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Keyword cannibalisation – how to check for it and how to avoid it

Keyword cannibalisation is a common problem that occurs when multiple pages on a website are competing for the same keyword or keyphrase. This often leads to confusion for search engines and can negatively impact the visibility of a website in search results. In this blog post, we’ll discuss what keyword cannibalisation is, why it’s important to eradicate it on your website, how to check your website for it, and top tips for avoiding it going forward.

What is keyword cannibalisation?

First of all, let’s get a better understanding of what keyword cannibalisation is. Keyword cannibalisation is a situation in which multiple pages on a website target the same keyword or set of keywords. When multiple pages compete for the same keyword or search term, it can cause confusion for search engines and make it difficult for them to determine which page to display in search engine results pages (SERPs) for that keyword.

Examples of keyword cannibalisation:

  • The first example of a cause of keyword cannibalization is duplicate content:

Suppose a website has two pages, one for “best SEO tools” and the other for “top SEO tools,” both of which are targeting the same keyword “SEO tools.” This is an example of keyword cannibalisation because two pages are competing for the same keyword. This can create confusion for search engines and users, making it challenging to determine which page is most relevant.

  • Another example of a cause of keyword cannibalisation is Similar Pages:

Let’s say a website has three pages that target similar keywords such as “best mobile phones,” “best smartphones,” and “top-rated cell phones.” All of these pages have similar content and target the same topic, making it difficult for search engines to determine which page is most relevant. This is another example of keyword cannibalisation that can lead to a lower ranking for all pages involved.

  • The third type of content to cause keyword cannibalisation is Category and Product Pages:

Suppose a website has a category page for “blue running shoes” and multiple product pages for different types of blue running shoes, such as “men’s blue running shoes” and “women’s blue running shoes.” If all of these pages target the same keyword “blue running shoes,” this is an example of keyword cannibalisation. In this case, the category page can be used to target the broad keyword, and product pages can target specific keywords, such as “men’s blue running shoes” or “women’s blue running shoes.”

These examples illustrate how keyword cannibalisation can occur on a website and how it can negatively impact the website’s search engine visibility.

Why is keyword cannibalisation something you should eradicate on your website?

Keyword cannibalisation can have a negative impact on the search engine visibility of a website. When multiple pages on a website target the same keyword or keyphrase, search engines may struggle to determine which page is most relevant to a user’s search query. This can lead to a lower ranking for all pages involved, which can result in a decrease in traffic, clicks, and conversions.

In addition, keyword cannibalisation can create confusion for users who may see multiple pages on a website with similar content and may not know which page to click on. This can lead to a poor user experience and a lower conversion rate.

How can you check your website for keyword cannibalisation?

To avoid keyword cannibalisation, website owners and SEO professionals should conduct keyword research and create a clear content strategy that focuses on unique and specific keywords for each page. They should also monitor their website’s search engine rankings and ensure that each page is optimised for its intended keywords and topic. In addition, website owners can use tools like Google Search Console to identify instances of keyword cannibalisation and take steps to address them, such as consolidating duplicate content or creating more targeted and specific content for each page.

Top tips for avoiding keyword cannibalisation going forward:

Here are some steps you can take to audit your website for keyword cannibalisation:

  • Step 1: Identify potential keyword cannibalisation: Use a tool like Google Search Console or an SEO tool to identify all the pages on your website that rank for a particular keyword or set of keywords. Make a list of all the pages that rank for the same or similar keywords.
  • Step 2: Analyze the content: Look at the content on each of the pages that target the same keyword. Are they targeting the same intent? Is the content substantially similar? Look for any duplicate or overlapping content.
  • Step 3: Check internal linking: Analyze the internal linking structure of your website to see if any pages are competing against each other for the same keyword. Look for instances where multiple pages are linked to with the same or similar anchor text.
  • Step 4: Check for external linking: Look at the external links pointing to your website and see if there are any patterns of links pointing to multiple pages targeting the same keyword.
  • Step 5: Decide on a plan of action: Once you have identified instances of keyword cannibalisation, you need to decide on a plan of action. This may involve consolidating duplicate or overlapping content, adding more unique and specific content to each page, or re-optimizing the pages for different keywords.
  • Step 6: Monitor the results: After taking action, monitor your website’s performance in search engine rankings and track the progress of the changes you have made. This will help you determine if your efforts have been successful in reducing keyword cannibalisation. Another great way to monitor results is to create a monthly ranking report – for advice on how to do this, we have a blog on Ranking Reports and how to build them.

Keyword cannibalisation can have a negative impact on the search engine visibility of your website and create a poor user experience. By conducting keyword research, creating a content strategy, using internal linking, and consolidating pages, you can avoid keyword cannibalisation and improve the search engine visibility and user experience of your website. If you need help identifying and fixing keyword cannibalisation on your website, give us a call and one of our experts can help.