Keyword cannibalisation is a phenomenon that occurs when multiple pages on a website target the same or similar keywords. This can lead to confusion for search engines and visitors, ultimately hurting the website’s rankings. This blog post will discuss keyword cannibalisation and how to avoid it.
What is Keyword Cannibalisation?
Keyword cannibalisation occurs when a website has multiple pages targeting the same or similar keywords. This can happen intentionally or unintentionally. For example, a website might have two blog posts targeting the keyword “best running shoes.” Alternatively, a website might have multiple product pages that target the exact keywords.
Why is Keyword Cannibalisation a Problem?
Keyword cannibalisation is a problem because it can confuse search engines and hurt a website’s search engine rankings. When multiple pages on a website target the same or similar keywords, search engines might have trouble determining which page is the most relevant to a particular search query. This can lead to lower rankings for all of the affected pages, as well as decreased traffic and conversions.
How to Avoid Keyword Cannibalisation
To avoid keyword cannibalisation, it’s essential to do keyword research and plan your website’s content strategy carefully. Here are some tips to help you avoid this issue:
Conduct thorough keyword research: Conduct keyword research before creating new content to identify the most relevant and valuable keywords for your website. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and SEMrush to find relevant keywords and assess their search volume and competition.
Create a content strategy: Develop a content strategy that outlines the topics and keywords you will target with your content. Ensure that each page on your website targets a unique set of keywords and topics.
Consolidate duplicate content: If your website has multiple pages targeting the same or similar keywords, consider consolidating them into a single page. This helps avoid keyword cannibalisation and improve your website’s content’s overall relevance and quality.
Use internal linking: Use internal linking to help search engines understand the hierarchy of your website’s content. Link to relevant pages from within your content, and make sure each links to other relevant pages on your website.
Conclusion
Keyword cannibalisation can hurt your website’s search engine rankings and make it harder for visitors to find the content they seek. To avoid this issue, conduct thorough keyword research, plan your content strategy carefully, and use internal linking to help search engines understand the hierarchy of your website’s content. Doing so can improve your website’s search engine rankings and provide a better experience for your visitors.
