Merging two different articles with the same Topic

[Kirito Kun]

Hey, I have a question for 2 different articles that have almost the same search intent and are ranking on the "same" position. I mean directly among themselfes.

Would you suggest to merge these articles and redirect the 2nd article to the first one?

My concerns are that the title would change and maybe I have to change the URL and redirect both to a new one because the topics are in different categorys.

What do you guys think?

 

[sageshark]

I see they are cannibalizing each other.

Check which of these two 'similar' articles are fetching more traffic and which one has the keywords positioned at higher places?

Redirect the post with lower traffic to the one that has higher traffic.

Then try to merge the content of both the articles well. I don't think you should change the title and description, but its your call though.

 

[tazarbm]

how can 2 articles (so, 2 different URLs) rank in the same position in google?? I honestly don't understand how this is possible...

Regardless, keep the URL that ranks and 301 the other one to the one that ranks

 

[kalpana007]

What do you mean by ranking on same position?

 

[Kirito Kun]

I see they are cannibalizing each other.

Check which of these two 'similar' articles are fetching more traffic and which one has the keywords positioned at higher places?

Redirect the post with lower traffic to the one that has higher traffic.

Then try to merge the content of both the articles well. I don't think you should change the title and description, but its your call though.

Thank you very much. That was very helpful. I will follow your advise.

how can 2 articles (so, 2 different URLs) rank in the same position in google?? I honestly don't understand how this is possible...

Regardless, keep the URL that ranks and 301 the other one to the one that ranks

Maybe this is not a thing in your country, but I see this often in Germany. There are two different articles practically on the same position, but there is an hyphen between them.

What do you mean by ranking on same position?

Look at the answer above. I hope you can understand what I mean.

 

[Stayer]

Hey, I have a question for 2 different articles that have almost the same search intent and are ranking on the "same" position. I mean directly among themselfes.

Would you suggest to merge these articles and redirect the 2nd article to the first one?

My concerns are that the title would change and maybe I have to change the URL and redirect both to a new one because the topics are in different categorys.

What do you guys think?

Reference one article in the other: this way both of them receive a boost.

 

[Kirito Kun]

Reference one article in the other: this way both of them receive a boost.

I have already done that on these articles. Bit thanks for your advise

 

[rafark]

how can 2 articles (so, 2 different URLs) rank in the same position in google??

I think he means both are next to each other (eg: one in pos. 4 and the other in pos. 5)

 

[4440]

Oh you mean you got two search results from same domain. One ranking in pos 4 and one in pos 4.5.

Google is showing more possible helpful results from your site to visitors, It's a good thing , you get more exposure.

It happens for some queries, not all of them. It's normal.

 

[Kirito Kun]

I think he means both are next to each other (eg: one in pos. 4 and the other in pos. 5)

Oh you mean you got two search results from same domain. One ranking in pos 4 and one in pos 4.5.

Google is showing more possible helpful results from your site to visitors, It's a good thing , you get more exposure.

It happens for some queries, not all of them. It's normal.

Yea, maybe I described it wrong with the positions. Thank you guys.

Here is an example. It is a german search result but I think you will get it.

 

[cashupdate]

This is what I will do, leave both articles and links as they are, merge the two articles with slight editing to ensure that the third article becomes superior to a reader than any of both before, rank for a third link with the third article. When the third link starts to rank to almost equal positions as the first and second, you can then do link redirect from the first and second to the third link.