Tips for Identifying and fixing keyword cannibalisation

 

In this digital era, when people want to find something, be it a service or a product, the first thing they do is an online search. 'Google it' has become a norm nowadays. Gone are the days when people would refer to printed marketing materials or the Yellow Pages to find a service, making the entire search process hassle-free.

However, this ease of putting things online has its own drawback; your content gets lost in the pool of information. Search engines can be precise for users who know exactly what they are looking for but narrowing down the options can become tricky when it comes to general search.

So, how to tackle this problem?

Identify keyword cannibalisation 

It's quite simple to identify possible keyword cannibalisation issues on your website. Generally, searching for the lines of "Domain + keywords" will give you the information you are looking for. You will get a list of results, but are they the ones you want? Is the blog you posted three years ago ranking higher than your latest one? If yes, this could be a perfect example of keyword cannibalisation. Here are a few things you can do to stop this.

Four ways to prevent keyword cannibalisation 

Merge content 

If you have two web pages with similar content, then consider merging the content. This solution may not work in every situation, but it is one of the best ways to optimise your website. This way, you will make the content more effective.

Delete content 

Though it may sound extreme, deleting content that is no longer relevant to your website can serve the purpose. If your business has grown, and somehow the older blog posts are still ranking higher than your desired web content, then delete them. Neither the content will exist nor the problem.

Remove keywords 

If you want to keep some specific content for some reason and the presence of keywords isn't crucial, removing it is always a good option. This may be a slower, more strenuous way of doing things, but it has the virtue of being simple and easy to implement.

Tweak your internal linking 

If your web content links to other content on your website, you may consider working upon these internal links. For search engines such as Google, links are of immense importance. So, if you include a link to another piece of content or web page, a search engine might rank it.

Try changing or adding your website's internal linking so that less important content links to the content you want to highlight or prioritise. 

By doing this, you send a signal to the SERP that the linked content should be prioritised.

Conclusion 

Current search algorithms are far more complex and discerning when it comes to assigning search ranks. Good content always remains a crucial ranking factor. Ensuring no keyword cannibalisation will help you project your intended content and get the audience's attention. Take the assistance of a web and mobile app development company if needed.