You’re publishing consistently, optimizing everything, and investing in SEO—so why aren’t you ranking the way you should?
Two words: Keyword cannibalization.
Keyword cannibalization happens when multiple pages on your website target the same (or very similar) keywords and fulfill the same search intent.
It confuses search engines. It splits your ranking power. And worst of all? It silently eats away at your visibility.
But here’s the good news: fixing it is often low effort but high impact.
What Keyword Cannibalization Looks Like in Action
Let’s start with a real example from Backlinko.
They had two blog posts:
- One massive article on SEO Tools
- Another, newer one about the Best Free SEO Tools
Both were targeting similar queries and overlapping intents: helping users discover tools to improve SEO.
The result? These two pages were competing with each other.
Search engines weren’t sure which one to rank. Clicks and impressions were split. Traffic suffered.
So, they took action:
- Merged the two articles into one
- Set up a 301 redirect
- Kept the best-performing URL
- Refreshed the content for clarity and user experience
The outcome? A 466% increase in clicks year-over-year. Just by consolidating and redirecting.
Why Keyword Cannibalization Hurts SEO
When multiple pages on your site target the same or closely related keywords, you’re essentially making your own content compete with itself. Here’s why that’s a problem:
1. You Rank Lower: Search Engines Get Confused
Search engines like Google aim to show the most relevant and authoritative page for a search query. If your site has multiple pages targeting the same keyword, Google may struggle to understand which page to rank.
Instead of boosting one strong page, the algorithm might:
- Rotate different pages in and out of the SERP
- Rank all of them poorly because none is clearly the best
- Favor a page that wasn’t meant to be the primary one
Example:
Imagine you have three blog posts on “best vegan protein powder.” Google sees all three as semi-relevant, but none stands out as authoritative—so you rank on page 3, instead of top 5.
2. You Split Backlinks and Authority
Backlinks are a core ranking factor. But when multiple pages target the same keyword:
- Some external sites link to Page A
- Others to Page B
- And the rest to Page C
That link equity is spread thin, instead of being concentrated on one strong URL.
Worse, your own internal links may point to different versions inconsistently, sending mixed signals to Google about which page matters most.
This is like trying to build one tower out of Legos, but splitting your blocks across three different buildings—they all stay small.
3. You Confuse Users
Let’s say a user searches for “how to declutter your home.”
They land on your site and see two nearly identical articles:
- One written last year
- One updated recently
- Both with similar titles and tip
Which one should they trust? Which one is most accurate? Most current?
This redundancy creates friction and undermines your authority. If the user bounces due to confusion, your engagement metrics (like bounce rate and dwell time) may suffer—another indirect signal to Google that your content isn’t delivering value.
4. You Waste Crawl Budget and Indexing Power
Google allocates a limited “crawl budget” to every site. This is the number of pages the search bot will crawl and index in a given timeframe.
If your site has multiple redundant or similar pages:
- Bots spend time crawling duplicate content
- Other important pages may get delayed or missed
- You reduce your site’s overall crawl efficiency
This is especially critical for large websites with thousands of URLs.
5. Internal Link Equity and Anchor Text Get Diluted
When multiple pages target the same keyword:
- Your internal links may point to different URLs using the same or similar anchor te
- The SEO power from those links gets divided, instead of reinforcing one authoritative page
This weakens your ability to signal to Google: “This is the main page that should rank for this topic.”
Visual Analogy: Cannibalization Is Like Running a Race Against Yourself
Imagine you’re in a race—but instead of sending your best runner, you send three clones of yourself, each slightly slower and more distracted.
None of them wins. Worse, they all trip each other up. That’s what keyword cannibalization does to your rankings.
Keyword Cannibalization ≠ Similar Keywords
Let’s get one thing clear: not all keyword overlap is cannibalization.
For example, a site like Health.com may have:
- One post on protein powder for weight gain
- Another on best-tasting protein powders
- A third on protein nutrition facts
Same keyword theme, different user intent.
Cannibalization only occurs when:
- Keywords are nearly identical
- Pages serve the same search purpose
- Both compete for the same SERP space
How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization
1. Use Google Search Console
Go to:
Performance > Search Results > Queries
→ Click on a keyword you’re targeting
→ Go to the Pages tab
If you see multiple URLs for that query, check if they fulfill the same search intent.
2. Google Site Search
In Google, type:
site:yourdomain.com “target keyword”
You’ll see all indexed pages mentioning that keyword. Review each to spot overlaps.
3. Use Semrush’s Cannibalization Report
- Go to Position Tracking > Cannibalization
- Look for keywords ranking on more than one URL
- Prioritize pages with overlapping purpose or low CTR
Need help setting up Semrush’s tracking? Here’s a beginner-friendly guide.
5 Proven Ways to Fix Keyword Cannibalization
1. Consolidate and Redirect
Merge similar pages into one.
Pick the stronger URL (with higher traffic or backlinks).
Then add 301 redirects from the others.
This is what Backlinko did—and they gained a 466% increase in organic clicks.
2. Differentiate Intent
Keep both pages, but revise them to serve unique purposes.
Example:
- What is intermittent fasting? → Informational intent
- Intermittent fasting meal plan → Transactional or navigational intent
Learn more: What is Search Intent and why is it important for SEO?
3. Rework Internal Links
Ensure internal links across your site point to the main version of the page.
Use consistent anchor text (e.g., “best SEO tools”) to reinforce topical authority.
Remove outdated or underperforming versions from site navigation.
4. Add Canonical Tags
If both versions need to exist, use a rel=”canonical” tag to tell Google which is the primary page.
5. Noindex Low-Value Pages
If a page isn’t bringing in traffic and overlaps with stronger content, add a noindex tag to prevent it from appearing in SERPs.
This allows you to retain the content without confusing search engines.
Final Thought: Cannibalization Isn’t Always Bad—But It Should Never Be Accidental
It’s okay to have overlapping topics—if they’re intentional and distinct.
But accidental cannibalization? That’s SEO sabotage.
Start with an audit. Look at your rankings.
- Merge where it makes sense.
- Refine where needed.
- And always optimize with intent.
Even a small fix, like a redirect or internal link cleanup, can unlock huge traffic gains.
Want Help with an SEO Audit?
If you’d like support identifying keyword cannibalization issues on your site, feel free to reach out for a free audit checklist or a personalized consultation.
Struggling with keyword cannibalization? We’ve got you.
Whether you need a free audit checklist or a personalized consultation, our team at DigiXLMedia is here to help you identify ranking issues, clean up internal links, and reclaim lost traffic.
Reach out today — let’s get your site back on track.