What does cannibalisation describe in SEO?
Cannibalisation means that several of your own URLs compete for the same keyword because they serve the same search intent. Thus, the ranking of one URL ‘cannibalises’ the ranking of the other. This is also referred to as keyword cannibalisation.
In SEO, there is a ‘battle’ for rankings. If your domain is not ranking at number 1 for a keyword, there is always a competitor you want to push aside, not least because you want to reach the positions with the most traffic (see also click probability).
However, if you compete with yourself for top positions, you become your own competitor. The unpleasant side effect is that the search engine keeps switching between the URLs and neither of them ranks consistently well. The goal must be to decide which of the two pages ‘deserves’ the ranking and then act accordingly.
Without a closer look at the individual case, the following options are available:
- Merging both pages on the stronger URL and redirecting the other with a 301 redirect
- De-optimising one page and optimising the other
- Canonicalisation of one URL to the other if both pages have almost the same content
- De-indexing one of the two URLs
- Changing the text on the page that should not retain this ranking (certainly the best option in terms of content, but the most demanding editorially)
There are further approaches if these do not suit your case. It is worth checking your own domain regularly for cannibalisation.
Cannibalisation can be particularly problematic for top keywords. For keywords with low search volume and little competition, it is less critical, while highly contested keywords deserve particular attention. A ‘ranking battle’ with your competitors should be enough; there is no need to put obstacles (or cannibals) in your own way.
