Keyword cannibalization is a common but often overlooked SEO issue that can harm your law firm’s online visibility. If you’re investing in digital marketing to attract potential clients, understanding and addressing keyword cannibalization is essential for maximizing your website’s performance.
In this guide, we’ll explain what keyword cannibalization is, why it matters for law firm websites, and how to fix it to ensure your SEO efforts drive the right traffic to the right pages.
What Is Keyword Cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your law firm’s website compete for the same keyword or target similar search intents. Instead of helping your site rank higher, this overlap confuses search engines and divides your website’s authority between those pages.
For instance, imagine your website has:
- A blog post titled “What to Do After a Car Accident”
- A practice area page optimized for “Car Accident Lawyer”
- Another blog post titled “Steps to Take After a Car Crash”
If all three pages target the same keywords, such as “car accident lawyer” or “what to do after a car accident,” search engines won’t know which page to prioritize. This can result in lower rankings for all three pages, reducing your chances of being seen by prospective clients.
Why Is Keyword Cannibalization a Problem for Law Firms (and Everyone Else)?
1. Diluted Rankings
When search engines like Google crawl your website, they aim to identify the single most authoritative and relevant page for a given keyword or search intent. If multiple pages on your website target the same keyword or closely related keywords without clear differentiation, search engines face difficulty deciding which page to prioritize. This confusion results in a phenomenon called diluted rankings.
Here’s why this happens.
Split Authority
Search engines distribute your website’s authority (link equity, topical relevance, etc.) across the competing pages. Instead of concentrating that authority on one high-performing page, it gets spread thin, making each page weaker in the rankings.
Example: If both a blog post and a practice area page target “personal injury lawyer in Atlanta,” backlinks, clicks, and search engine trust are divided between the two. Neither page receives the full weight it needs to outrank competitors.
Reduced Relevance Signals
Search engines look for strong relevance signals, such as consistent use of keywords, internal links, and clear content structure. When multiple pages are too similar, these signals become muddled, reducing the likelihood of any one page being deemed the most relevant for the keyword.
Example: Google might think your blog post about “What to Do After a Car Accident” is more informational and pushes it higher, leaving your “Car Accident Lawyer in Atlanta” page—meant to convert clients—further down the rankings, where it’s less visible.
Opportunity for Competitors
While your pages compete with each other, competitors with focused, authoritative content can claim the top positions for those keywords.
Example: Another law firm that has one dedicated page for “Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer” will appear more relevant to Google. This competitor will outrank both your practice area page and blog post, even if your content is otherwise high-quality.
The Impact on Your Law Firm
For law firms, diluted rankings mean lost potential clients. Prospective clients searching for your services are less likely to find you if your pages are fighting for the same keyword. By resolving keyword cannibalization, you can consolidate authority and send stronger, clearer signals to search engines, ultimately boosting your visibility and attracting more leads.
2. Confused Potential Clients
If someone searching for a “car accident lawyer” lands on an informational blog instead of your contact page or practice area page, they may not take the next step to reach out.
3. Wasted Resources
Every piece of content takes time and money to create. If your pages are competing against each other, you’re not getting the maximum return on your investment.
How to Identify Keyword Cannibalization on Your Law Firm Website
1. Audit Your Keywords
Use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to identify which pages rank for the same keyword. Look for patterns in your content that overlap, especially for high-value terms like “personal injury lawyer” or “divorce attorney.”
2. Examine Search Intent
Determine whether the competing pages serve different purposes. For example, does one page provide general legal information while another focuses on hiring your firm? If the intent is too similar, search engines may treat them as duplicates.
3. Check Your Analytics
Review page performance metrics to see which pages are struggling to rank and whether they cannibalize traffic from other pages.
How to Fix Keyword Cannibalization on Your Law Firm Website
1. Consolidate Content
Combine competing pages into a single, authoritative resource. For example, if you have multiple blogs about car accident tips, merge them into a comprehensive guide that links to your “Car Accident Lawyer” practice page.
2. Adjust Internal Links
Ensure your internal linking structure supports the right page. For example, when discussing car accident cases, link to your practice area page rather than another blog post.
3. Use Canonical Tags
For duplicate or very similar pages, use canonical tags to signal to search engines which version to prioritize.
4. Reoptimize Content
Target unique keywords or phrases for each page. This is especially important for multi-location SEO. For example:
- Your practice area page could target “Car Accident Lawyer in [City]”
- A blog post could target “What to Do After a Car Accident in [State]”
How to Prevent Keyword Cannibalization in the Future
Even better than fixing keyword cannibalization is preventing it. Here’s how:
- Plan a Clear Content Strategy: Before creating new pages or blogs, map out your target keywords and assign them to specific pages to avoid overlap.
- Focus on Search Intent: Think about what potential clients need when searching for your services. Does the searcher want legal information, or are they ready to hire a lawyer? Align your content accordingly.
- Regularly Audit Your Content: SEO is an ongoing process. Schedule regular reviews of your website to ensure your pages aren’t competing with each other.
How to Keyword Fix Cannibalization In Practice for Law Firms
- Cannibalization Example:
Two blog posts titled “5 Reasons to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer” and “Why You Should Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer” both target “hire a personal injury lawyer.” Consolidate these into one stronger post with updated content and clear CTAs. - Prevention Example:
Assign unique keywords:- Practice Area Page: “Divorce Lawyer in [City]”
- Blog Post: “How Long Does a Divorce Take in [State]?”
- FAQ Page: “What Are the Grounds for Divorce in [State]?”
Final Thoughts
Keyword cannibalization can limit the success of your law firm’s SEO strategy, but with the right approach, you can fix and prevent it. By auditing your content, consolidating competing pages, and focusing on unique keywords and search intent, you’ll improve your website’s rankings and attract more clients.
Need help optimizing your law firm’s website? At EverSpark Interactive, we specialize in SEO strategies tailored specifically for attorneys. Contact us today to ensure your website works as hard as you do.