Two reports with similar names that catch very different problems. Here's the difference.
Keyword Cannibalization
What it checks: every keyword you currently rank for in Google Search Console, looking for cases where two or more pages on your site rank for the same keyword.
What it tells you: Google can't decide which of your pages should rank for that keyword, so it's splitting the signal between them. Neither page reaches its full ranking potential. Linkilo recommends a primary page and a Next Move for the others; the decision stays yours.
Where the data comes from: Google Search Console.
What to do about it:
- Consolidate — pick the strongest page, merge content from the other(s) into it, and 301-redirect the losers
- Differentiate — rewrite each page to target a more specific long-tail variant
- Reorganize internal links — push internal links (with the target keyword as anchor) to the page you want to rank
Link Cannibalization
What it checks: every anchor text on your site, looking for cases where the same anchor text links to different URLs across different posts.
What it tells you: you're confusing search engines about which page is the canonical destination for that anchor. If "best espresso machine" sometimes links to /best-espresso/ and sometimes to /espresso-buying-guide/, Google's signal is muddied.
Where the data comes from: Linkilo's own link analysis — no Search Console connection needed.
What to do about it:
- Pick one canonical destination for that anchor. When the primary is clear, click Apply fix on the row and Linkilo repoints the other instances for you, with rollback snapshots
- Vary the anchor text — if both destinations are valid, give each a distinct anchor (rows marked Rewrite anchor text)
Summary
| Keyword Cannibalization | Link Cannibalization | |
|---|---|---|
| What's being ranked | Pages competing for the same keyword in Google | Anchor text pointing to different URLs |
| Data source | Google Search Console | Linkilo's link index |
| Root cause | Content strategy (two pages targeting the same intent) | Linking discipline (inconsistent anchor → destination) |
| Fix | Consolidate / differentiate content | Standardize anchor → destination mapping |
| Can Linkilo apply the fix? | No — it recommends; you edit, redirect or canonicalize | Yes, for clear cases (Apply fix) |
Both reports live under Linkilo → Diagnose: Keyword Cannibalization Report and Link Cannibalization Report.
Last reviewed for Linkilo 3.0.0 (October 2026).