Cannibalization Check
Run overlap checks before launch to reduce internal budget conflicts.
This tool compares Existing Targets vs New Targets and flags overlap under Exact, Phrase, and Broad logic. It helps prevent the same query from being contested by multiple structures in one account.
When To Use
Run this check before adding large target sets, creating new ad groups, or migrating winner keywords into new structures.
The goal is not to delete as much as possible, but to keep each structure role clear and avoid unnecessary overlap.
Workflow
The page is straightforward: paste two lists, run analysis, and export results.
- 1
Step 1: Paste Existing Targets
This is your baseline list from historical structures.
- 2
Step 2: Paste New Targets
These are candidate terms you plan to launch next.
- 3
Step 3: Run Smart Dedup
Review unique terms, exact duplicates, phrase overlaps, and broad overlaps.
Matching Logic
Exact: identical terms or close variations (for example plural and minor spelling variants).
Phrase: full phrase appears in order.
Broad: core term coverage with flexible order and potentially wider semantic expansion.
- Result rows indicate whether each new term hits under Exact/Phrase/Broad
- Hit-source columns show which historical term is causing overlap
Best Practices
Run it before every large add-keyword cycle to avoid post-launch cleanup.
When upgrading winners into higher-priority structures, isolate lower layers with negatives.
- Make overlap checks part of your recurring PPC SOP
- Export and share results so teams follow one structure rulebook
- Prioritize high-overlap terms over raw duplicate counts