Is it quite challenging to rank at the top of the SERPs? (Of course, it is!) So! What do you prefer to increase organic traffic on your website?
The web geeks find answers of these questions in optimization of:
• Content
• Keywords
• Website
For sure, these are the best and effective SEO activities. But what if you will not get the forecasted result? It does not imply that you are following the wrong pathfinder. You are on the right track. What you all need to do is brainstorming. Yes, it is essential for executing effective suggestions (which I am going to tell ahead).
Before I move ahead, I want to thank David McSweeney (an Ahrefs author) for suggesting this idea in his blog.
What is keyword cannibalization?
The method of SEO promotion will be the same but a little bit of addition needs to do. It is known as the ‘Merger Method’. Yes! We have to merge; But what? Before answering it, we must consider ‘Keyword cannibalisation’ because it is inter-connected to the aforementioned method.
Are you familiar with this term? It’s a problem connected to the keywords & webpages. When web geeks target multiple pages with a similar keyword, this problem arises. I did it too (and many often do). I used online lead generationphrase in two or three posts’ anchor text. However, Google strictly instructs for modification in keyword structure if you target multiple times using the same keyword. Later, I corrected. (But in the beginning, I forgot altering that phrase.)
How Google returns relevant result?
Remember, Keywords are the true buddies of the search engine. Without them, Google or Binge or any other engine will be unable to process any query.
Let I first make it clear that the search engine has no supernatural power. It’s the indexing that helps its bots to find the content & track keywords. Then only, it produces the relevant result against the searched query.
The indexing is very much similar to the Index of a book. It carries the title and page information. Similarly, the engines processing online searches have SERPs. These engines deploy spiders. They crawl into various websites, prepare notes, segregate keywords, save in encoded files and then, index. This way, they get richer in information day by day.
Now let’s progress to the illustration that describes how we can use merger method.
What’s the merger method?
As the term ‘the merger method’ determines, it’s pairing up two or more posts. It is an excellent SEO strategy to invite voluminous online traffic. By doing so, the webmasters get an easy attempt to collect authority of the combined posts at one place. It requires nothing to drain brain for fighting the keyword cannibalisation.
Indeed, the separate posts divert the website traffic. Consequently, the most searchable keyword housing page comes in win-win situation. And despite having superb content, the rest pages miss attention. It results in splitting the value of the valuable content. This method brings the quality content at the center of the stage.
How we can do it?
Let’s understand the merger of various posts through this example step by step. Remember! Many average informational posts combine to form a superb source of information.
Identify the posts to merge
Suppose I have written three blogs. I wanted zillions viewers to hit each post. However, the three blogs are different:
* Tips to Simplify PPC Management for Better Conversion Rate
* Tips to Choose either PPC or Facebook Campaign
* Tips for Online Lead Generation via PPC & FB Campaign
Check out traffic of each post in SERPs:
* Check the number of searches of each post in the search bar.
* Record the number of searches given below the search bar in grey font colour.
* Compare all with one another.
The above mentioned titles have 5,52,000, 33,80,000 and 2,81,000 searches respectively. The second title has more searches than the other two posts. So, I would pick the second title to use it as the heading of the mega (merged) post.
Redirecting the urls:
The code 301 determines that the file/page has been moved permanently. This 301 redirection is a must to employ since the rest two pages (which would be combined) would have backlinks. A website can’t afford loosing such valuable links. And those would be two different posts. Each would have separate precious links. So, redirecting each page will be an effective method to let the valuable traffic inflow.
Steps to compile all post together
It is true that a long post provides more space to telecast creative ideas in innovative way. This is why 800+ words long post is considered as an ideal post. It’s up to the author how he/she utilizes that length in the best possible manner.
It’s mandatory to notice the relevancy as a vital metric. If the author finds short of ideas, he/she should:
* Identify the chosen keyword’s ranking:Note down the targeted keywords in all the posts. Check which one has the greatest number of searches. Using Keyword Planner tool can sort it out by logging in Google account. Put the keyword in the search bar. Enter. The keywords of low, medium and high search-count with lots of more new choices will pop up. Choose the best ones meeting the relevancy criteria to add for reviving the content.
* Sneak peek keywords that competitors capitalize: Sometimes, the forecasting does not come true. As a result, the used keywords prove inefficient to pull the traffic online.
To avoid such encounter with defeat, get the idea on which keywords the competitors are banking. Assess the standard of your content and then, compare with competitors’ content. Check out how they are addressing users’ requirement. Introduce the content that users search for. Include all such queries that variant competitors are addressing.
* Revive the post:Reviving post does not imply writing a fresh blog. It means refining the existing one. It’s possible that the content will be error-free and engaging too. But still, it’s not making to the top of SERPs.
Entice it with the visualized data to give a fresh look. Make descriptive diagram, or infographic complementing the post (if possible). Embed a video with crispy, simple and short content.
* Optimize content:Content optimization pillars top ranking. Despite writing engaging and useful post, online traffic does not come to it. Always remember, the content should have high-ranking keywords. It should impart knowledge like meeting with fun. Don’t forget interlinking. Highlight keywords in mind that can land the users to another engaging content page.