Keyword cannibalisation happens when two or more of your pages target the same search intent. Google may switch between them or rank neither well.
Signs
- Search Console shows several of your URLs for the same query, with rankings swapping.
- You have similar pages: “AC repair Gurugram” and “AC service Gurugram” with near-identical content.
- Blog posts compete with service pages for buying keywords.
How to fix
- Merge similar pages into one stronger page and redirect the others; create rules with our redirect generator.
- Differentiate: give each page a distinct intent (one for pricing, one for a how-to).
- Internal links: point links with clear anchor text to the page that should rank.
- Canonical tags where pages must stay but one is primary.
Not always a problem
Different pages ranking for different variations is normal. Act when it causes unstable or weaker rankings.
Check over-optimisation
Avoid stuffing the same phrase across many pages; check with our keyword density checker.
Read keyword mapping.
Want the full picture? This article is part of SEO: the complete guide, our in-depth guide with everything in one place.
