Some of the more common cannibalization problems that can occur include:
Ranking URLs Keep Changing in SERPs
Have you ever seen a URL that ranks for a particular free turkey number for whatsapp keyword keep changing? This is a common sign of keyword cannibalization and usually means that Google is having trouble figuring out which page should be ranking.
In the example below, you can see that multiple URLs keep switching between keywords.
Cannibalization signal: fluctuation of a URL for various keywords
In essence, there are confusing and conflicting signals at play .
While this may mean that positions fluctuate, it can also negatively impact the user experience and conversion path; especially when one page converts users at a much higher rate than the other.
Your ranking position is fluctuating
This ranking fluctuation usually accompanies URL changes. You may have noticed that your ranking position for a keyword keeps fluctuating, often excessively.
This can happen due to keyword cannibalization when URLs change, and the conflicting signals mean that your ranking position changes accordingly.
If one page has earned more links than another, but there is a clear conflict of intent and overall content quality, organic traffic can fluctuate quite dramatically if one of the URLs ranks highly for a high-volume term.