In fact, some SEOs still claim it doesn't exist, adding to the confusion and further perpetuating the myths.
But the reality is that keyword cannibalization is a problem on many websites, and it can definitely drag down your rankings.
It's probably not what you imagine.
With that in mind, let’s set the record straight and help you understand what it is, what it isn’t, and how you can find and fix issues that could be preventing your website from reaching its full potential.
What is keyword cannibalization in SEO?
Too often, keyword cannibalization is explained as the presence of multiple philippines number list pages on your website targeting the same keyword: one page cannibalizes the other's ability to rank and neither performs as it should.
But this is not the case.
Just because two or more pages on your website are optimized for the same keyword doesn't automatically mean that either or even neither of them will rank.
Keyword cannibalization is a matter of intention
Keyword cannibalization is about intent.
So much so, that it would be better to call the problem “keyword intent cannibalization.”
Do you see search results for “Macbook Pro”?
Keyword Cannibalization – MacBook Pro Example
Apple.com has two different pages organically ranking in positions 1 and 2 for this term.
It may not be a surprise that they are among the top results, but if we assume that the two pages optimized for the same keyword prevent the other from ranking, would we see a different result?
Let's look at these pages in a little more detail.
These are the best positioned pages: