What Causes Keyword Cannibalisation?

Marketers and website owners sometimes run into a tricky problem called keyword cannibalisation. This happens when different pages on a site end up competing for the same search terms, basically "eating up" each other's chances of scoring high on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Imagine you own an online store that sells a variety of wooden products, including dining tables, beds, and cupboards. You've carefully optimised each product page for specific keywords, such as "oak dining tables," "beech beds," and "ash cupboards." However, unintentionally, you've also created blog posts that cover similar topics, leading to a situation where your own content is competing against itself.

This is a classic case. You've put in the effort to create great content, but now search engines can't decide which of your pages to prioritise for a specific search term. This confusion can seriously hurt your website's overall SEO performance.

Causes of Keyword cannibalisation

It can arise from a variety of factors, and understanding the root causes is crucial for implementing effective solutions. Let's explore some of the common reasons why keyword cannibalisation occurs:

1. Overlapping Content Topics

When you have multiple pages on your website that cover similar topics or target the same keywords, you're inadvertently creating a scenario where these pages compete for the same search queries. This can happen when you have blog posts, product pages, or category pages that all touch on related subject matter.

2. Inconsistent Keyword Targeting

Another common cause of keyword cannibalisation is when you haven't clearly defined your target keywords for each page. This can lead to a situation where several pages on your website are optimised for the same or very similar keywords, causing them to vie for the same search engine rankings.

3. Lack of Content Strategy

Without a well-thought-out content strategy, it's easy for website owners to create content in a piecemeal fashion, leading to unintentional overlap and duplication. A lack of coordination and planning can result in multiple pages targeting the same keywords, ultimately contributing to the cannibalisation problem.

4. Automated Content Generation

In some cases, keyword cannibalisation can arise from automated content generation tools or processes. If you're not carefully monitoring the output of these systems, you may end up with a proliferation of pages that target the same keywords, further exacerbating the issue.

5. Mergers and Acquisitions

When companies merge or acquire other businesses, the integration of their respective websites can lead to a situation where similar content and keywords exist across multiple pages, resulting in keyword cannibalisation. Failure to address this during the integration process can have lasting consequences.

The Negative Impact of Keyword cannibalisation

Keyword cannibalisation can have a significant impact on your website's search engine performance and overall online visibility. Understanding the negative consequences of this issue is crucial for taking the necessary steps to address it. Let's explore the key ways in which keyword cannibalisation can harm your SEO efforts:

1. Confused Search Engines

When search engines encounter multiple pages on your website that target the same keywords, they struggle to determine which page should be the most relevant and authoritative result for a given query. This confusion can lead to inconsistent or fluctuating rankings, as search engines try to figure out which page to prioritise.

2. Diluted Link Equity

Backlinks, a crucial factor in search engine rankings, can become diluted when they're spread across multiple pages targeting the same keywords. Instead of consolidating the link equity on a single, authoritative page, the value is divided among the competing pages, reducing their individual ranking potential.

3. Diminished Internal Linking Signals

Internal links play a vital role in helping search engines understand the structure and hierarchy of your website. When multiple pages target the same keywords, the internal linking signals become muddled, making it harder for search engines to determine which page should be considered the most important.

4. Poorer User Experience

Keyword cannibalisation can also negatively impact the user experience on your website. When users search for a specific query and are presented with multiple, similar pages, they may become frustrated and less likely to engage with your content or take the desired action, such as making a purchase.

5. Wasted Crawl Budget

Search engines have a limited "crawl budget," which refers to the number of pages they can effectively crawl and index on your website during a given timeframe. When you have multiple pages targeting the same keywords, you're essentially using up your crawl budget on redundant content, leaving less room for new or more important pages to be discovered and indexed.

How to Fix It?

Now that we've explored the causes and consequences of keyword cannibalisation, let's dive into the strategies you can employ to identify and resolve this issue on your website.

1. Audit Your Content

The first step in addressing keyword cannibalisation is to conduct a thorough audit of your website's content. Use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify pages that are ranking for the same or similar keywords. This will help you pinpoint the areas where you have overlapping content and potential cannibalisation issues.

2. Analyse Content Performance

Once you've identified the pages that are competing for the same keywords, it's time to analyse their performance. Look at metrics such as organic traffic, rankings, bounce rates, and conversion rates to determine which pages are the most successful and should be prioritised.

3. Consolidate and Optimise Content

Based on your analysis, you can then decide which pages to keep, merge, or eliminate. Consider consolidating similar pages into a single, comprehensive piece of content that covers the topic more thoroughly and targets the keyword more effectively. This will help you avoid the dilution of ranking signals and provide a better user experience.

4. Implement Redirects and Canonicalization

For pages that you've decided to eliminate or consolidate, use 301 redirects to point users and search engines to the primary, optimised page. Additionally, consider using canonical tags to indicate to search engines which page should be considered the authoritative version, even if multiple pages contain similar content.

5. Refine Your Keyword Strategy

Going forward, be more deliberate in your keyword research and targeting. Ensure that each page on your website has a unique, well-defined set of target keywords that don't overlap with other pages. This will help you avoid future instances of keyword cannibalisation.

6. Improve Internal Linking

Strengthen your internal linking structure by prioritising links to your primary, authoritative pages. This will help search engines understand the hierarchy and importance of your content, reducing the risk of cannibalisation.

7. Monitor and Maintain

Regularly monitor your website for any new instances of keyword cannibalisation and be prepared to take action. Continuously evaluate your content strategy, make necessary adjustments, and maintain a vigilant approach to prevent this issue from recurring.

By implementing these strategies, you can effectively identify, resolve, and prevent keyword cannibalisation on your website, ultimately improving your search engine rankings, driving more targeted traffic, and enhancing the overall user experience.

Keyword cannibalisation is a common challenge faced by many website owners and marketers, but it's one that can be effectively addressed with the right strategies and tools. By understanding the causes, recognizing the impact, and implementing the appropriate solutions, you can optimise your website's content, improve search engine visibility, and deliver a better experience for your users.

Remember, staying vigilant and proactively addressing keyword cannibalisation is crucial for maintaining a strong online presence and achieving your SEO goals. If you need some help and support with your SEO, just give us a shout and we would be happy to have a chat with you.