One of the main goals of search engine optimization (SEO) is to achieve a high enough ranking on the search engine results pages.
However, in a bid to improve their ranking, many fence companies fall into a trap known as keyword cannibalization. As one of the leading providers of SEO for fence companies, Fence Marketing Pros sees keyword cannibalization from time to time.
This article will cover what keyword cannibalization in SEO means, how fence companies can avoid it, and how to fix existing keyword cannibalization issues.
What is Keyword Cannibalization in SEO?
In its simplest form, keyword cannibalization occurs when you have multiple pages competing against each other for the same keyword.
For example, when someone initiates a Google search for “wood fence maintenance tips” and the search results show two similar blog posts titled “How to Maintain a Wood Fence” and “Five Tips for Wood Fence Maintenance” from the same fence company, that’s a textbook example of keyword cannibalization.
It’s a mistake that’s fairly common, even among the biggest names in the industry. However, its impact on your SEO efforts means it’s a mistake you should avoid and one you should rectify immediately if you spot it.
Why Keyword Cannibalization in SEO Is Bad for Fence Companies
Some of the reasons you should avoid keyword cannibalization as an SEO company include the following.
It Reduces Your Overall Site Authority
Keyword cannibalization will give you two pages that are moderately relevant to a prospective lead’s search term instead of one super-relevant page that gets all the clicks. This basically means that you have two pages competing for pageviews which they may or may not get, instead of a high authority page with a higher chance of getting views.
Link Building Efforts May Not Yield the Right Results
Backlinks help establish your brand as an authority in the fence industry. If you have multiple keyword-cannibalizing pages, you’ll have multiple pages with few backlinks instead of one consolidated page that gets all the backlinks.
Having 30 backlinks to a single page beats having seven to 10 backlinks to three pages ranking for the same keywords.
Google May Rank the Less Relevant Page
Google relies on keywords to understand what your page is about. When you have multiple pages with the same keywords, Google’s algorithm will choose the one it believes to be the most relevant for the search term.
If the ranking page isn’t the most relevant, you will miss out on potential high-conversion traffic.
Your Conversion Rate Will Drop
The sum total of everything we’ve mentioned above ultimately ends in a significant downturn in conversion rate. When possible leads land on the less relevant page, they won’t go back to the search results to look for the more relevant one. They’ll likely look elsewhere.
Even worse, many leads will avoid the “hard” task of deciding which of the links to click and choose results from another fence company.
How Fence Companies Can Avoid Keyword Cannibalization in SEO
Below are the top ways fence companies can avoid keyword cannibalization.
Identify Keyword Cannibalization in the Early Stages
You won’t know you have similar pages ranking for the same keywords and phrases if you are not checking for cannibalization in the first place. Many keyword research tools and other SEO SaaS providers have simplified the process of uncovering cannibalization.
Alternatively, you can use a manual Google site search to see your pages’ ranking for a specific keyword.
Don’t Engage in Keyword Stuffing
Keyword stuffing is when you use too many keywords on a page in an attempt to increase your chances of ranking for a keyword. When you stuff diverse keywords across multiple pages, there’s a higher chance of cannibalization.
Consolidate Posts
Instead of writing a blog post on “10 Tips to Remember When Installing a Fence” and another one on “How to Build a Fence,” you may be better off writing only the second post and including the 10 tips for the first post at the end of the fence-building tutorial. You will have a long post that will be super valuable to a lot more people without the risk of cannibalization. Such posts make capturing long-tail keywords easier.
Follow a Keyword Strategy
One of the surest ways fence companies can avoid keyword cannibalization in SEO is to create and follow a keyword strategy. With a clear keyword strategy, you’ll know which keywords to target with every new page or blog post.
Track Keyword Performance
By keeping an eye on the performance of your keywords, you will know when possible cannibalization arises. For example, if a blog post suddenly drops in ranking after a new post goes live, you may want to check to see if the new post is cannibalizing keyword.
How Fence Companies Can Fix Existing Cases of Keyword Cannibalization
Now you know how to avoid keyword cannibalization. But what if you already have pages with this issue? You can rectify the problem by following the tips below.
Merge the Content
Look at the various pages targeting the same keyword and consider how you can turn them into one comprehensive page instead of different competing pages.
Delete Less Relevant Pages
Consolidating pages may not always be practical. In that case, it’s best to delete the less relevant pages to ensure they are not taking impressions and clicks away from more relevant pages.
Remove Duplicate Keywords
Deleting keywords and reworking content can help resolve cannibalization.
Turn to Fence Marketing Pros for Expert Help
The role of keywords in SEO means you can’t do without them as a fence company. However, keyword cannibalization in SEO can be a significant drain on resources. Let Fence Marketing Pros analyze your keyword strategy and plug any leaks. Contact the team today to schedule a consultation.
