On-page SEO · Intermediate

Keyword cannibalization

Keyword cannibalization is when several pages on the same site target the same search, so they compete with each other and none ranks as well as one strong page would.

By Thryv StudioUpdated

Category
On-page SEO
Level
Intermediate
Symptom
Rankings alternate between two of your pages
Fix
Merge, differentiate or re-point internal links

What is keyword cannibalization?

If you have "SEO agency", "Best SEO agency" and "Our SEO agency services" pages all aimed at the same search, search engines have to guess which one to show. Signals like links and clicks get split, and the ranking often swaps between pages.

How to spot it

  • In Search Console, one query shows impressions for several of your URLs.
  • Rankings for a keyword flip between two pages over time.

How to fix it

  1. Decide which page should rank.
  2. Merge the others into it and 301-redirect them, or rewrite them for a different intent.
  3. Point internal links for that topic at the chosen page.

Frequently asked questions

Is it always a problem?

No. If two pages serve genuinely different intents and both rank well, leave them.

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