Keyword and content cannibalization is one of the most serious mistakes that can be made in the world of SEO, because when two or more pages compete for the same keywords, the site dilutes its authority, which leads to losses in traffic and visibility.
What is keyword cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization is a bad SEO practice that occurs when two or more pages that are part of the same domain target the same content identically or similarly.
This causes very negative consequences for the website, such as losses in ranking, organic traffic, visibility index, and loss of leads in the short and long term.
How to fix SEO cannibalization
To fix keyword cannibalization and apply a good SEO strategy, there are different methods that we apply at our SEO agency:
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Detecting cannibalization: this is usually the most complicated part, but there are different methods such as typing “site:yourdomain followed by the keyword” into the search engine to see if two pieces of content are targeting the same thing. You can also opt to use more precise software such as Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, or Google Search Console.
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Analyze search intent: you must detect if both URLs are targeting the same content or if they are responding to different search intents.
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Delete or modify duplicate content: once you detect which URLs have the problem, you should either delete one of the pieces of content from your website or modify them so that there are not two pieces of content with the same keywords and response to a search intent.
Once you have completed the instructions, if you finally choose to delete the content, you must redirect it to the URL you decide to keep on the website to avoid penalties on your website for 404 errors.
Frequently asked questions about SEO cannibalization
What ways do I have to detect SEO cannibalization?
There are multiple ways to detect cannibalized keyword content on a website. You can choose to type in incognito mode site: followed by your full domain and the keyword you want to check.
Even so, with more precise software such as Google Search Console or Screaming Frog, checking for these cannibalizations is much simpler.
How do I know if I am creating cannibalizing content?
Sometimes, realizing if you are cannibalizing existing content on your website is a complicated task.
However, to be precise and avoid this mistake and bad SEO practice, it is advisable to download your website's sitemap.xml and search by filtering which content targets the keyword of your new article.
Why is keyword cannibalization a problem?
It is a serious problem at the SEO level. This is because these articles divide the authority of your website, as your pages detract from each other's strength and cause losses in traffic and positions in Google.
