplicates. The goal is to optimize the preferred page so that it offers more value than it originally did.
Then, set up 301 redirects from the duplicate pages to the new-and-improved preferred page, ensuring their respective authority and link juice are not wasted.
Next, identify the internal links pointing to the redirected pages and replace them with the preferred page’s URL. This prevents any internal redirects and maximizes the SEO value of internal links.
Finally, remove the redirected pages from your website’s XML sitemap to prevent users from finding and clicking through the cannibal pages.
You may also implement canonicalization on the preferred page by adding a rel=”canonical” snippet to tell Google which page to prioritize.
Solution #2: Diversify the content and search intents of the cannibalizing pages
Consolidating content prevents you from maintaining multiple pages ranking for the same search query.
But what if you want to keep all those pages without triggering any cannibalization?
Diversifying the content and search intents of cannibal pages allows you to circumvent having to keep only one preferred page.
In this strategy, you aim to differentiate the duplicates so they offer unique insights while serving different search intents.
For instance, let’s say you have two pages ranking for the keyword “email marketing strategy.” One could be differentiated to target informational intent by explaining an email marketing strategy, while the other could serve the transactional intent by offering a downloadable strategy template.
Check the hypothetical examples below:
- Informational intent: “What Is an Email Marketing Strategy? A Beginner’s Guide to Successful Campaigns“
- Transactional intent: “Proven Email Marketing Strategy Template to Boost Conversions [Downloadable]“
Additionally, you must also replace the internal link anchors used for the pages to reflect the differentiation.
In the same example, using the anchor text “email marketing strategy” for both pages will only dilute its value. Instead, add more context to clarify which of the two pages is the intended destination.
Here are a few anchor text samples:
- Informational page: “beginner’s guide to email marketing,” “email marketing best practices,” “basics of email marketing“
- Transactional page: “email marketing strategy template,” “downloadable emailing marketing plan,” or “email campaign planning template”
By providing unique content and fulfilling different intents, you strengthen individual pages so they can rank well independently despite having some keyword overlap. Ideally, Google will rank these pages for the right audience and purpose.
What Not to Do When Dealing with Keyword Cannibalization?
Resolving keyword cannibalization is a delicate and nuanced process. One mistake and “fixing” cannibalization issues might do more harm than good.
Here are a few examples of things you should never do when dealing with keyword cannibalization:
Delete the conflicting page
Deleting a page might seem like a quick fix for keyword cannibalization, but it’s rarely the best solution. Only consider this if the cannibal page hasn’t been indexed yet, holds zero business value, or only exists for the sole purpose of cannibalizing keywords.
When multiple pages compete for the same query, consider merging their content or differentiating their focus instead of removing them entirely.
Noindex the redundant pages
Adding a noindex tag tells search engines to remove a page from their index, preventing it from ranking or driving organic traffic. The bigger issue is that the page also loses all its ranking signals.
As a result, the preferred page misses out on any potential SEO benefits that could have been retained if the duplicate pages were properly merged or redirected instead.
De-optimize the cannibal pages
De-optimizing cannibal pages, such as removing keywords might seem logical, but it is flawed.
Pages rarely rank for just one query. They often attract traffic from multiple search terms.
De-optimizing only exposes cannibal pages to lose rankings for valuable secondary keywords contributing to the site’s organic visibility.
Moreover, de-optimizing will also not serve the preferred page in any positive way, which means it will only affect your rankings without any boost.
Always look for ways to merge and redirect duplicate pages or diversify them. Avoid abrupt quick fixes to content cannibalization, as these practices will only harm your website’s SEO.
How to Prevent Keyword Cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization can happen under your nose, even if you have a solid content strategy for your website.
When pages start cannibalizing, you won’t feel its effects until your sitewide analytics decline. By then, a content audit will only be a reactive approach to keep the problem from blowing out of proportion.
A keyword cannibalization tool helps prevent pages from cannibalizing each other. This tool tracks keywords across your website and identifies pages competing for the same search terms, allowing you to resolve the issue immediately.
Some keyword cannibalization tools also provide actionable insights into which pages must be merged, redirected, or optimized.
This proactive monitoring lets you address cannibalization issues before they significantly impact your rankings. It ensures that every web page serves a distinct SEO purpose and contributes to your website’s overall visibility.
Happy tracking!
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