[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"post:\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-examples":3,"blog-order":406},{"page":4,"collection":405},{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"date":391,"description":392,"draft":393,"extension":394,"image":395,"meta":396,"meta_description":397,"meta_title":6,"navigation":398,"path":399,"seo":400,"sitemap":401,"stem":402,"updated":403,"__hash__":404},"tutorials\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-examples.md","7 Real Keyword Cannibalization Examples (and the Fix)",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":370},"minimark",[10,14,32,37,53,61,68,72,77,84,105,109,116,128,132,136,156,176,180,194,218,222,229,257,261,265,272,291,295,298,317,321,328,332,338,344,349,355,366],[11,12,13],"p",{},"An example of keyword cannibalization is two of your own pages competing for the same query — say a category page and a filtered version of it both ranking for \"patio furniture\" — so their clicks and ranking signals split across two URLs instead of stacking onto one. The concept is easy to state and surprisingly hard to picture, which is why abstract definitions rarely help you find it on your own site. So here are seven concrete cases, grouped by the pattern that causes them, each with the tell-tale Search Console signal and the specific fix.",[11,15,16,17,22,23,27,28,31],{},"If you want the definition and mechanics first, start with ",[18,19,21],"a",{"href":20},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-is-keyword-cannibalization\u002F","what keyword cannibalization is"," — this post assumes you know the ",[24,25,26],"em",{},"what"," and want to recognize the ",[24,29,30],{},"shape"," of it in the wild.",[33,34,36],"h2",{"id":35},"the-one-signal-every-example-shares","The one signal every example shares",[11,38,39,40,44,45,48,49,52],{},"Before the examples, the tell. In Google Search Console, filter the Performance report to a single query, then switch to the ",[41,42,43],"strong",{},"Pages"," tab. Cannibalization shows up as ",[41,46,47],{},"two or more of your URLs pulling a meaningful, balanced share of impressions for that one query"," — and, over time, trading places in average position. That flip-flop is the signature. A stable 3-and-9 that never moves, or one page taking 98% and the other 2%, is ",[24,50,51],{},"not"," cannibalization; it's a double-ranking or a page Google is just testing.",[11,54,55,56,60],{},"You can eyeball this one query at a time, or run the ",[18,57,59],{"href":58},"\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-checker","keyword cannibalization checker"," to scan every query on your site at once and surface only the genuine clashes. Either way, that balanced-split-plus-flip-flop is what each example below looks like in the data.",[11,62,63],{},[64,65],"img",{"alt":66,"src":67},"Four common cannibalization patterns arranged in a grid — blog-on-blog overlap, ecommerce category versus filter URL, near-duplicate seasonal posts, and homepage versus landing page — each showing two of your URLs splitting the impressions for a single query.","\u002Fimg\u002Fblog\u002Fdiagrams\u002Fcannibalization-example-patterns.svg",[33,69,71],{"id":70},"blog-on-blog-examples","Blog-on-blog examples",[73,74,76],"h3",{"id":75},"_1-two-how-to-posts-on-the-same-topic","1. Two how-to posts on the same topic",[11,78,79,80,83],{},"The classic. You write \"How to Start a Podcast\" in 2023, then a fuller \"Podcasting for Beginners\" in 2025 without realizing they target the same intent. Both rank on page one for ",[24,81,82],{},"how to start a podcast",", neither in the top three.",[85,86,87,94],"ul",{},[88,89,90,93],"li",{},[41,91,92],{},"The GSC tell:"," filter to \"how to start a podcast,\" add Pages — both URLs appear at positions 6 and 9, each with 30–50% of the query's impressions, swapping leads week to week.",[88,95,96,99,100,104],{},[41,97,98],{},"The fix:"," consolidate. Merge the weaker post into the stronger, 301-redirect the old URL, and fold in any unique sections. One authoritative page beats two half-strength ones. This is textbook ",[18,101,103],{"href":102},"\u002Fblog\u002Finternal-keyword-cannibalization\u002F","internal keyword cannibalization"," between your own articles.",[73,106,108],{"id":107},"_2-a-pillar-page-cannibalized-by-its-own-subtopic","2. A pillar page cannibalized by its own subtopic",[11,110,111,112,115],{},"You publish a broad \"Email Marketing Guide,\" then later a focused \"Email Subject Lines\" post that ranks so well it starts pulling impressions for ",[24,113,114],{},"email marketing"," too — undercutting the pillar you wanted to own the head term.",[85,117,118,123],{},[88,119,120,122],{},[41,121,92],{}," the subtopic URL appears for head-term queries it was never meant to target, sitting just above or below the pillar and splitting the broad query's impressions.",[88,124,125,127],{},[41,126,98],{}," differentiate, don't merge — both pages deserve to exist. Re-optimize the subtopic to lean hard into \"subject lines,\" strip the broad-term language from its title and H1, and add an internal link from it up to the pillar with the head term as anchor. You're re-drawing the intent boundary so each page owns its lane.",[33,129,131],{"id":130},"ecommerce-examples","Ecommerce examples",[73,133,135],{"id":134},"_3-category-page-vs-its-own-filter-url-the-patio-furniture-pattern","3. Category page vs. its own filter URL (the \"patio furniture\" pattern)",[11,137,138,139,143,144,147,148,151,152,155],{},"A retailer's ",[140,141,142],"code",{},"\u002Fpatio-furniture"," category and its faceted variant ",[140,145,146],{},"\u002Fpatio-furniture?filter=patio"," (or ",[140,149,150],{},"\u002Fpatio-furniture\u002Foutdoor",") both get indexed and both rank for ",[24,153,154],{},"patio furniture",". Faceted navigation is the single biggest cannibalization engine in ecommerce.",[85,157,158,163],{},[88,159,160,162],{},[41,161,92],{}," two near-identical URLs — one clean, one with a query string or extra path segment — trading positions for the same head term, often with the filtered version outranking the canonical category on some days.",[88,164,165,167,168,171,172,175],{},[41,166,98],{}," canonical. Point a ",[140,169,170],{},"rel=canonical"," from the filtered\u002Ffaceted URLs to the clean category page so Google consolidates the signals onto the one you want to rank. For filters that generate no unique search demand, ",[140,173,174],{},"noindex"," them outright.",[73,177,179],{"id":178},"_4-category-vs-subcategory-overlap","4. Category vs. subcategory overlap",[11,181,182,185,186,189,190,193],{},[140,183,184],{},"\u002Fwomens-shoes"," and ",[140,187,188],{},"\u002Fwomens-shoes\u002Fsneakers"," both compete for ",[24,191,192],{},"women's sneakers"," because the parent category page lists sneakers prominently and its copy leans that way.",[85,195,196,208],{},[88,197,198,200,201,203,204,207],{},[41,199,92],{}," the parent and child URL both surface for the more specific query (",[24,202,192],{},"), splitting its impressions, while the parent should be winning the broader ",[24,205,206],{},"women's shoes"," and the child the specific term.",[88,209,210,212,213,217],{},[41,211,98],{}," differentiate by intent. Rewrite the parent's on-page copy and internal anchors to target the broad term and route \"sneakers\" language and links down to the subcategory. Each page keeps a distinct primary keyword — the same one-keyword-per-URL discipline a ",[18,214,216],{"href":215},"\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-mapping-prevent-cannibalization\u002F","keyword map"," enforces before it ever happens.",[73,219,221],{"id":220},"_5-product-page-vs-blog-review-of-the-same-product","5. Product page vs. blog review of the same product",[11,223,224,225,228],{},"Your product page for the \"Acme Trail 2\" and a blog post \"Acme Trail 2 Review\" both rank for ",[24,226,227],{},"acme trail 2 review"," — and the blog post, being more link-worthy, sometimes outranks the page you actually want the buyer to land on.",[85,230,231,244],{},[88,232,233,235,236,239,240,243],{},[41,234,92],{}," the review query shows both the ",[140,237,238],{},"\u002Fproducts\u002F"," URL and the ",[140,241,242],{},"\u002Fblog\u002F"," URL, with the blog post intercepting clicks that should convert on the product page.",[88,245,246,248,249,252,253,256],{},[41,247,98],{}," differentiate and link. Keep the review targeting the ",[24,250,251],{},"review"," intent, but add a prominent internal link and CTA from it to the product page, and make sure the product page owns the transactional ",[24,254,255],{},"buy \u002F price"," variants. Don't merge — they serve different stages of the journey.",[33,258,260],{"id":259},"structural-examples","Structural examples",[73,262,264],{"id":263},"_6-near-duplicate-seasonal-posts","6. Near-duplicate seasonal posts",[11,266,267,268,271],{},"Every year you publish \"Best Running Shoes 2025,\" then \"Best Running Shoes 2026,\" and never retire the old one. Now two posts compete for ",[24,269,270],{},"best running shoes",", and last year's — with a year of accumulated links — often outranks this year's.",[85,273,274,282],{},[88,275,276,278,279,281],{},[41,277,92],{}," two dated URLs appear for the undated head term ",[24,280,270],{},", the older one frequently leading despite being out of date.",[88,283,284,286,287,290],{},[41,285,98],{}," use one evergreen URL. Instead of a new post each year, keep a single ",[140,288,289],{},"\u002Fbest-running-shoes"," URL and update it annually (change the on-page year, refresh the picks). If you've already published several, 301 the old dated URLs into the evergreen one to consolidate their equity.",[73,292,294],{"id":293},"_7-homepage-vs-a-dedicated-landing-page","7. Homepage vs. a dedicated landing page",[11,296,297],{},"Your homepage and a purpose-built landing page both rank for your primary money term because the homepage's copy and title also target it. The homepage, being your strongest page, absorbs the impressions — but converts worse than the focused landing page would.",[85,299,300,312],{},[88,301,302,304,305,185,308,311],{},[41,303,92],{}," ",[140,306,307],{},"\u002F",[140,309,310],{},"\u002Fyour-landing-page"," both appear for the head\u002Fmoney query, the homepage usually leading on position but the landing page (when it does surface) pulling better CTR.",[88,313,314,316],{},[41,315,98],{}," de-optimize the homepage for that specific term — shift its title and H1 to your brand and broader value proposition — and let the landing page own the money keyword outright. This is a case where the fix is subtraction, not addition.",[33,318,320],{"id":319},"is-keyword-cannibalization-always-bad","Is keyword cannibalization always bad?",[11,322,323,324,327],{},"No — and this is the mistake that turns a cleanup into self-sabotage. Two of your URLs appearing for one query is only a problem when the impression split is balanced ",[24,325,326],{},"and"," the positions flip-flop over time. If one page owns the query and the other picks up a handful of impressions Google is testing, or if you're legitimately holding two page-one slots at stable, distinct positions, that's winning twice — leave it alone. Force a \"fix\" there and you can demote a page that was earning traffic. Confirm a real, flip-flopping clash before you merge, canonical, or redirect anything.",[33,329,331],{"id":330},"faq","FAQ",[11,333,334,337],{},[41,335,336],{},"What is an example of keyword cannibalization?","\nA category page and its filtered URL both ranking for \"patio furniture,\" or two blog posts both ranking for \"how to start a podcast\" — two of your own pages splitting the impressions and ranking signals for one query instead of one page owning it.",[11,339,340,343],{},[41,341,342],{},"How do I spot keyword cannibalization?","\nIn Search Console, filter the Performance report to a single query and add the Pages dimension. If two or more of your URLs pull a balanced share of that query's impressions and trade positions over time, that's a clash. A checker automates the same scan across every query at once.",[11,345,346,348],{},[41,347,320],{},"\nNo. A balanced, flip-flopping split hurts you; a stable double-ranking or a lopsided split where one page clearly wins does not. Confirm the clash is real before fixing it, or you risk demoting a page that was performing.",[11,350,351,354],{},[41,352,353],{},"What's the fix once I've confirmed a clash?","\nPick one of four moves based on the case: merge-and-redirect for true duplicates, canonical for near-duplicate URLs, differentiate intent when both pages should exist, or de-optimize the page that shouldn't rank for the term. Never fix a clash you haven't confirmed.",[11,356,357,358,362,363,365],{},"Once you can recognize these shapes, you'll start seeing them everywhere in your own reports — and the fix is almost always cheaper than the split. The next step is prevention: ",[18,359,361],{"href":360},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-avoid-keyword-cannibalization\u002F","how to avoid keyword cannibalization"," covers the mapping-and-monitoring routine that stops these from recurring. To find every clash already live on your site, run the ",[18,364,59],{"href":58}," — it reads your Search Console data and flags only the genuine, flip-flopping splits.",[367,368,369],"cta-button",{"href":58},"Find cannibalization on your site — free",{"title":371,"searchDepth":372,"depth":372,"links":373},"",3,[374,376,380,385,389,390],{"id":35,"depth":375,"text":36},2,{"id":70,"depth":375,"text":71,"children":377},[378,379],{"id":75,"depth":372,"text":76},{"id":107,"depth":372,"text":108},{"id":130,"depth":375,"text":131,"children":381},[382,383,384],{"id":134,"depth":372,"text":135},{"id":178,"depth":372,"text":179},{"id":220,"depth":372,"text":221},{"id":259,"depth":375,"text":260,"children":386},[387,388],{"id":263,"depth":372,"text":264},{"id":293,"depth":372,"text":294},{"id":319,"depth":375,"text":320},{"id":330,"depth":375,"text":331},"2026-08-05","Seven concrete keyword cannibalization examples — blog-on-blog, ecommerce filters, seasonal dupes, homepage-vs-landing — each with the Search Console tell and the exact fix.",false,"md","\u002Fimg\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-examples.png",{},"Concrete keyword cannibalization examples across blogs and ecommerce, each with the GSC signal that reveals it and the specific fix — merge, canonical, differentiate, or de-optimize.",true,"\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-examples",{"title":6,"description":392},{"loc":399},"blog\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-examples","2026-07-20","--FJplKwLmlySmJKvDZsLTnMKsz6fIL2FjPRsoBTl_k","tutorials",[407,411,412,416,420,424,428,432,435,438,442,445,449,453,457,460],{"path":408,"title":409,"date":410},"\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-mapping-prevent-cannibalization","How to Build a Keyword Map to Prevent Cannibalization","2026-08-08",{"path":399,"title":6,"date":391},{"path":413,"title":414,"date":415},"\u002Fblog\u002Flow-hanging-fruit-seo","Low-Hanging Fruit SEO: What It Is and How to Win It","2026-08-01",{"path":417,"title":418,"date":419},"\u002Fblog\u002Fstriking-distance-keywords","Striking Distance Keywords: Find & Rank the Page-2 Wins","2026-07-29",{"path":421,"title":422,"date":423},"\u002Fblog\u002Fbest-keyword-cannibalization-tools","Best Keyword Cannibalization Tools (2026 Comparison)","2026-07-25",{"path":425,"title":426,"date":427},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-avoid-keyword-cannibalization","How to Avoid & Prevent Keyword Cannibalization","2026-07-22",{"path":429,"title":430,"date":431},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwhat-is-keyword-cannibalization","What Is Keyword Cannibalization (and When It's Actually Fine)","2026-07-16",{"path":433,"title":434,"date":431},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-check-keyword-cannibalization","How to Check for Keyword Cannibalization: A Free Audit",{"path":436,"title":437,"date":431},"\u002Fblog\u002Fkeyword-cannibalization-ahrefs-semrush","How to Check Keyword Cannibalization in Ahrefs & Semrush (and the Faster Way)",{"path":439,"title":440,"date":441},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-find-low-hanging-fruit-keywords","How to Find Low-Hanging Fruit Keywords","2026-07-14",{"path":443,"title":444,"date":441},"\u002Fblog\u002Finternal-keyword-cannibalization","Internal Keyword Cannibalization — How to Spot Your Pages Competing With Each Other",{"path":446,"title":447,"date":448},"\u002Fblog\u002Fanalyze-seo-performance-with-google-search-console","How to Analyze Your SEO Performance in Google Search Console","2018-04-08",{"path":450,"title":451,"date":452},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-find-and-fix-keyword-cannibalization","How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization (5 Fixes + a Decision Table)","2018-01-24",{"path":454,"title":455,"date":456},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-easily-find-quick-wins-to-boost-your-traffic","SEO Quick Wins: The 15-Minute Playbook","2018-01-23",{"path":458,"title":459,"date":456},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-identify-your-top-performers-with-keylogs","How to Identify Your Top-Performing Pages (80\u002F20) in Search Console",{"path":461,"title":462,"date":463},"\u002Fblog\u002Fhow-to-find-google-ranking-opportunities","How to find and use Google ranking opportunities","2018-01-21"]