What is keyword cannibalization and how do you prevent it?

Keyword cannibalization is a common problem. But what is it really? More importantly, how do you find it, solve it and prevent it? Read below.

What is keyword cannibalization?

Keyword cannibalization is a situation where multiple pages of a Web site compete for the same search terms. This leads to search engine confusion and ultimately lower rankings in search results. Therefore, you want to avoid keyword cannibalization as much as possible.

How does keyword cannibalization occur?

There are several ways keyword cannibalization can occur. For example, by:

• Publish articles or pages that are very similar to each other

• Creating a new version of an existing page and not redirecting the old page

• Create multiple paths to the same product category using the same keyword in the paths

• Using the same keywords on pages that are similar to each other

• To forget that specific subcategories should optimize

The important thing to understand is that cannibalization does not just come from using the same keyword on multiple pages. It really is down to the situation!

When is there keyword cannibalization?

Google usually ranks pages for different keywords. So your page about "best vacations in Europe" may also rank for "vacation Germany." Still, it's smart to focus each page primarily on one important keyword.

After all, it's ultimately all about relevance: keyword cannibalization really happens when pages are too similar in terms of keywords and content. For example, if a website has both a page for "cheap laptops" and "affordable laptops" and both pages also have (almost) the same content and keywords. That makes it difficult for search engines to determine which page is most relevant.

How can you find keyword cannibalization on your website?

You can find keyword cannibalization on your website by using tools such as Google Search Console (GSC) and SEMrush. GSC shows which keywords your pages are ranking for and whether there is overlap between different pages. With SEMrush, you can also quickly see which pages are competing for the same keywords.

Another quick method to get an estimate is to perform a "site:" search in Google, followed by your domain and the keyword. This will show you which pages have specific search terms on them.

Keyword cannibalization detection with Google Search Console (GSC)

Google Search Console (GSC) is a free tool that helps you find keyword cannibalization (and other SEO problems). To find that cannibalization, log in and then click on "Search Results" in the "Performance" menu.

Scroll down to see a list of searches (or keywords) for which your site has received impressions and clicks.

Here you will find the searches, in the top right you can also find the average position of your pages within the Google results 

Click on a keyword you want to check. This automatically applies a "Search:" filter. You can also apply a custom search filter yourself.To do so, scroll up, click "+ New",then "Search..." and enter your settings.

You can use a custom search filter to check multiple related keywords at once.

Navigate to the "PAGES" tab to see which URL ranks for this search.

If more than one URL receives clicks and impressions for a particular search term, this may be a sign of keyword cannibalization. Analyze the pages manually to see if they have overlapping search intentions.

Track keyword cannibalization using tools such as Semrush

Semrush's Position Tracking tool is another useful tool for detecting keyword cannibalization. This tool monitors your Google rankings and identifies potential cases of keyword cannibalization in the Cannibalization Report.

Besides Semrush, you can also use tools such as Ahrefs and KW Finder to discover keyword cannibalization. But remember: multiple URLs ranking for the same keyword are not always a problem. Pay attention to user needs to identify keyword cannibalization and apply the right solution.

Here you can find the cannibalization report under position tracking in Semrush 

Keyword cannibalization detection with the Site: search function

Use the "site:[domain] [keyword]" search operator to filter results from your domain. So in Google, for example, enter "site:https://onlinemarketingagency.com/ keyword." This will find all pages on which the entered keyword appears.

Then analyze the results. Do the pages target the same search intent? If so, you may have a keyword cannibalization problem that needs to be addressed. This may be the quickest and easiest option, but keep in mind that the Google "site:" searches don't always find everything.

So here you are using this built-in feature within Google

How do we solve it?

To solve keyword cannibalization, choose one favorite page for each keyword involved and let Google know which page is most important. You can do this with redirects, canonical tags, link and content optimization, creating new content or using noindex tags. Choose the solution that best suits your situation and needs.

• Choose the page based on; volume, difficulty and combination of clicks/displays in gsc (prefer clicks, but sometimes displays depending on volume/difficulty)

• Recycle the content in terms of longtails and combine it in the new main page

• Monitor this well the 1st week and see what the effects are, if all goes well you can implement this for other pages as well (always start with 1 test)

• Extra tip, do NOT forget to check the internal links with e.g. SCF and adjust them as well (and check if there are enough inlinks to the page at all)

• Also remember to take a good look at the current position of your search terms, you don't want to lose high positions of course

Preventing keyword cannibalization

To avoid keyword cannibalization, it is important to take a structured approach to creating and optimizing your website. Start with a thorough keyword analysis to identify relevant search terms and focus each page on a unique keyword.

Also conduct regular website crawls with tools such as Screaming Frog to detect duplicate or overlapping content. In doing so, ensure a logical website structure with clear main and subcategories to reduce the likelihood of overlapping content.

With this approach, you can proactively prevent keyword cannibalization and improve your website's performance.