1.
Content Cannibalisation
Jon Earnshaw
www.pi-datametrics.com
April 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

2.
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Cannibalisation in all its forms
is on the increase!

3.
It is starting to answer questions
we are regularly being asked
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

4.
1. Internal Cannibalisation
2. Subdomain Conflict
3. International Conflict
4. Semantic Flux
The Four Types Of Cannibalisation
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

5.
1. Internal Cannibalisation
Some examples of very common complaints
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

6.
Example One
“We’ve lost our positions what have
you done?”
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

7.
Site: Easyjet
Search Term - flights to liverpool
Nov 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

8.
Site: Easyjet
Search Term - flights to liverpool
Nov 2014 to March 2015
Introduce 12 competing URLs from the same domain
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

9.
Site: Easyjet
Search Term - flights to liverpool
The top positioned page
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

10.
Site: Easyjet
Search Term - flights to liverpool
Just two of the clustered and isolated pages
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

11.
Example Two
“I can’t understand what’s going
on.”
Sometimes you have to dig a little
deeper to discover what’s going on!
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

12.
Site: Argos
Search Term - iPad price
Jan 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

13.
Site: Argos
Search Term - iPad price
Jan 2014 to March 2015
Conflict from below position 80!
Four very similar product pages @jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

14.
Example Three
“I’ve tried everything but we can’t
seem to get above the fold!”
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

15.
Site: Debenhams
Search Term - living room furniture
January to April 2015
The glass ceiling
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

16.
Site: Debenhams
Search Term - living room furniture
January to April 2015
Five competing URLs
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

17.
Example Four
Erratic positions and struggling for
traction!
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

18.
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

19.
Site: www.sportinglife.com
Search Term - grand national betting
Oct 2014 to April 2015
There’s clearly something going on here!
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

20.
Site: www.sportinglife.com
Search Term - grand national betting
Oct 2014 to April 2015
12 competing URLs and no winner!
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

21.
Example Five
Suspicious flux followed by decline
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

22.
Site: www.barclays.co.uk
Search Term - compare current accounts
Nov 2014 to March 2015
A gradual decline from above the fold
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

23.
Site: www.barclays.co.uk
Search Term - compare current accounts
Nov 2014 to March 2015
Two conflicting pages on the same domain
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

24.
Site: www.barclays.co.uk
Last week we see a third page enter the mix
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
1 Backlink 4 Backlinks

25.
Example Six
Another decline
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

26.
Site: www.houseoffraser.co.uk
Search Term - loafers
Nov 2014 to March 2015
Something’s gone wrong!
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

27.
Site: www.houseoffraser.co.uk
Search Term - loafers
Nov 2014 to March 2015
Introduce - men’s loafers, women’s loafers and loafers
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

28.
Site: www.houseoffraser.co.uk
A generic loafers page is also indexed
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

29.
Internal Conflict | Summary
● Google is not sure which page to return
● Confusion results in position flux
● Serps Doorways Inconsistent
How Can we fix it?
● Decide on the page you want to return - Give It Authority
● Theme it uniquely and well
● Get your structure right
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

30.
Subdomain Conflict
Three Examples
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

31.
Example One
“I’ve just dropped off page one!”
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

32.
Site: shop.tescomobile.com
Search Term - mobile phone upgrade
Oct 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

33.
Site: shop.tescomobile.com
Search Term - mobile phone upgrade
Oct 2014 to March 2015
www version pulls the subdomain off page 1
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

34.
Example Two
Another Telco
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

35.
Site: store.three.co.uk
Search Term - latest mobile phones
07 March to 02 April 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
That’s not ideal!

36.
Site: store.three.co.uk
Search Term - latest mobile phones
07 March to 02 April 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Enter three conflicting pages from the www site

37.
Site: www.three.co.uk
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Just two of the conflicting pages

38.
Example Three
Don’t ignore the subtle flux
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

39.
Site: www.natwest.com
Search Term - personal accounts
Dec 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
From above-the-fold to well below

40.
Site: www.natwest.com
Search Term - personal accounts
Dec 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Enter the personal.natwest subdomain

41.
International Conflict
One Example
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

42.
Site: www.hotelscombined.co.uk
Search Term - hotels in New York
Dec 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Rarely visible on page 1

43.
Sites: www.hotelscombined.co.uk and .com
Search Term - hotels in New York
Dec 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Enter the .com version

44.
3. Semantic Flux
Three examples
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

45.
Example one
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

46.
Site: www.currys.co.uk
Search Term - Apple iPad with retina
Dec 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Vanished from the SERPS

47.
Sites: www.currys.co.uk | www.pcworld.co.uk
Search Term - Apple iPad with retina
Jan 2015 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

48.
Example two
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

49.
Site: www.pcworld.co.uk
Search Term - printer ink
Jan 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
PC World dropping out of the SERPS

50.
Sites: www.pcworld.co.uk | www.currys.co.uk
Search Term - printer ink
Jan 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
In comes Currys

51.
Example three
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics

52.
Site: www.ybonline.co.uk
Search Term - switching current accounts
Jan 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Very unstable positions

53.
Site: www.cbonline.co.uk
Search Term - switching current accounts
Jan 2014 to March 2015
@jonearnshaw | @PiDatametrics
Clear conflict

54.
Summary
Monitor the visibility of your content daily
Never be fooled by a straight line
Always investigate suspicious flux
Check for internal cannibalisation first
Let Google know which pages you want to return highest
With subdomain conflict - rearchitect or agree ownership
Be aware of semantic cannibalisation - it’s increasing!
@jonearnshaw | @ip_seo

55.
Avoiding Internal Conflict Ongoing

56.
Thank You
@jonearnshaw
@PiDatametrics
April 2015