
If you’ve ever noticed your ads competing against each other, you’re not alone. When multiple product lines share the same keywords, audiences, or locations, they can end up driving up costs and lowering overall performance — a common issue known as PPC cannibalization.
Let’s break down how to manage this challenge and keep your campaigns efficient without hurting your results.
1. Accept That Some Overlap Is Inevitable
If your campaigns target similar audiences and keywords, a bit of internal competition will happen. The key isn’t to eliminate it completely but to reduce unnecessary overlap and focus on giving each product a distinct lane to perform in.
2. Assign Keywords Strategically
Not every campaign should target the same non-branded keywords.
- Use keyword data to see which queries align better with each product.
- Segment by location to give different brands or lines their own geographic focus.
- Separate by funnel stage — let entry-level products target awareness terms, while premium options focus on conversion keywords.
3. Direct Traffic to Category Pages
Instead of driving every ad click to a product page, consider linking to category or collection pages. This approach gives customers a choice while reducing competition among similar SKUs.
4. Protect Your Brand with Branded Campaigns
Always run branded search campaigns for each product line. This ensures that users searching for a specific product see the right ad — not another one from your own catalog.
5. Leverage Visual and Audience-Based Ads
Use platforms like Google Demand Gen or Microsoft Audience Ads to tell your product story visually. These audience-based campaigns don’t rely on keywords, so they help you stand out while avoiding internal keyword overlap.
6. Focus on Smart Segmentation
Managing cannibalization isn’t about isolating products in separate accounts — it’s about structuring campaigns smartly:
- Segment by audience and geography.
- Use visuals to differentiate offers.
- Keep branded campaigns clean and product-specific.
At the end of the day, the goal is to guide customers to the product that best fits their needs — without forcing your campaigns to fight each other. When done right, your ads work together instead of competing, lowering your CPCs and improving conversions
At SEO Guru NYC, our expert team specializes in delivering data-driven PPC services in New York that eliminate wasted spend and maximize ROI. We craft smart, segmented campaigns that prevent ad cannibalization and ensure every click counts. Whether you’re running multiple brands or scaling one, our PPC strategies are designed to boost visibility and conversions efficiently. Visit us to get customized PPC management that helps your ads work together—not against each other.