Ninja SEO Marketing’s Guide to Preventing Keyword Cannibalisation
Ever wondered why your site isn’t ranking as high as you’d expect, despite all your hard work? You might be falling into a common SEO trap—keyword cannibalisation. It’s one of those sneaky issues that many businesses, big and small, don’t even realise they’re dealing with. At Ninja SEO Marketing, we’ve seen it time and time again with clients, and sorting it out can make a world of difference.
In this post, we’ll go through the risks of keyword cannibalisation, how to spot it, and how to fix it if it’s already happening. Plus, we’ll throw in a few handy tips to prevent it altogether. If you’re serious about boosting your rankings, this one’s for you.
What is Keyword Cannibalisation?
Picture this: you’ve got multiple pages on your website, and you’re using the same keyword across a bunch of them. Maybe you thought, “The more, the merrier, right?” Not quite. Instead of helping you rank better, this can lead to keyword cannibalisation, where your pages end up competing against each other for the same search terms. Ouch!
It’s like trying to split your votes between two candidates in an election—you’re just making it harder for either to win.
Why is Keyword Cannibalisation a Problem?
So, why should you care about keyword cannibalisation? It sounds harmless enough, but here’s the kicker—it can seriously damage your SEO efforts. Here’s what can go wrong:
1. Reduced Search Visibility
When Google isn’t sure which of your pages to rank for a keyword, it might rank none of them particularly well. You’re essentially fighting yourself for the top spot, and Google doesn’t know which page is the true winner.
2. Diluted Authority
When multiple pages target the same keyword, the authority you’ve worked so hard to build (through backlinks, social shares, etc.) is spread thin across those pages. You’re weakening your SEO power instead of focusing it on one strong page.
3. Lower Click-Through Rates
Imagine you’ve got two or three pages popping up for the same keyword, and a user isn’t sure which one to click on. That confusion? It often leads to lower click-through rates as users bounce around or skip your links altogether.
4. Reduced Conversions
If users land on a page that isn’t exactly what they’re after (because, well, you’ve got several competing pages), you risk losing conversions. People aren’t likely to stick around if they don’t find what they need straight away.
How to Spot Keyword Cannibalisation
You’re probably thinking, “Okay, this sounds serious, but how do I know if I’m doing it?” Good news—it’s not as tricky to detect as it sounds. Here’s how you can check for keyword cannibalisation on your site:
1. Run a Site Audit
Grab a tool like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog and do a site audit. These tools will give you a full report of the keywords each page is targeting. This is your treasure map.
2. Examine Keyword Targeting
Once you have the audit results, check for any overlap. Are multiple pages gunning for the same keyword? Bingo! You’ve found potential keyword cannibalisation.
3. Check Search Rankings
For each instance of keyword overlap, take a look at how those pages are performing in the search results. Are they stepping on each other’s toes? If they’re not ranking as high as you’d like, this could be why.
How to Fix Keyword Cannibalisation
Caught in the keyword cannibalisation trap? Don’t panic. There are a few ways to dig yourself out.
1. Merge Your Content
If you’ve got two or more pages offering similar information, why not combine them into one solid, comprehensive page? You’ll not only solve the cannibalisation issue, but you’ll also create a stronger, more informative resource for your readers. Win-win!
2. Remove or Deoptimize Competing Keywords
Sometimes, merging content isn’t feasible. In that case, you might want to deoptimize or remove the keyword from the less relevant page. Let one page be the star, and let the others support it in different ways.
3. Use Canonical Tags
This is a bit more technical, but if you can’t merge or remove the content, using canonical tags tells Google which page should be the main one for a keyword. It’s like giving Google a heads-up, saying, “Hey, this is the page we want to rank.”
4. Restructure Internal Links
Take a look at how your pages are linking to each other. You want your internal links to guide users (and search engines) towards the most important, relevant page for a particular keyword. Simple tweaks can make a big difference here.
Best Practices for Avoiding Keyword Cannibalisation
The best fix for keyword cannibalisation? Preventing it from happening in the first place. Here’s how to stay ahead of the game:
1. Create a Keyword Mapping Strategy
A keyword map is like a GPS for your content. It helps you assign specific keywords to individual pages, ensuring that each page has a clear, unique focus. No overlap, no problem.
2. Keep an Eye on Your Content Regularly
SEO isn’t a ‘set it and forget it’ kind of thing. Keep checking in on your content and keywords. Regular audits will help you catch any potential cannibalisation before it becomes an issue.
3. Target Long-Tail Keywords
We all love those big, juicy keywords with loads of search volume. But long-tail keywords can often be a better bet. They’re more specific, less competitive, and less likely to be targeted by multiple pages. Plus, they tend to match up better with user intent.
4. Always Prioritise User Intent
This is one we can’t stress enough: when you’re writing content, think about your users first. What do they want? What are they searching for? By focusing on their needs, you’ll naturally create unique, valuable content that avoids keyword cannibalisation.
Final Thoughts
Keyword cannibalisation might sound scary, but it’s totally fixable. The key is being aware of it and taking proactive steps to avoid it. At Ninja SEO Marketing, we’ve seen the dramatic impact that fixing cannibalisation issues can have on search rankings, traffic, and conversions. It’s all about creating a clear, focused strategy for your keywords.
If you’re unsure whether your site is suffering from keyword cannibalisation, or if you just want some help boosting your SEO, feel free to reach out! We’re always happy to chat and help you optimise your strategy.
Ready to take your rankings to the next level? Let’s make it happen!
