Keyword Cannibalization Report
Keyword cannibalization happens when two or more pages on your site target the same keyword. Instead of one strong page, Google sees multiple options and splits its trust between them. The result: neither page ranks as well as a single, consolidated page would.
The Cannibalization report identifies these competing pages so you can decide whether to merge them, differentiate them, or use canonical tags to clarify which page Google should rank.
How the report works
The report finds keywords that meet all of these criteria:
- 2 or more landing pages ranking for the same keyword
- At least 100 total impressions across all pages
- Homepage excluded: Your homepage naturally ranks for many keywords, so it's filtered out to reduce noise
- Low-ranking pages excluded: Pages with average position > 20 are filtered out, since they're not seriously competing
- site: queries excluded: Brand navigation searches (like "site:example.com") aren't real cannibalization
The report is sorted by total impressions, so the highest-visibility cannibalization issues appear first.
Why cannibalization hurts your rankings
You have two pages targeting "best project management software":
| Page | Position | Impressions | Clicks |
|---|---|---|---|
| /blog/best-pm-tools | 14 | 800 | 3 |
| /guides/project-management-software | 18 | 600 | 1 |
Both pages are stuck on page 2. If you consolidated them into one comprehensive page, you'd combine their authority, backlinks, and content signals. The merged page could realistically reach positions 8-10, turning 4 clicks into 15-20+ clicks.
Cannibalization causes problems in several ways:
- Diluted authority: Backlinks, internal links, and engagement signals are split between pages instead of concentrated on one
- Crawl budget waste: Google spends time crawling and evaluating multiple pages for the same keyword
- Ranking instability: Google may flip between pages in search results, causing erratic position changes
- Lower CTR: Google might choose to show the weaker page, resulting in fewer clicks than if it consistently showed your best page
Detail view
Click on any keyword in the report to see the per-page breakdown. This shows you exactly which pages are competing, along with each page's impressions, clicks, average position, and CTR. Use this to decide which page is strongest and should be your primary page for that keyword.
How to fix cannibalization
There are three main strategies, depending on the situation:
| Strategy | When to use it | How |
|---|---|---|
| Merge | Both pages cover the same topic with similar intent | Combine the best content from both pages into one. 301 redirect the weaker page to the stronger one |
| Differentiate | Pages serve different user intents but happen to rank for the same keyword | Adjust titles, headings, and content so each page clearly targets a different angle or audience |
| Canonical | You need both pages to exist (e.g., product page and category page) but want Google to rank one | Add a rel="canonical" tag on the secondary page pointing to the primary page |