How to Spot and Fix Keyword Cannibalization

Keyword cannibalization is an SEO conception radical don't often deliberation about. Some SEO specialists assertion it doesn't exist.

But the world is this—keyword cannibalization is an contented that tin interaction your rankings.

Use this usher to recognize what keyword cannibalization is, what it is not, and however to find and hole issues preventing your tract from high-performance.

What is Keyword Cannibalization successful SEO?

Keyword cannibalization happens erstwhile you person much than 1 leafage targeting your site's aforesaid keyword and intent. One of the 2 pages affects the other's quality to rank, and arsenic a result, neither leafage volition execute arsenic good arsenic it should.

Let's accidental you privation to fertile for the keyword "hotels successful Paris." So you make a blog station titled "7 Stunning & Luxurious Hotels successful Paris, France." 

A fewer years later, you recognize a fewer much luxury hotels person been built since your past visit. So you make a caller station that includes those unsocial luxury hotels but targets the aforesaid keyword.

This is an illustration of keyword cannibalization. Both posts person the aforesaid keyword and focus, adjacent though they look connected the aforesaid tract years apart. They person the aforesaid keyword successful the title, volition apt person the aforesaid keyword placed passim the content, and volition person akin contented overall.

Optimizing 2 oregon much pages for the aforesaid keyword connected your website doesn't mean they volition rank. However, 2 pages with akin keywords can harmoniously unrecorded connected the aforesaid tract if they person antithetic hunt intent.  

Examples of Keyword Cannibalization

Keyword cannibalization tin origin respective issues and hinder your website's show successful SERPs.

Some of the much communal cannibalization issues that tin hap include:

• Ever-Changing Ranking URLs
• Fluctuating Ranking Positions
• Ranking Words Struggle to Increase
• The Wrong URL Ranks

Let's dive into each 1 to get the details.

Ever-Changing Ranking URLs

Have you recovered that the ranking for a peculiar keyword keeps changing? 

Ranking URLs that perpetually alteration is simply a communal motion of keyword cannibalization and typically means Google cannot fig retired which leafage should rank.

You tin spot this happening successful the illustration below, wherever aggregate URLs support switching successful and retired for a keyword.

Essentially, determination are confusing and conflicting signals astatine play.

Since positions are often fluctuating, the user's acquisition and way to conversion are negatively impacted—especially erstwhile 1 leafage converts users astatine a overmuch higher complaint than the other. 

Fluctuating Ranking Positions

This ranking fluctuation usually happens alongside URLs changing. You whitethorn person spotted that your ranking presumption for a keyword keeps fluctuating, often excessively. 

This tin hap arsenic a effect of keyword cannibalization erstwhile URLs are changing. Conflicting signals mean that the ranking presumption fluctuates accordingly.

Suppose 1 leafage has earned much links than another, yet determination is an evident struggle of intent and wide contented quality. In that case, this tin mean that your integrated postulation tin besides fluctuate rather noticeably if 1 of the URLs ranks successful a salient presumption for a high-volume term. 

Ranking Keywords Struggle to Increase

Sometimes you presume your tract would summation successful ranking, yet it seems to marque nary advancement astatine all—especially erstwhile you cognize you person earned fantabulous links and created large content. This tin beryllium frustrating but is simply a communal contented caused by keyword cannibalization.

Here's what's happening—the authorization of your pages is divided crossed 2 oregon much pages, alternatively than one, truthful neither leafage is ranking arsenic powerfully arsenic it could. 

Links are a superior ranking factor, and erstwhile nexus authorization splits crossed aggregate URLs, this tin origin adjacent further disorder connected what is ranking. 

If your fertile isn't increasing, moving a cheque with Position Tracking for cannibalization issues whitethorn help. 

The Wrong URL Ranks

Sometimes, you volition find that the incorrect URL ranks for your people keyword.

This mightiness beryllium a azygous merchandise ranking for a keyword that you subordinate with a class oregon subcategory, oregon possibly a portion of contented antithetic from the 1 that should beryllium ranking—maybe 1 that was published years ago. 

Here is an fantabulous illustration of a blog station from 2011 that ranks successful apical spots:

When this happens, cannibalization is apt the origin of the issue. The "wrong" URL is much applicable than the 1 you're trying to rank. 

In turn, this tin harm conversion rates if users onshore connected the incorrect page.

Keyword Cannibalization Relates to User Intent

Keyword cannibalization is each about  intent. Content presented to a idiosyncratic successful SERPs depends connected their hunt intent and which portion of the buyer's journey. 

Is the idiosyncratic conscionable looking for accusation astir thing (informational), oregon are they buying thing (transactional)?

We'll usage 2 of Apple's MacBook Pro pages arsenic examples:

Apple.com has 2 antithetic pages ranking successful integrated positions #1 and #2. 

It's not a astonishment they are the apical result, but if the presumption that 2 pages optimized for the aforesaid keyword volition forestall each different from ranking, surely we should spot a antithetic effect here?

But let's look astatine the pages successful a small much detail.

Here is the  top-ranked MacBook Pro page:

We tin spot this is Apple's main MacBook Pro leafage since it offers an overview of the merchandise and exemplary comparison. 

The assumed intent of a idiosyncratic browsing this leafage is they are looking for much accusation connected the merchandise portion they are successful the probe signifier of their acquisition journey. It is an informational page.

The different effect that ranks conscionable beneath this is the  "Buy Macbook Pro" page, seen below.

This leafage is simply a accepted class leafage targeting those who person gone done the buyer's Awareness & Consideration stages and are successful the Decision stage. 

Simply put, they are acceptable to marque a purchase. 

We spot further item connected pricing, specs, and more. Compared to the archetypal page, the 2nd leafage is transactional alternatively than informational—an explicit portion of the buying process. 

While the keyword and taxable are precise similar, the intent of these 2 pages is different.

The archetypal leafage helps present the MacBook Pro portion easy comparing the antithetic models available. The 2nd exists for those considering their machine options. 

These 2 pages tin beryllium alongside each different without causing immoderate disorder for either benignant of idiosyncratic oregon hunt engines. 

Holding much than 1 ranking presumption for a keyword, particularly successful apical positions isn't cannibalization. In this situation, occupying aggregate positions successful the apical 3 positions is great!

Cannibalization Exists For Multiple Pages With Similar Intent 

Keyword cannibalization usually happens accidentally erstwhile caller pages are published implicit clip without considering what already exists. 

The main happening to retrieve is this: aggregate pages optimized for the aforesaid keyword bash not cannibalize unless the intent of these pages is the same.

When the intent for some pages is the same, you are fundamentally competing against yourself. 

Google's John Mueller was asked  on a Reddit AMA a mates of years back: 

"How is keyword cannibalization seen by Google? People judge that having aggregate pages astir the aforesaid taxable confuses hunt engines and that hurts their chances of ranking."

John's effect was:

We conscionable fertile the contented arsenic we get it. If you person a clump of pages with astir the aforesaid content, it's going to vie with each other, kinda similar a clump of kids wanting to beryllium archetypal successful line, and yet idiosyncratic other slips successful up of them :). Personally, I similar fewer, stronger pages implicit tons of weaker ones - don't h2o your site's worth down.

— John Mueller, Google

Think astir it this way:

If you can't take which leafage is the 1 that should rank, however tin you expect Google to bash so?

True keyword cannibalization issues mean that you efficaciously inquire a hunt engine's algorithm to take which 1 to rank.

While sometimes stronger ranking signals constituent to one, determination aren't ranking signals indicating to the other. As a result, neither volition fertile arsenic good arsenic they could, frankincense cannibalizing each other's show ability.

But, that said, it is simply a important contented that affects galore websites, and cleaning these up is simply a important task that should signifier portion of your broader  SEO strategy.

How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization

Now that you cognize what keyword cannibalization is and isn't, it's clip to observe which pesky pages are cannibalizing each other.

There are a fewer antithetic ways that you tin cheque for cannibalization issues. Here are immoderate proven methods:

Semrush's Position Tracking Tool

You tin ever usage Semrush's  Position Tracking tool to show pages with imaginable cannibalization issues. If you person the  Guru oregon Business plan, you volition spot a "cannibalization" tab wrong the tool—this is simply a large spot to commencement uncovering issues that beryllium connected your site.

You volition find cannibalization arsenic an option:

There are 2 options erstwhile it comes to utilizing this tool. You tin presumption imaginable issues either by "pages" oregon by "keyword" to rapidly find opportunities and commencement fixing them.

Starting with the keyword presumption should beryllium your archetypal step. You volition beryllium looking astatine cannibalization much often connected a keyword-by-keyword ground alternatively of a page-by-page basis.

You tin analyse immoderate fixed keyword and spot wherever aggregate URLs are ranking and the positions they look successful to prioritize opportunities—considering the hunt volume, estimated traffic, and existent ranking position.

The Position Tracking instrumentality assists successful analyzing URL fluctuations that could constituent to a cannibalization issue. You tin besides spot a keyword's past by clicking the arrow adjacent to the keyword for an expanded view.

Using these features of the instrumentality tin assistance you to place issues astatine a top-level and find erstwhile this began and which pages are cannibalizing 1 another. 

Google Search Console

Google Search Console (GSC) tin beryllium a large instrumentality for uncovering cannibalization issues.

To usage it, caput to the show report, and you volition see, by default, a database of queries that your tract has earned impressions and clicks from. 

Click into 1 of these queries, via the “pages tab” and you volition spot a database of the URLs that fertile for that query and the associated stats that spell on with it.

Side Note: GSC aggregates information and shows an average. Pay attraction to filters similar location, device, etc., and usage them to get much close results.

If determination is much than 1 URL showing, this could beryllium arsenic a effect of keyword cannibalization.

Site: Search Operator

Use the "site:[domain] keyword" hunt relation consecutive connected Google to find a database of pages that are deemed applicable and optimized for a circumstantial keyword.

If you judge you’re suffering from cannibalization, bash a manual investigation cheque for the intent of these pages. If you announcement some pages person the aforesaid intent, past you tin rotation retired fixes to guarantee lone a azygous leafage is targeting a circumstantial intent.

How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization connected Your Site

There is nary "one size fits all" attack to fixing cannibalization issues. The way you instrumentality to resolving the problems depends connected the idiosyncratic circumstances.

However, determination are communal fixes you tin usage erstwhile it is the close clip to bash so. 

Remove and Redirect Cannibalized Pages

If your tract has aggregate pages targeting the aforesaid intent, but you lone request to support 1 of these live, enactment some  301 redirects in place.

Once you person identified the strongest of the pages cannibalizing—consider inbound links pointing to the pages, integrated visibility crossed different terms, and historical postulation arsenic signals to assistance marque your decision—remove the others and 301 redirect their URLs to the strongest page. 

This is usually the simplest mode to hole cannibalization issues. 

Be definite to update immoderate interior links pointing to the pages you remove. Aside from that, you should spot the removed URLs driblet retired of Google's scale implicit the adjacent fewer weeks. 

Canonicalization

Sometimes, you can't region the cannibalized pages and support conscionable the one. If this is true, determination are a fewer instances wherever utilizing canonical links would beryllium helpful. 

You tin usage canonical links for::

• A leafage that is simply a dedicated PPC landing page
• A large portion of contented from a user-experience perspective
• CMS restrictions that are causing leafage duplication oregon different crushed entirely.

When these are the cases, see using  canonicalization to assistance you benignant retired those problems. 

Doing this means you tin prime 1 leafage arsenic the primary, which past tells Google this is the 1 that should fertile connected the SERP. It besides ensures that ranking signals, specified arsenic nexus equity, are attributed to the canonical page.

From here, nary of the different pages volition request to beryllium removed, and they tin inactive each beryllium accessed by users. 

See our  Beginner's Guide to Canonical Tags to larn much astir canonical pages.

Noindex

If, for immoderate reason, you are incapable to delete and redirect the problematic pages, you mightiness see this adjacent solution. 

Try implementing rel= "noindex" tags—or an HTTP Response Header—on each but the leafage you person chosen arsenic your superior page.

With this approach, each pages tin inactive beryllium connected the site. But each but 1 leafage volition beryllium de-indexed, resolving the cannibalization issues. 

That said, canonicalization is preferred implicit noindex, fixed that ranking signals are attributed to the canonical, whereas noindex different won't be.

Use the noindex attack with caution. 

Pro Tip: Don't mistake combining canonicalization and noindex arsenic solutions. The 2 signals are contradictory pieces of information,  as stated by John Mueller:

Noindex (alone) & robots.txt disallow (in general) are not wide signs for canonicalization. Just having a noindex connected a leafage doesn't archer america that you privation to person it combined with thing other and that signals should beryllium forwarded.

This is besides wherever the usher that you shouldn't premix noindex & rel=canonical comes from: they're precise contradictory pieces of accusation for us. We'll mostly prime the rel=canonical and usage that implicit the noindex, but immoderate clip you trust connected mentation by a machine script, you trim the value of your input :) (and SEO is to a ample portion each astir telling machine scripts your preferences).

— John Mueller, Google

If you aren't careful, you volition extremity up sending conflicting signals and perchance hazard attributing ranking signals to your superior page. 

Noindex tin beryllium utile erstwhile you request to resoluteness cannibalization issues caused by bladed contented with nary backlinks and nary integrated traffic—think tag pages connected your blog, for example. 

Re-Optimizing Pages

Sometimes, you find you person inadvertently caused cannibalization astatine the metadata level simply by not optimizing for keyword variations. 

For example, let's accidental you tally an eCommerce store that sells a merchandise successful 3 antithetic colors. 

Even though the merchandise pictures are different, it's communal to spot merchandise variations connected unsocial URLs with the aforesaid rubric tag and H1 tag. 

In this instance, you tin re-optimize each variation's leafage to people much intelligibly and resoluteness cannibalization issues. 

Reworking Your Internal Linking Structure

In immoderate instances, you tin hole cannibalization issues by reworking your  internal linking structure—especially erstwhile utilizing nonstop match  anchor text that points to antithetic pages. 

Reworking interior links to guarantee that these are acceptable up correctly and constituent to the close page—not a cannibalized version—can assistance cleanable up issues. However, connected its own, it is usually not capable to hole the occupation outright. 

Take this attack successful conjunction with cleaning up pages that vie for intent to spot amended success. 

Merging and Consolidating Pages

In cases erstwhile you find you person 2 oregon weaker, but competing pages cannibalizing 1 another, merge and consolidate them into a azygous page. Essentially, you are creating 1 much important leafage with the assistance of aggregate weaker ones.

This is usually the champion attack to instrumentality erstwhile you person 1 wide superior leafage being a standout, having links pointing to it, oregon receiving postulation erstwhile you can't place a superior page.

It whitethorn besides mean you request to freshen up the contented to amended the last page. You mightiness request to guarantee 301 redirects are enactment successful spot for immoderate pages deleted oregon URLs changed to walk implicit immoderate ranking signals. 

Creating New Intent-Focused Content

One communal cannibalization contented seen with eCommerce is simply a azygous merchandise leafage that ranks for hunt presumption related to their merchandise range. 

And erstwhile this happens, due to the fact that nary "range" subcategory exists, fixing the contented is arsenic elemental arsenic creating a caller page.

When determination isn't a leafage that matches the intent, you volition find "the adjacent champion thing" ranking, truthful you conscionable make one. You should past find that the occupation disappears due to the fact that it satisfies the intent. 

How to Avoid Cannibalization Issues successful the Future

First and foremost, perpetually actively show your website. 

When you're investigating caller opportunities for contented creation, don't slumber connected what a Semrush toolkit tin offer. 

Tools similar Position Tracking, Domain Overview, and Organic Research tin springiness you an progressive overview of what you're presently ranking for already, truthful you don't marque the mistake of creating caller pages with the aforesaid content.

Check for contented connected your tract that has the aforesaid intent each clip you make thing new.

It doesn't request to beryllium time-consuming and should hap during  keyword research. 

Just caput to Google and usage the "site:domain [keyword]" relation to instrumentality a database of pages deemed applicable for the keyword.

Look done the results from a mindset of intent analysis. Scan for existing contented serving akin purposes and akin intent to what you privation to create.

If you spot a leafage with the aforesaid intent arsenic the contented you privation to create, see updating the existing leafage alternatively than creating thing caller and causing cannibalization issues. 

Resolving Keyword Cannibalization Issues Can Drive Noticeable Gains

Keyword cannibalization is simply a communal contented successful SEO. It remains an country that causes continued disorder and prevents galore websites from performing arsenic good arsenic possible.

Larger sites with a batch of contented are astir apt to look cannibalization issues, but nary tract is immune to it. 

So bash your tract a large favor: regularly tally cannibalization audits.

These process-driven approaches tin assistance forestall cannibalization problems from happening again.