How do you avoid keyword cannibalization in your SEO audit?

1 Identify keyword cannibalization

The first step to avoid keyword cannibalization is to identify it. You can use various tools and methods to find out which pages are competing for the same keywords, such as Google Search Console, Google Analytics, or a site crawler. You can also manually check your site for duplicate or overlapping content, title tags, meta descriptions, and headings. Look for pages that have low click-through rates, high bounce rates, or poor conversions, as these could indicate keyword cannibalization.

2 Consolidate or differentiate your pages

Once you have identified the pages that are cannibalizing each other, you need to decide whether to consolidate or differentiate them. Consolidating means merging two or more pages into one, and redirecting the old URLs to the new one. This can help you avoid duplicate content, improve your site structure, and focus your authority and relevance on one page. Differentiating means making each page more unique and specific, and targeting different variations or aspects of the same keyword. This can help you avoid confusion, increase your topical coverage, and appeal to different user intents.

3 Use canonical tags and noindex tags

Another way to avoid keyword cannibalization is to use canonical tags and noindex tags. Canonical tags tell search engines which version of a page is the preferred one, and prevent them from indexing the duplicate or similar versions. Noindex tags tell search engines not to index a page at all, and remove it from the search results. You can use these tags when you have pages that are necessary for your site functionality, but not for your SEO, such as pagination, filters, or parameters.

4 Optimize your internal links

Internal links are links that point from one page of your site to another. They help search engines and users navigate your site, and distribute your authority and relevance among your pages. To avoid keyword cannibalization, you need to optimize your internal links and make sure they point to the most relevant and valuable pages for each keyword. You also need to avoid over-optimizing your anchor texts, and use natural and varied phrases that match the context and intent of the link.

5 Monitor and update your keywords

The final step to avoid keyword cannibalization is to monitor and update your keywords regularly. Keyword research is not a one-time activity, but an ongoing process that requires you to keep track of the changes in your industry, audience, and competitors. You need to analyze your keyword performance, identify new opportunities and gaps, and adjust your strategy accordingly. You also need to update your content, tags, and links to reflect your current keyword goals and priorities.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?