The keyword cannibalization guide of 2024

Keyword cannibalization , also written as keyword cannibalization, is a common problem within SEO. This problem arises when different pages on the same Web site compete for the same keywords or keyword groups. Several causes may underlie this.

A first reason is optimization of the same keywords on multiple pages. Also, keyword cannibalization can occur when the same keywords appear multiple times on different pages. This can lead to confusion for search engines; after all, it prevents them from knowing which page is the most relevant for certain keywords. In this article, I tell you more about it.

What is keyword cannibalization?

Keyword cannibalization can also lead to link value fragmentation. This is because backlinks are thus not concentrated on one page, but distributed to multiple pages on the same website. This can reduce the authority of the website and in turn affect the search engine ranking of the individual pages.

To avoid keyword cannibalization, optimize each page on your website for a specific set of keywords or keyword groups. So each page should have unique and valuable content that targets specific keywords. There should be no overlap between keywords used on different pages.

It is also important to optimize the website’s internal link structure. That way, you prevent different pages from competing for the same keywords. In short, two things are needed: optimize each page for specific keywords and reduce overlap between pages. This way you can prevent keyword cannibalization and you can improve your website’s search engine ranking.

The signs of keyword cannibalization

There may be several signs on your website that indicate keyword cannibalization. Let me cite some examples of this:

• declining positions in Google (often this is the case);
• you see varying results in Google for the same keyword;
• A shift of URL coming up (suddenly).

Many of these symptoms I find in the Google Search Console. So I like to keep an eye on these when I get started with a keyword cannibalization study.

Methods to map keyword cannibalization

I mainly use Google Serach Console in this study. In doing so, I proceed this way:

1. Go to the performance report.
2. Enter a keyword that you suspect is suffering from keyword cannibalization (as an exact query).
3. Then under pages you can see which pages have come up for this keyword in the past period.

In this way, you will have an exact overview of the culprits in a short time and can take action based on this data.

Is keyword cannibalization always a problem?

Keyword cannibalization usually poses a problem for a website’s SEO. Nevertheless, there are certain cases where this is not necessarily the case.

An example is when several pages compete for the same keywords, yet each is relevant and valuable to the user. For example, do the pages offer different perspectives on the same topic? Or do they describe different products or services with different characteristics? Then using the same keywords can actually help the user find the right page.

Also, keyword cannibalization can sometimes be caused by synonyms or variations of keywords. What you can best do then is to use these different terms on each of the pages as well. This allows the user to find a wider range of relevant information.

Of course, keyword cannibalization is also not a problem when you have secured position 1 AND 2 in Google (or consider position 2 and 3).

However, the above situations are exceptions. In most cases, keyword cannibalization does pose a problem for your website’s SEO. It is therefore important to be alert to this and to ensure that each page of the website offers unique, valuable content. This content should target a specific keyword or keyword group.

How do you account for keyword cannibalization in your content strategy?

With keyword cannibalization, keep in mind especially within your SEO content strategy. After all, the key is to keep each page relevant to specific searches. Here’s what steps you can take to avoid keyword cannibalization in your content strategy:

1. Keyword research: in the initial phase of your content strategy, conduct a thorough keyword research. The purpose of this is to determine which keywords are relevant to your website and target audience. Next, create a list of keywords and keyword groups you want to use in your content.

2. Content mapping: with content mapping, you determine which keywords should be included on which page of your website. In this step, make sure you optimize each page for specific keywords. There should be no overlap between the keywords you use on different pages.

3. Optimization of existing content: review the existing content on your website. If necessary, adjust them to optimize for the keywords you included in the content mapping. Make sure content remains relevant to specific searches.

4. Create new content: create new content based on the keywords you included in the content mapping. Each page should have unique content that targets specific keywords. These should not overlap with keywords you use on other pages.(3)

Better prevention than cure when talking about keyword cannibalization. It can be incredibly stubborn unfortunately to solve.

Solving keyword cannibalization with content pruning

Content pruning is an effective strategy to solve keyword cannibalization. This is because it helps you organize your website content and focus on valuable content that targets specific keywords. So with content pruning, you ensure that different pages are no longer competing for the same keywords.

Wondering what steps you can take to solve keyword cannibalization with content pruning? I’ve listed them for you below:

Internal links and their influence on keyword cannibalization

Internal links can have a major impact on keyword cannibalization. Do different pages of a Web site contain internal links that use the same keywords? Then this can cause search engines to be confused about which page is most relevant to those keywords. That, in turn, results in keyword cannibalization.

However, internal links can also help you avoid search engine cannibalization, provided you use them properly. This is because they emphasize the relationship between different pages on your website, indicating the hierarchy. This also helps improve your website’s search engine ranking. Internal links can help optimize each page for specific keywords and prevent overlap between them.

Below I’ll give you some tips to reduce the impact of internal links on keyword cannibalization:

1. Use keyword-rich anchor texts: make sure the anchor texts (anchor texts) of your internal links contain keyword-rich phrases or words. Those phrases or words should be specific to the page the link leads to. In this way, the search engine can better understand the relevance of the page for those keywords and help the user find the most relevant page(4).

2. Use breadcrumb navigation: breadcrumb navigation is an internal link structure displayed at the top of the page. It represents the hierarchy of the website’s content. Users can find the right page based on category or topic. This helps prevent keyword cannibalization(5).

3. Avoid overuse of internal links: overuse of internal links can be confusing to the user and can lead to keyword cannibalization. Therefore, use internal links only when it is relevant to the user and the hierarchy of website content remains clear.

By applying these tips for your internal links, you will make your website’s internal link structure a useful tool for your visitors. They will better understand the structure of your website and easily find the pages relevant to them. This reduces the chance of keyword cannibalization and improves the overall search engine ranking of your website.

Conclusion

With keyword cannibalization, you must be thorough. Determine on which pages of your Web site this is occurring and investigate the root cause on a case-by-case basis. There is no sitewide quick fix for solving keyword cannibalization, so take the time to address this accurately.