Creating content with the purpose of SEO and keyword optimization can help increase traffic to your site and business. In some cases, pages with large amounts of content regarding the same topics experience keyword cannibalization, which can negatively impact rankings.
Knowing how to identify, fix, and prevent keyword cannibalization in SEO content ensures you can keep your site’s authority and reduce competition for your rankings. Our team at Peppermonkey Media addresses keyword cannibalization as just one of the many search engine optimization services offered by our highly-qualified digital marketers.
Talk to our digital marketing experts at Peppermonkey Media for an improved SEO strategy and search ranking by calling (888) 231-9764.
What Is Keyword Cannibalization, and How Does It Affect My Website?
Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages from the same company or website compete for the same Google results ranking. This means that the pages share the same keywords and search intent. SEO specialists deem this “cannibalization” because you reduce your own ranking in the search engines and results through internal competition.
While it may seem good to have multiple pages ranking for a keyword, it can actually have adverse effects. Cannibalization reduces your content authority and results in lower click-through rates or conversions from your content. Identifying and reducing cannibalization brings readers to your most authoritative pages and delivers the content they need effectively.
How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization
Just like any other problem, you can’t fix keyword cannibalization without first identifying the causes. Many tools and methods can provide you with the ability to track your keywords and identify any repetitive content that may cause cannibalization. The most common ways to find instances of keyword cannibalization include pursuing an SEO content report or establishing an internal keyword system.
Getting an SEO report
Several tools and programs serve businesses with content reports that sort through their pages and identify keyword and search intent strategies. You can use the tracking tools in free systems like Google Search Console or paid SEO services. These systems allow you to search through your keywords for each page and can show when two or more pages compete for the same ranking.
Creating a Keyword System
Developing a keyword system, sometimes referred to as a matrix, allows you to view and compare all of your pages and their targeted keywords. With this report, you can identify pages with the same intent and keywords that may cause cannibalization.
To create this system, use a spreadsheet or keyword mapping tool to pair your site URLs side-by-side with their respective keywords. Then scan the list for repeated keywords and evaluate whether the duplicated keywords serve the same purpose and cause cannibalization on the search results page.
Methods for Fixing Keyword Cannibalization
Once you know the root cause issue, you can work on updating and fixing your content for reduced keyword cannibalization in SEO content. Remedying this cannibalization can take a few different forms of reorganizing or tweaking the location and structure of your content to achieve better results.
Reorganizing the Site
Consider optimizing your most authoritative piece of content and making it into a landing page. This allows you to link all other related content pages to the primary source with the keyword as the anchor text to increase the organization and flow of the site. With a primary landing page, you can reduce cannibalization by consolidating content with competing keywords to a single location and result for readers.
Developing New Landing Pages
Pages with similar keywords may not have a single related primary source. In this case, you can develop a new landing page to act as a single authoritative source. For this page, include the repeated keyword and add relevant information from both pieces of content to make a new and inclusive result with high authority and SEO ranking.
Using 301 Redirects
A 301 redirect code redirects less relevant pages to a consolidated and high-authority link that focuses on the same topic and search intent. This works to bring the user to a more relevant page and can help you get rid of excess pages with the same primary keywords. Experts warn that too many 301 redirects on your site can cause less efficient mobile versions, but they can help with cannibalization when necessary.
Protecting from Future Keyword Cannibalization
Once you eliminate keyword cannibalization throughout your content, you can take additional steps to prevent the issues from reoccurring. Consider the following methods and precautions to reduce the chances of further cannibalization:
- Checking keyword status: Running a quick search for the primary keyword before you use it can prevent the creation of duplicate content. Use a content management system or use the “Site” search on Google to check for existing results that target your desired keyword.
- Monitoring your ranking: Using an SEO analysis tool or performing an audit can help you keep track of which pages rank and whether they compete with each other. Knowing this before developing new content can help you identify already fulfilled search intent goals with high levels of authority.
- Identifying keyword variations: Looking at previous keywords can inspire keyword variations that can build cross-links and increase authority while avoiding cannibalization by targeting different search intents and phrasing.
Expert Keyword and SEO Services with Peppermonkey Media
Our team can help you identify and avoid common SEO mistakes, from keyword cannibalization to impersonal content and beyond. Improving your site one step at a time can make all the difference and get you the search engine rankings you need to connect your business with customers.
Keeping track of various pages, keywords, search rankings, and more can pose a challenge. By learning how to find and eliminate keyword cannibalization in SEO practices, you can experience better results from your content. With SEO services from our professionals at Peppermonkey Media, you can develop the tools and knowledge necessary to improve your search ranking and drive traffic to your content.
Contact us at Peppermonkey Media to request a digital marketing consultation from our team to get you on the right track and help you improve the SEO keyword strategies of your website. Call our experts at (888) 231-9764 today!
