What is keyword cannibalization?

Keyword cannibalization refers to a situation where multiple pages within the same website are optimized for the same keyword or key phrase. This often leads to internal competition, causing confusion for search engines as they try to determine which of the competing pages should rank higher for that particular search term.

When a website has multiple pages that are all vying for visibility on the same keywords, it can dilute the authority and relevance of each page. Instead of one strong page benefiting from concentrated optimization, the value is split among several weaker pages. This can hinder overall search engine performance and negatively impact organic traffic.

In contrast, when multiple pages compete for different keywords, it can enhance a site's visibility because it is appealing to a broader range of search queries. Similarly, not including keywords in content or overusing them can lead to poor SEO outcomes, but they do not align with the specific issue of cannibalization, which focuses on the internal competition for identical keywords across a site.