Diagnosis File #004
Collection pages cannibalised by tag URLs
Query mapping consolidated around core collections; rankings stabilised.
Problem
Core collection pages struggled to rank because multiple tag and filter URLs competed for the same intent.
Root Cause
Tag pages were indexable and internally linked in ways that made them look like primary category targets. Google treated tags as competing landing pages, diluting relevance and creating unstable rankings for the core collections.
Outcome
Query mapping consolidated around core collections; rankings stabilised.
Symptoms
- Several near-identical URLs rotated into the top 30 positions
- Search Console queries mapped to multiple URL variants for the same intent
- Important collection pages earned impressions but low click share
- Crawl frequency was higher on tag URLs than on collections
Root Cause
Tag pages were indexable and internally linked in ways that made them look like primary category targets. Google treated tags as competing landing pages, diluting relevance and creating unstable rankings for the core collections.
Recommended Fix
- Demote tag URLs in internal linking and restrict indexation where intent is not proven
- Consolidate canonical signals back to core collections
- Strengthen collection page headings, copy, and internal support links
- Monitor query-to-URL mapping for cannibalisation drift
Outcome
Query mapping consolidated around the intended collection pages. Rankings became more predictable once competing URL variants were reduced and the primary pages received cleaner internal reinforcement.
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