How to Find, Fix, and Prevent It

What Is Keyword Cannibalization?

Keyword cannibalization is an SEO issue that occurs when multiple pages on a site compete with each other for the same Google rankings.

Pages compete when they target the same keyword and satisfy the same search intent—i.e., serve the same purpose. Or Google interprets them as doing so.

SEO keyword cannibalization can happen when you:

• Publish similar pieces of content over time
• Publish a new version of a page without redirecting the old one
• Create different paths to the same product category
• Optimize similar pages for the same keyword
• Do not optimize subcategory pages

Keyword cannibalization in SEO is not just caused by mentioning the same keyword on multiple pages.

You can target a keyword on multiple pages if the search intent is different.

Take the search engine results page (SERP) for “hotels in paris france.”

The search intent is mixed:

Google ranks travel guides because some searchers want information about hotels in Paris.

But it also ranks hotel listings, because some searchers are ready to book.

If you owned a hotel site, you could create both types of pages. And target the keyword on both without causing keyword cannibalization.

Catering to both types of search intent could help you secure one high ranking, rank for other valuable keywords, and deliver a better on-site experience to users.

Also, in the case of branded keywords (keywords that contain your brand name), it’s common to secure multiple high rankings for the same...