Keyword Cannibalization refers to a situation in search engine optimization (SEO) where multiple pages or pieces of content on a website target the same keyword or keyword phrase. This overlap can lead to several issues:
- Confusion for Search Engines: When multiple pages compete for the same keyword, search engines may struggle to determine which page should rank higher for that keyword, potentially diluting the effectiveness of each page.
- Reduced Page Authority: Instead of a single, authoritative page on the topic, the website ends up with several pages with fragmented authority, making it harder for any of them to achieve high rankings.
- Lower Click-Through Rates: If multiple pages rank for the same keyword, users might click on various pages, reducing the click-through rate of any one page and affecting overall site performance.
To avoid keyword cannibalization, it’s important to ensure that each page targets distinct keywords or keyword phrases and that content is optimized for unique, relevant topics.