What is Content Cannibalization?
In simple terms, it’s having multiple pages on your website targeting the same keyword or phrase, essentially competing with each other. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good thing because it confuses search engines on what page should be the primary page to position for specific keywords. In this blog post, we’ll explore how to prevent content cannibalization and ensure your real estate SEO strategy is working for you, not against you.
Conduct a Content Audit
The first step in preventing content cannibalization is to conduct a content audit. This means taking an inventory of all the pages on your website, analyzing the SEO value of each page, and making a strategic plan to optimize them. With this approach, you can identify pages competing for the same keyword, and through optimization, you can strengthen the overall SEO value of the site.
Create a Content Strategy
Once you’ve conducted a content audit, creating a content strategy is the next step. This should involve identifying the different types of content you want to create, their target audience, and the keywords or phrases that are relevant. This approach ensures that each page has a unique approach that targets different keywords or phrases. By doing so, you can prevent content cannibalization and ensure your site ranks higher in search engine results.
Internal Linking
Internal linking is a great way to prevent content cannibalization as it helps to create a clear hierarchy of pages on a website. This ensures that the most SEO friendly pages are given prominence, and the rest of the pages are ranked accordingly. By creating internal links that point to pages with a higher SEO value, you can build a network of related pages that work together to rank higher in search engines.
Page Consolidation
In some cases, consolidation may be necessary if you have multiple pages targeting the same keyword or phrase. In this instance, it’s best to choose the most relevant page and 301 redirect the other pages to it. By doing so, you’re strengthening the SEO value of a single page as opposed to spreading it across multiple pages that are competing with each other.
Keep on Top of Keywords
Lastly, to prevent content cannibalization, you need to keep on top of the keywords you’re targeting. This means monitoring keyword rankings, tracking the performance of your pages, and adjusting content accordingly. This approach also allows you to identify emerging trends and what your competitors are doing, making it easier to stay ahead of the competition.
Conclusion
Content cannibalization is a real threat to your website’s SEO value and can keep you from ranking where you need to be. However, with the right approach and tools at your disposal, you can prevent it from happening and gain a competitive edge in the market. By conducting a content audit, creating a content strategy, internal linking, consolidation, and keeping on top of keywords, you’re bound to make your website’s SEO strategy the best it can be!