Free Anchor Text Cannibalization Checker — Find Conflicting Internal Links
Anchor text cannibalization happens when the same anchor text links to different pages on your site. This confuses search engines about which page should rank for that keyword. Use our free anchor cannibalization checker to identify and resolve these internal linking conflicts.
What Is Anchor Text Cannibalization?
Anchor text cannibalization occurs when multiple pages on your website use the same anchor text to link to different target pages. For example, if Page A and Page B both use “best coffee maker” as anchor text, but Page A links to /product-a while Page B links to /product-b, you’re sending mixed signals to search engines.
Why Anchor Cannibalization Hurts Your Rankings
- Diluted relevance: Search engines can’t determine which page is most relevant for that keyword.
- Confusing signals: Mixed internal linking suggests unclear site architecture.
- Lower authority: Link equity is spread across multiple pages instead of consolidating.
- Poor user experience: Users expect consistent anchor text to lead to consistent destinations.
How to Fix Anchor Text Cannibalization
- Identify conflicts: Use our free tool above to find anchor texts linking to multiple targets.
- Choose a primary page: Decide which page should rank for that keyword.
- Update anchors: Change conflicting links to point to your chosen primary page.
- Use varied anchors: For secondary pages, use related but different anchor text.
Pro Tip: LinkBoss automatically detects anchor cannibalization and suggests fixes. It can even update your internal links automatically. Start your free trial to resolve conflicts at scale.
Anchor Cannibalization Example
❌ Before (Cannibalized):
- Page A: “best running shoes” → links to /nike-shoes
- Page B: “best running shoes” → links to /adidas-shoes
- Page C: “best running shoes” → links to /running-guide
Google doesn’t know which page should rank for “best running shoes”
✅ After (Fixed):
- Page A: “best running shoes” → links to /running-guide (primary)
- Page B: “Nike running shoes” → links to /nike-shoes
- Page C: “Adidas running shoes” → links to /adidas-shoes
Clear signals: each anchor points to one relevant page
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between keyword cannibalization and anchor cannibalization?
Keyword cannibalization happens when multiple pages on your site target the same keyword in their content. Anchor cannibalization happens when the same anchor text links to different pages. Both confuse search engines, but anchor cannibalization is specifically about internal linking conflicts, not content optimization.
How does anchor text affect SEO?
Anchor text tells search engines what the linked page is about. Descriptive, relevant anchor text helps Google understand page context and can improve rankings for those terms. However, using the same anchor text inconsistently (linking to different pages) dilutes this signal and can hurt rankings.
Should every internal link use exact-match anchor text?
No. A natural link profile includes varied anchor text: exact match, partial match, branded terms, and generic phrases like “click here” or “learn more.” Aim for about 50-60% descriptive anchors with your target keywords, and the rest can be more natural variations.
How do I find anchor cannibalization on my site?
Use our free anchor cannibalization checker above. Enter your sitemap URL or paste up to 50 page URLs. The tool crawls each page, extracts all anchor texts and their targets, and identifies cases where the same text links to different pages. LinkBoss app automates this for large sites.
