What Is Keyword Cannibalization and How to Fix It? Here’s What You Should Know About SEO

SEO is one of the most important aspects of online marketing. It can be the difference between a website that’s successful and one that’s not. But what happens when you have too many keywords? What is keyword cannibalization, and how can you avoid it? In this article, we’ll answer those questions and more.

What Is Keyword Cannibalization?

Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your website are competing for the same keyword. This can happen inadvertently if you have similar pages with very similar content. It can also happen on purpose if you’re deliberately targeting the same keyword with different pages.

Either way, keyword cannibalization can have a negative impact on your SEO.

How Does Keyword Cannibalization Happen?

There are a few different ways that keyword cannibalization can happen.

You Have Multiple Pages With Very Similar Content

This is the most common way that keyword cannibalization happens. It often occurs when you have two or more pages that are very similar in topic. For example, let’s say you have a blog about dogs. You might have two posts about golden retrievers with different titles. Both of these posts would be competing for the keyword “golden retrievers.” Keyword cannibalization happens if you have multiple pages with very similar content.

You’re Using Too Many Keywords on the Same Page

This can happen if you use too many keywords on a single page, leaving nothing for other pages to rank for. For example, let’s say you have a blog post about golden retrievers. If you use the keyword “golden retriever” as well as other dog breeds throughout the post, you might be cannibalizing your own keywords by competing with your own posts about the other breeds.

You Have Pages With Similar Titles and Meta Descriptions

This can happen if you have two pages with similar titles and meta descriptions. For example, let’s say you have a page about golden retrievers, and another page about caring for a golden retriever. Both of these pages would have similar titles and meta descriptions, which could cause keyword cannibalization.

Why Is Keyword Cannibalization Bad for SEO?

There are a few reasons why keyword cannibalization can hurt your SEO.

It Confuses Search Engines

If you have multiple pages targeting the same keyword, it can be difficult for search engines to decide which page is most relevant. As a result, your pages may end up competing against each other instead of ranking higher in the search results.

It Splits Your Link Juice

Link juice is the power that links pass from one page to another. When you have multiple pages competing for the same keyword, they’re essentially competing for the same link juice. This can dilute the power of your links and make it harder for any one page to rank well.

It Wastes Your Time and Resources

If you’re deliberately targeting the same keyword with multiple pages, you’re essentially competing against yourself. This can waste a lot of time and resources that could be better spent elsewhere.

How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization?

There are a few different ways that you can fix keyword cannibalization.

Redirect Your Pages to the Most Relevant Page

If you have two pages that are competing for the same keyword, you can redirect one of the pages to the other page. This will help to consolidate your traffic and make it easier for you to rank in search engines.

Do Not Index Your Pages

If you have pages that are competing against each other, you can add a meta tag to those pages that tells search engines not to index them. This will prevent those pages from appearing in search results, which will make it easier for your other pages to rank.

Consolidate Your Pages Into One Page

If you have multiple pages with very similar content, you can consolidate those pages into one page. This will help to reduce keyword cannibalization and make it easier for search engines to determine which page is most relevant for a given keyword.

Use Different Keywords for Your Pages

If you have pages that are competing against each other, you can try to use different keywords for those pages. This will help to reduce keyword cannibalization and make it easier for search engines to determine which page is most relevant for a given keyword.

Optimize Your Titles and Meta Descriptions

If you have pages with similar titles and meta descriptions, you can try to optimize those titles and meta descriptions. This will help to reduce keyword cannibalization and make it easier for search engines to determine which page is most relevant for a given keyword.

How to Prevent Keyword Cannibalization?

There are a few different ways that you can prevent keyword cannibalization.

Plan Your Keywords Ahead of Time

Before you start writing your content, make a list of the keywords that you want to target. This will help you to avoid using the same keyword multiple times on the same website.

Use Keyword Research Tools

There are a number of different keyword research tools that you can use to find keywords that are relevant to your topic. This will help you find keywords that you can target without cannibalizing your own keywords.

Use Different Variations of Your Keywords

If you’re worried about cannibalizing your own keywords, you can try to use different variations of those keywords.

Use Different Pages for Different Keywords

If you have multiple pages with similar content, you can try to use different pages for different keywords. This will help you to avoid cannibalizing your own keywords.

Optimize Your Titles and Meta Descriptions

If you have pages with similar titles and meta descriptions, you can try to optimize those titles and meta descriptions. This will help you to avoid cannibalizing your own keywords.

Keyword cannibalization can be a major problem for your website. If you’re not careful, it can split your traffic and make it harder for you to rank in search engines. Additionally, keyword cannibalization can make it difficult for search engines to determine which page is most relevant for a given keyword.

Keyword Cannibalization: The Bottom Line

Keyword cannibalization can be a serious problem for your SEO. If you have multiple pages competing for the same keyword, it can be difficult for search engines to decide which page is most relevant.

If you think you might be suffering from keyword cannibalization, there are a few things you can do to fix the problem. With a little time and effort, you can make sure your pages are working together instead of against each other.