The Negative Effects of Keyword Cannibalization on SEO and How to Solve It
Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your website compete for the same or similar keywords. When this happens, search engines may lower the ranking of all pages involved, resulting in decreased website traffic. In this article, we will discuss the concept of keyword cannibalization, explore its common causes, and provide solutions to optimize your website’s SEO performance.
Understanding the Causes of Keyword Cannibalization
Creating multiple pages targeting the same keywords: Instead of creating separate pages targeting similar keywords, consider consolidating them into a single comprehensive article that covers a range of related keywords.
Using the same keyword for different pages: Linking different articles with the same keyword can confuse search engine bots and contribute to content cannibalization. Make sure that each page has unique, relevant anchor text.
Ignoring evolving search intent: It is crucial to stay updated with evolving search engine algorithms and optimize your content accordingly. Stay informed about the search intent behind your targeted keywords and make necessary adjustments to meet user needs.
Tools for Detecting Keyword Cannibalization
Several tools can help you identify keyword cannibalization on your website. Here are a few options:
SEMrush: Use SEMrush’s keyword cannibalization tool or its keyword gap tool to detect internal keyword overlap and identify competing pages.
Google Data Studio Cannibalization Explorer: This Google Data Studio tool fetches data from Google Search Console to identify cannibalization issues.
SEOTesting: This SEO tool provides a “Cannibalization” module that identifies cannibalized pages using data from Google Search Console.
Jetoctopus: This cloud-based web crawler tool offers a “Cannibalization Report” to identify cannibalized pages.
Ahrefs + Google Sheets: Ahrefs integrates with Google Sheets, enabling you to generate a report of cannibalized pages on your website.
Google Search Console: By navigating to the “Pages” section in Google Search Console, you can identify a list of pages competing for the same keyword.
Resolving Keyword Cannibalization Issues
Once you have identified pages competing for the same keyword, there are several actions you can take to address the issue:
Optimize On-Page SEO: Review and improve the on-page SEO elements of competing pages, such as title tags, meta descriptions, and keyword usage. This provides clear signals to search engines about your targeted keywords.
Fix Internal Linking: Poor internal linking can contribute to cannibalization issues. Review the internal links on competing pages and ensure they have unique and relevant anchor texts. Consider using the WP Link Status plugin for quick identification and updating of anchor texts.
Merge or Delete Pages: If two or more pages are cannibalizing each other, consider merging them into a single, comprehensive article or deleting one of the pages entirely. Choose the option that aligns best with your content and target audience.
Use Canonical Tags: To avoid cannibalization while keeping multiple pages, you can set a canonical tag on the competing pages to indicate the preferred page for search engines. Popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO offer the option to add canonical tags.
Considerations for Future Content
To prevent future keyword cannibalization issues, it is essential to approach content creation with a data-driven mindset. Learn from the negative impact of cannibalized content and focus on selecting topics that align with searcher intent and have minimal competition within your own website.
By addressing and resolving keyword cannibalization issues, you can enhance your website’s SEO performance and attract more organic traffic. If you have any questions or need further guidance, feel free to ask in the comment section below.
