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SEO Keyword Cannibalization Checker: find searches split across pages

Find searches where two or more of your pages compete, and whether to merge, redirect or link them.

  • Free to use
  • Runs in your browser
  • No sign-up

How to use the SEO Keyword Cannibalization Checker

Read what the guide says

This is the SEO Keyword Cannibalization Checker.

Find searches where two or more of your pages compete, and whether to merge,

redirect or link them.

Export a table with Query, Page, Clicks, Impressions and Position in each row,

from Looker Studio's URL Impression table, the Search Console API or the bulk data export.

Or press Try an example to fill in sample details.

Drop the file here or paste it,

and add your brand name so that searches for your name are not flagged.

Start with the page pairs that split searches, check each suggestion against what the pages say,

then download the CSV or copy the action list.

It only sees the rows you give it.

It runs in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded.

Try it free on this page.
What do you have?

One row per search and page, with the header row. A BigQuery bulk export with sum_position works too.

Searches for your name are marked usually fine. Separate several names with commas.

In all, across your pages. Raise it on a big site.

Runs in your browser. Your data is not uploaded.

Getting query and page rows

The normal Performance report export gives queries and pages in separate sheets, so it cannot show which page got which search. Use one of these instead:

  1. 1 Looker Studio: add a Search Console data source with the URL Impression table, make a table with the query and the landing page plus clicks, impressions and average position, then export it as CSV.
  2. 2 Search Console API: a Search Analytics query grouped by the dimensions query and page returns up to 25,000 rows a request.
  3. 3 Bulk data export to BigQuery: the searchdata_url_impression table has the query and the URL in each row. Export the columns query, url, clicks, impressions and sum_position.
  4. 4 One search at a time: in the Performance report, click a query in the Queries table, then open the Pages tab to see the pages shown for it.

No Search Console yet? Choose "Planned pages" and list each page with the keyword it targets.

Searches shared by your pages appear here

Add a table with the query and the page in each row, list your planned pages, or try the example.

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About the SEO Keyword Cannibalization Checker

Upload or paste Search Console data with the search and the page in the same row, from Looker Studio, the Search Console API or the BigQuery bulk data export. The checker lists every search where two or more of your pages got impressions, with each page's share of the clicks and impressions, its average position and the page Google seems to prefer. Searches where one page takes nearly all the clicks are marked usually fine; the rest get a suggestion: one address for the same page, a merge with a 301 redirect, a separate job for each page, or links to the page that should own the search. No Search Console data yet? List your pages with their target keywords instead. It runs in your browser, and your data is not uploaded.

How it works

  1. 01

    Export a table with Query, Page, Clicks, Impressions and Position in each row, from Looker Studio's URL Impression table, the Search Console API or the bulk data export. Or choose Planned pages and list URL | title | target keyword.

  2. 02

    Drop the file here or paste it, and add your brand name so that searches for your name are not flagged.

  3. 03

    Start with the page pairs that split searches, check each suggestion against what the pages say, then download the CSV or copy the action list.

How a split search is found

For each search we add up the clicks and impressions of every page that showed for it. The page with the most clicks is the one Google seems to prefer. A search is marked Split when that page gets under 70% of the clicks and another page gets at least 20% of the impressions, Usually fine when one page gets 90% or more of the clicks or no other page reaches 10% of the impressions, and Watch in between. These bands are our measure, not Google's, and "keyword cannibalization" is a common SEO name, not a Google term.

What the suggestions are based on

For one page at two addresses, such as with and without a trailing slash, Google suggests a permanent redirect from the address you do not want, or a rel="canonical" link when you cannot redirect. For two pages with the same information, Google suggests redirecting the one you do not want to the page that best represents it. A service page and a blog post can both stay when each has its own job and the post links to the service page with descriptive anchor text. Which suggestion fits each pair is our call from the addresses and the shared searches, so check it against the pages.

What this tool cannot do

It only sees the rows you give it. Google hides rare searches for privacy, and its report tables show at most 1,000 rows, so small overlaps can be missing. The data adds up a whole period: it cannot show whether two pages showed in the same result or took turns, or why Google picked a page. Two of your pages in one result is not always a problem, and Google generally shows no more than two pages from one site in its top results. The planned pages mode compares only the keywords and titles you type, not the text of the pages.

Frequently asked questions

What is keyword cannibalization?

It is a common SEO name for two or more pages on your site showing for the same search, so the clicks and impressions are shared between them and no page clearly owns the search. It is not a Google term, and it is not always a problem: a service page and a guide can both be useful for one search. It matters when the pages say much the same thing, or when the page you want is not the one that shows.

Why can I not see the query and the page together in my Search Console export?

The Performance report's export gives each tab as its own sheet: Queries, Pages, Countries, Devices, Search appearance and Dates. To get the page for each search, use Looker Studio's Search Console connector with the URL Impression table, the Search Console API grouped by query and page, or the bulk data export to BigQuery. For a single search, click it in the Queries table and open the Pages tab.

Should I merge the pages or use a canonical?

If the two pages carry the same information, Google suggests a permanent redirect, such as a 301, from the page you no longer want to the one that best represents it, after you move anything useful across. Use rel="canonical" when both addresses must stay live, such as the same page with tracking parameters. A canonical is for pages that are the same or very similar, and Google treats it as a hint. Do not use noindex or robots.txt to choose between your own pages.

Is it bad if two of my pages show for the same search?

Not always. Google generally shows no more than two pages from one site in its top results, and two useful pages can both help the person searching. The checker marks searches where one page takes nearly all the clicks as usually fine. Act when the clicks are split, when the pages say the same thing, or when the page you want to show is not the one Google picks.

How do I check pages that are not live yet?

Choose Planned pages and list each page as URL | title | target keyword. The checker finds pages aimed at the same keyword in any word order, keywords that are almost the same, titles that are almost the same and the same page at two addresses. When the extra words show a different need, such as cost, best or how, it marks the pair as probably fine. Once the pages are live, check the real searches with your Search Console data.

Sources and checks

Rules last checked

The SEO Keyword Cannibalization Checker follows these official pages:

"Keyword cannibalization" is not a Google term, and the Split, Watch and Usually fine bands are our own measure.

Scores, limits and suggestions marked "our checklist", "our measure" or "our suggestion" are ours, not Google's or the platform's. How our tools work

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