Keyword Cannibalism: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginner Bloggers
Keyword cannibalism is a common issue that beginner bloggers face, often without realizing it. It occurs when multiple pages on your website target the same keyword or similar intent, causing them to compete against each other in search engine rankings. This guide will help you understand keyword cannibalism, why it matters, and how to fix it.
Step 1: Understanding Keyword Cannibalism
Keyword cannibalism happens when two or more pages on your site rank for the same keyword, making search engines unsure which page to prioritize. Instead of improving your rankings, it weakens your SEO by splitting ranking signals like backlinks, click-through rates (CTR), and authority between competing pages.
Why is Keyword Cannibalism a Problem?
- Lower Search Rankings – Your pages compete against each other instead of ranking higher.
- Reduced Organic Traffic – Instead of one strong page, traffic gets split across multiple weaker pages.
- Poor User Experience – Users might land on less relevant content instead of the best one.
- Wasted Crawl Budget – Search engines spend resources crawling multiple pages with similar content instead of indexing unique, valuable pages.
Step 2: Identifying Keyword Cannibalism on Your Blog
To check if your site has keyword cannibalism issues, follow these methods:
1. Use Google Search (Site Search Method)
Type the following in Google:
site:yourwebsite.com "your keyword"This will show all pages ranking for that keyword. If multiple pages show up for the same term, you might have a cannibalization issue.
2. Check Google Search Console (Performance Report)
- Go to Google Search Console → Performance → Search Results.
- Filter by the keyword you suspect is cannibalized.
- If multiple pages from your domain appear in the results, this indicates keyword cannibalization.
3. Use SEO Tools
Tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz can help you track keyword rankings and see if multiple pages are competing for the same keyword. Look for:
- Keyword overlap between multiple pages.
- Drops in rankings when new content is published.
- Decreased click-through rates due to multiple competing pages.
Step 3: Fixing Keyword Cannibalism Issues
Once you’ve identified keyword cannibalization on your blog, follow these strategies to fix it.
1. Merge Similar Content
If two or more posts are competing for the same keyword and offer similar value, merge them into one comprehensive post. Steps to do this:
- Choose the post with the best rankings and authority.
- Combine relevant content from other posts into it.
- Set up 301 redirects from the old posts to the updated post.
- Update internal links pointing to the outdated posts.
2. Optimize Each Page for a Unique Keyword
Avoid using the same keyword across multiple pages by:
- Conducting keyword research to find related terms and variations.
- Assigning specific keywords to each post using a content plan.
- Ensuring each post has unique meta titles, headings, and descriptions.
3. Use Canonical Tags
If you have multiple pages that are necessary but similar, use a canonical tag to indicate the primary version to search engines.
- Example: Add this in the
<head>section of the duplicate page:<link rel="canonical" href="https://yourwebsite.com/main-page" />
This tells Google which page to rank while preventing duplicate content issues.
4. Adjust Internal Linking Strategy
Your internal linking should prioritize the most authoritative and relevant page.
- Link related content to one main page instead of multiple competing ones.
- Use descriptive anchor text that reinforces the correct page’s relevance.
5. Deindex or Noindex Low-Quality Pages
If a page is thin on content and doesn’t provide significant value, you can prevent search engines from indexing it by adding this to the <head> section:
<meta name="robots" content="noindex, follow" />This prevents Google from ranking the page while allowing it to pass link juice.
Step 4: Preventing Future Keyword Cannibalization
To avoid keyword cannibalization in the future, follow these best practices:
1. Create a Keyword Map
- Before writing content, assign one unique keyword per post.
- Use tools like Google Sheets to track keyword usage.
2. Regularly Audit Your Content
- Conduct an SEO audit every 3-6 months to identify duplicate keyword usage.
- Update older content instead of creating new posts on the same topic.
3. Use Long-Tail Keywords
Instead of targeting broad keywords, use long-tail keywords that capture specific search intent.
Example:
- Instead of “Best SEO Tips”, try “Best SEO Tips for Small Blogs”.
Conclusion
Keyword cannibalization can harm your blog’s SEO, but with proper identification and strategic fixes, you can improve rankings and drive more organic traffic. By merging content, using unique keywords, optimizing internal linking, and regularly auditing your site, you can prevent keyword cannibalization and strengthen your blog’s authority.
Start applying these steps today and watch your blog’s SEO performance improve!
![How to Increase Brand Awareness Successfully [Strategy]](https://brandingforsmes.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/How-to-Increase-Brand-Awareness-Successfully-Strategy-768x576.png)
