1. Introduction

    In the world of search engine optimization (SEO), businesses strive to achieve the highest possible rankings on search engine result pages (SERPs). However, there is a lesser-known pitfall called "SEO self-cannibalization" that can hinder your website's performance.

    This phenomenon occurs when a business decides to create two separate websites for the same business or brand, inadvertently causing one of the sites to struggle in terms of ranking and visibility.

    Here at VB Media we see this a lot, where businesses decide to launch a shop in addition to their "main" website, rather than replacing it entirely.

    In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of SEO self-cannibalization and explain why consolidating your online presence may be a better approach.

  1. Understanding SEO Self-Cannibalization

    SEO self-cannibalization arises when two or more websites from the same business or brand target similar keywords, resulting in competition within the search engine rankings.

    This internal rivalry can lead to a decrease in the visibility of one of the sites, or worse, overall visibility for all sites. Leading to reduced organic traffic, and even a drop in conversion rates.

    While the intentions behind creating multiple websites may be well-meaning, the outcome can often be detrimental to your SEO efforts.

  1. Why Self-Cannibalization Occurs

    There are various reasons why businesses may fall into the trap of SEO self-cannibalization. Some common factors include:

    • Seo - Self - Cannibalization
    • Additional Functionality: Launch a new segment of the original website with a different tool. For example, launching an online shop in parallel to the existing "main site". While this may be the path of least resistance to add functionality it will most likely lead to the new site struggling to rank.
    • Geographic targeting: A company may decide to launch a separate website to target customers in a specific geographic region. However, this approach can inadvertently lead to competition between the two sites, diluting the overall SEO value.
    • Product or service specialization: In an attempt to highlight different aspects of their offerings, businesses may create separate websites dedicated to specific products or services. While this may seem logical, it can hinder the SEO performance of one or both sites, as they end up competing against each other for the same keywords.
    • Brand identity confusion: Businesses occasionally create additional websites to cater to different customer segments or to represent distinct aspects of their brand. However, if these sites are not properly optimized or lack a cohesive brand strategy, they may end up cannibalizing each other's SEO rankings.

  1. The Negative Impact of Self-Cannibalization

    SEO self-cannibalization can have several adverse effects on your website's performance:

    • Keyword dilution: By dividing your keyword targeting efforts across multiple websites, you reduce the impact of each site's optimization. This dilution weakens your rankings and makes it harder to achieve top positions on the SERPs.
    • Internal competition: When two or more websites from the same business target the same keywords, they compete against each other in the search rankings. As a result, both sites may struggle to achieve optimal visibility, leading to decreased organic traffic and missed opportunities for conversions.
    • Backlink dispersion: Backlinks play a crucial role in SEO, as they signal the authority and credibility of a website. When multiple sites compete for backlinks, the overall impact is diluted, reducing the effectiveness of your link-building efforts.

  1. Consolidating Your Online Presence

    Instead of spreading your SEO efforts thin across multiple websites, it is often more advantageous to consolidate your online presence. Here's how you can go about it:

    1. Perform a website audit: Evaluate your existing websites and identify any overlapping content or keyword targeting. Determine which site has better organic rankings and traffic and consider merging the weaker site into the stronger one.
    2. Redirect and consolidate: Use 301 redirects to merge the content, pages, and authority of the weaker site into the stronger one. This ensures that you preserve any existing rankings and backlinks while eliminating the issue of self-cannibalization.
    3. Optimize your remaining website: With a consolidated online presence, focus on optimizing your single website for improved rankings and user experience. Develop a cohesive content and keyword strategy, strengthen your back

  1. What we Recommend when launching a VB Media Site

    First of all, there is no one magic solution that will suit all businesses and online strategies. There are always edge cases, of course.

    This is just what we recommend as it suits the majority of business we work with. But if you would like to discuss this further please contact us.

    It will most likely work best as your main website. By that we mean replacing your existing informative site with your new VB Media site.

    We have native features to cater for 301 & 302 redirects and you can add as many informative pages as you would like. Allowing you to copy over any existing content, which will alleviate any SEO impact from changing platforms / sites.

    With one consolidated website any existing link strategies can stay in place. For example, your google business listing, social media, email footer. As well as any printed media or stationery.