Set Up a Keyword Map

Why keyword mapping matters

Without a keyword map, it's common for multiple pages on your site to compete for the same search term — a problem called keyword cannibalization. When two pages target the same keyword, search engines have to choose one to rank, often picking neither strongly. The result is weaker rankings than a single well-optimized page would achieve.

Setting up your keyword map

1. 1

   Run a site crawl (if you haven't)

   The Keyword Mapper works best when your project has a recent crawl. The crawler discovers all the URLs on your site and extracts structural data that the mapper uses for suggestions.

   See the Crawler guide if you haven't set this up yet.

2. 2

   Connect Google Search Console (recommended)

   With GSC connected, the mapper can show you which URLs Google already associates with which queries — giving you a head start on assignments based on real data rather than guesses.

   See the GSC guide for connection steps.

3. 3

   Open the Keyword Mapper

   Go to Keywords → Keyword Mapper. You'll see a table of your site's URLs alongside their current keyword assignments (if any), crawl data, and GSC-derived query associations.

4. 4

   Review pre-filled suggestions

   For URLs that Google Search Console data is available for, the mapper pre-populates a suggested primary keyword. Review these suggestions — they represent what Google currently considers the main topic of each page.

   Tip

   GSC suggestions are usually a good starting point, but they reflect what Google thinks your page is about today — not necessarily what you want it to rank for. Review and override as needed.

5. 5

   Assign primary keywords to URLs

   For each URL, assign a primary keyword — the single most important term that page should rank for. You can also add secondary keywords to represent related terms the page should support.

   Click on any URL row to open the assignment panel, then type or search for the keyword you want to assign.

6. 6

   Identify and resolve cannibalization

   The mapper flags any keyword that's been assigned to more than one URL — highlighted as a cannibalization conflict. Review each conflict and decide:

   • Keep one URL as the owner and remove the keyword from the others.
   • Consolidate the competing pages into a single stronger page.
   • Add a canonical tag pointing to the primary URL if both pages need to exist.

URL suggestions for keywords

For any keyword in your research or tracker, the mapper can suggest the best URL on your site to target it. It combines three sources:

• GSC query→URL associations — URLs that Google already ranks for related queries.
• Crawl-extracted meta keywords — keywords found in the page's meta keywords tag during your crawl.
• Content relevance — pages whose crawled content is most topically aligned with the keyword.

This is especially useful during keyword research — instead of guessing which page to optimize, the mapper shows you where the signal already exists.

Maintaining your keyword map over time

Deploying optimizations from the mapper

Once you've assigned a keyword to a URL and identified that the page's title or heading doesn't reflect it well, you can deploy an improvement directly from the mapper view — without going to the crawler or your CMS.