When it comes to SEO, many strategies to improve reach, rankings, and clicks are essential. A crucial key performance indicator to avoid is keyword cannibalization, so understanding and investigating this issue is vital.
What is Keyword Cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization occurs when different pages on a website are targeting the same keywords. An important downside of this problem is that it dilutes a website’s potential to gain organic traffic. Additionally, this can make it difficult to determine which of the many pages is performing best for an individual keyword, thereby making it hard to make improvements.
Why Does It Happen?
Keyword cannibalization can happen for a variety of reasons:
- Pages having similar content
- Using the same page keywords multiple times
- Inaccurate tracking of earlier pages
How to Fix It?
Fortunately, keyword cannibalization can be fixed with a few steps:
- Rename pages: Check if the pages have similar titles and descriptions and if necessary, change them to make them distinct. This will help differentiate between those pages.
- Redirect pages: If there are two pages that are virtually the same, take one of them down and put up a 301 redirect from that page to the other one.
- Utilize Google tools: Utilize Search Console and Analytics tools to give you insight into which pages are performing better.
It is vital to ensure that keyword cannibalization does not occur. Investigating the issue properly, using the right tools and taking the necessary steps will help to gain the best organic traffic.
