Keyword Density Myths and Entity Coverage: Stop Repeating Phrases and Start Writing Clearly with Blog Software

Keyword density has been treated as an SEO rule for far too long. The idea is simple: repeat a target phrase often enough and a page will rank. In practice, that approach produces awkward copy, weak user experiences, and a growing risk of keyword cannibalisation, especially when several pages are built around almost identical terms.

Modern search systems appear to evaluate meaning, topic completeness, entity relationships, search intent, and page usefulness together. That does not mean keywords are irrelevant. It means the role of a keyword has changed. You still need to identify the subject of a page, but you also need to explain it clearly, cover the related concepts a reader expects, and give every URL a distinct purpose.

This is where a structured blog writing platform can make a measurable difference. SEO Letters helps you move from keyword research and entity planning to a complete, publishable article, with headings, internal links, schema, images, and a brand-tuned voice included in the workflow.

What Keyword Density Actually Means

Keyword density is the percentage of words on a page that match a target keyword or phrase.

The traditional calculation looks like this:

Keyword density = number of keyword mentions ÷ total number of words × 100

For example, if a 1,000-word article contains the exact phrase “keyword cannibalisation” 15 times, the estimated density is 1.5%.

That calculation is easy to understand. It is also a poor standalone measure of content quality. A page can mention a keyword 30 times and still fail to answer the reader’s question. Another page might use the phrase only six times while covering the topic comprehensively and matching the intent much more effectively.

The problem is that density measures frequency, not:

• Whether the phrase appears in the right sections.
• Whether the page satisfies the primary search intent.
• Whether related entities are explained.
• Whether the content is original or overlapping with another page.
• Whether the article supports a sensible internal linking strategy.
• Whether the page deserves to rank for the query.

That distinction matters. Search optimisation is not a word-counting exercise.

The Keyword Density Myth: There Is No Universal Ideal Percentage

There is no credible universal keyword density percentage that guarantees rankings across industries, search intents, or content formats.

A product page, glossary entry, local service page, comparison article, and technical guide will naturally use terminology in different ways. A short page about “canonical tags” may need to repeat the term several times because the topic is narrow. A 3,000-word guide about technical SEO might only use the exact phrase in the title, introduction, and a few relevant sections.

A fixed density target can encourage three damaging habits:

• Inserting an exact keyword where a pronoun or synonym would read better.
• Adding unnecessary paragraphs to increase the total number of mentions.
• Creating several pages that target the same phrase because the content process rewards repetition.

This whole thing can become particularly risky when marketing teams use a shared keyword spreadsheet without assigning a unique intent and URL to every term.

Why Exact-Match Repetition Creates Weak Copy

Imagine a sentence written to satisfy a density target:

Keyword cannibalisation can affect keyword cannibalisation performance when keyword cannibalisation causes keyword cannibalisation between keyword cannibalisation pages.

It is technically rich in the phrase. It is also unreadable.

Readers notice this immediately. They may leave the page, stop scrolling, or avoid sharing it. Those behavioural signals do not operate as a simple ranking formula, but poor engagement can still suggest that the page is not meeting the user’s needs.

A clearer version might say:

When several URLs target the same search intent, Google may struggle to identify which page should be prioritised. This overlap can dilute internal links, impressions, and conversions across the site.

The second version uses fewer exact matches while explaining the mechanism. That is the point.

Entity Coverage Is More Useful Than Keyword Repetition

An entity is a recognisable person, place, organisation, product, concept, event, or thing that can be identified and connected to other concepts.

In an SEO article about keyword cannibalisation, likely entities and related concepts include:

• Search intent.
• URL selection.
• Organic rankings.
• Internal links.
• Canonical tags.
• Content overlap.
• Google Search Console.
• Impressions and clicks.
• Topic clusters.
• Redirects.
• Content consolidation.
• Site architecture.
• Ranking fluctuations.
• Conversion paths.

Entity coverage means explaining the important concepts that make a topic complete. It does not mean forcing every related phrase into the article. A useful page should introduce the entities that help the reader understand the subject, then show how those entities relate to the problem being discussed.

A Practical Difference Between Keywords and Entities

SEO element	What it represents	Example for keyword cannibalisation
Primary keyword	The central query or topic	keyword cannibalisation
Secondary keyword	A close variation or supporting query	keyword cannibalization audit
Entity	A recognised concept or object	Google Search Console
Attribute	A characteristic of an entity	impressions, clicks, URL, intent
Relationship	The connection between concepts	overlapping pages compete for similar intent
Search intent	The purpose behind the query	diagnose, compare, learn, fix
Content action	What should happen to the page	merge, redirect, retarget, improve

Notice the difference. Repeating “keyword cannibalisation” does not explain what to do with a weak URL. Entity coverage gives the article enough structure to answer the real question.

Search Engines Understand Topics Through Relationships

Modern search understanding appears to rely on more than literal matching. Search systems can associate “content overlap” with competing URLs, duplicated intent, similar titles, and pages that receive impressions for the same queries.

That does not mean search engines understand every article perfectly. It suggests that an article written around a coherent topic, with clear sections and related concepts, has a stronger chance of being interpreted correctly than one built around exact-match repetition.

For example, a page targeting “how to fix keyword cannibalisation” should probably address:

1. What cannibalisation means.
2. How to identify it.
3. How to distinguish genuine cannibalisation from normal ranking overlap.
4. Which metrics to inspect.
5. When to merge pages.
6. When to retarget a page.
7. How to use redirects and canonical tags.
8. How to prevent the problem in future content planning.

A page that only repeats the primary phrase but omits these areas may be semantically thin, even if its keyword density looks impressive.

Keyword Cannibalisation Is Usually an Intent Problem

Keyword cannibalisation is often described as two or more pages competing for the same keyword. That definition is useful as a starting point, but it can be too simplistic.

Two pages can rank for the same term without causing a serious problem. Search results are dynamic, and a site may legitimately have several relevant URLs appearing for related variations. The issue becomes more concerning when those pages have the same purpose, target the same audience, and divide authority or conversions between them.

A stronger definition is:

Keyword cannibalisation occurs when multiple URLs on the same website overlap substantially in topic and search intent, making it difficult to establish one clear primary page.

This is where SEO content overlap becomes important. Overlap does not automatically mean you should delete or merge a page. You need to examine the intent, content depth, query data, links, and business value first.

Common Signs of Cannibalisation

Look for patterns such as:

• Two or more URLs ranking for the same high-value query.
• Rankings switching between pages without a clear reason.
• Impressions being split across similar URLs.
• One page receiving clicks while another attracts backlinks.
• Several articles using nearly identical titles and headings.
• Internal links pointing to different pages for the same topic.
• A newer article replacing an older page, then losing visibility later.
• Product, category, and blog pages all targeting one informational phrase.
• Multiple pages producing conversions for the same stage of the funnel, with no clear primary asset.

These signals are more meaningful when they appear together. A single shared query is not enough to justify a consolidation project.

How to Run a Keyword Cannibalisation Audit

A proper keyword cannibalisation audit should combine search data with editorial judgement. Tools can reveal patterns, but they cannot always determine whether two pages should serve different audiences.

Step 1: Export Query and URL Data

Use Google Search Console, an SEO platform, or a rank-tracking system to collect:

• Query.
• Ranking URL.
• Clicks.
• Impressions.
• Click-through rate.
• Average position.
• Device type.
• Country.
• Date range.

A 28-day view can reveal recent movement, while a six or twelve-month view helps identify stable patterns. Seasonal businesses should compare equivalent periods rather than relying on one short snapshot.

Step 2: Group URLs by Topic

Create groups based on the subject, not just the exact keyword.

For instance, these pages may belong to one topic group:

• What is keyword cannibalisation?
• How to find keyword cannibalisation.
• Keyword cannibalisation audit.
• Fixing keyword cannibalisation.
• Keyword cannibalisation tools.

They may deserve separate URLs if their intents are genuinely distinct. They may also be fragments of one stronger guide. The audit has to establish that difference.

Step 3: Map Search Intent

Classify each page using practical intent labels:

Intent category	Typical user need	Suitable page format
Informational	Understand a concept	Guide, explainer, glossary
Diagnostic	Find a problem	Audit, checklist, analysis
Procedural	Complete a task	Step-by-step tutorial
Commercial investigation	Compare solutions	Comparison, review, buyer’s guide
Transactional	Take action or buy	Product or service page
Navigational	Find a known destination	Brand or category page

A page called “What Is Keyword Cannibalisation?” should not compete directly with a detailed audit guide unless both pages offer nearly the same answer. This is why search intent mapping should happen before publication, not after traffic declines.

Step 4: Compare the Actual Pages

Review each URL manually. Record:

• Primary topic.
• Intended audience.
• Funnel stage.
• Main call to action.
• Unique data or expertise.
• Organic queries.
• Backlinks.
• Internal links.
• Conversion value.
• Content freshness.
• Overlapping sections.

Do not rely on title tags alone. Two pages with different titles can still answer the same question, while two pages with similar titles may serve completely different users.

Step 5: Score the Overlap

A simple scoring model can help your team prioritise decisions.

Audit factor	0 points	1 point	2 points
Same primary intent	Clearly different	Partly related	Almost identical
Topic overlap	Limited	Moderate	Extensive
Query overlap	Minimal	Noticeable	High
Internal link competition	None	Some	Widespread
Conversion purpose	Different	Similar	Identical
Content quality gap	No clear gap	One page stronger	One page clearly superior

A combined score of 8 or more suggests that the pages deserve a closer consolidation review. It is not an automatic merge rule. Think of it as a triage system.

Cannibalised Page Consolidation: When to Merge, Redirect or Retarget

Once you confirm meaningful overlap, you need a controlled response. The best action depends on the pages’ quality, authority, traffic history, and business role.

Option 1: Consolidate the Pages

Cannibalised page consolidation is appropriate when one comprehensive URL can satisfy the combined intent better than several weaker articles.

A common process looks like this:

1. Choose the strongest URL based on links, traffic, conversions, relevance, and history.
2. Export useful content, examples, statistics, and media from the weaker pages.
3. Rewrite the primary page so it covers the merged intent properly.
4. Remove duplication and outdated sections.
5. Add relevant internal links from supporting pages.
6. Redirect the retired URLs to the consolidated page.
7. Update navigation, XML sitemaps, and references.
8. Monitor rankings, clicks, conversions, and crawl behaviour.

Do not simply paste three articles together. That usually creates a long, repetitive page with poor progression.

Option 2: Retarget One Page

Retargeting is useful when two pages overlap but can serve different needs.

For example:

• Page A: “Keyword Cannibalisation Explained for Marketing Managers”
• Page B: “How to Run a Keyword Cannibalisation Audit in Google Search Console”

The first page can focus on definitions, risks, and strategic decisions. The second can focus on data collection, query grouping, and technical actions. Their internal links should explain the relationship without making both pages repeat the same material.

Option 3: Use a Canonical Tag Carefully

A canonical tag can indicate a preferred version among similar URLs, but it is not a substitute for editorial decisions. If two pages have different search intents, canonicalising one to the other may remove a useful result from search.

Canonical tags are more suitable when:

• URL parameters create duplicate versions.
• Several filtered URLs show the same content.
• Syndicated content needs a preferred source.
• Similar variants have no independent search value.

They are less suitable when the pages are genuinely different but simply poorly organised.

Option 4: Noindex a Supporting Page

Noindex can be appropriate for low-value internal resources, thin variations, or pages that should remain accessible to users but not compete in organic search. It should not be used as a reflex whenever rankings fluctuate.

Before applying noindex, check whether the page has backlinks, referral traffic, assisted conversions, or a useful role in the customer journey.

Why Content Clusters Reduce Repetition

A topical cluster gives each page a defined role. Instead of producing five articles because five related keywords appear in a tool, you build a central resource and supporting pages around distinct intents.

A keyword cannibalisation cluster might include:

• Pillar page: Keyword Cannibalisation: Causes, Audit Process and Fixes.
• Supporting page: How to Find Cannibalisation in Google Search Console.
• Supporting page: Content Overlap Versus Duplicate Content.
• Supporting page: When to Merge SEO Articles.
• Supporting page: Internal Linking Strategy for Topic Clusters.
• Commercial page: SEO Blog Software for Content Planning and Publishing.

Each page should contribute something different. The supporting article can link to the pillar page, while the pillar page can direct readers to the detailed audit tutorial. That is a more useful internal linking strategy than linking every article to every other article with the same anchor text.

Entity Coverage in a Keyword Cannibalisation Article

Entity coverage should be planned before drafting. Start with the reader’s problem, then identify the concepts needed to solve it.

For a complete article on cannibalisation, your coverage map might look like this:

Topic layer	Entities and concepts	Why it belongs
Definition	Multiple URLs, same intent, ranking conflict	Establishes the problem
Diagnosis	Search Console, rank tracker, query data	Shows how to investigate
Evaluation	Clicks, impressions, CTR, conversions	Supports evidence-based decisions
Content analysis	Similar headings, duplicated sections, topical gaps	Identifies overlap
Technical controls	Canonical, redirect, noindex, sitemap	Explains implementation
Editorial controls	Retargeting, consolidation, pruning	Improves content architecture
Prevention	Keyword map, content brief, cluster planning	Reduces future overlap
Measurement	Ranking distribution, organic revenue, leads	Defines success

This does not mean every section should be stuffed with all the terms. Use concepts where they help the reader understand a decision.

Entity Coverage Does Not Mean Writing for a Machine

There is a temptation to treat entity SEO as another checklist. Add every related phrase, mention every tool, include every synonym, then declare the page complete.

That approach misses the point. Entity coverage should improve clarity, not turn the article into a glossary. If a term does not help explain the reader’s problem, it probably does not belong.

A useful test is simple:

If you removed this entity, would the reader lose an important part of the explanation?

If the answer is no, leave it out.

How Blog Software Supports Clearer SEO Content

Manually planning every keyword, entity, heading, link, image, schema field, and publishing step is possible. It is also where teams start cutting corners, particularly when publishing schedules become demanding.

SEO Letters is designed as a complete publishing workflow rather than a basic text generator. You can begin with a keyword, build a topical authority cluster, review keyword difficulty, analyse competitor gaps, and turn the result into structured articles that are ready for publication.

Use SEO Letters as Your Blog Writing and Publishing System

The platform supports a more controlled process:

• Keyword research with difficulty ratings.
• Topic cluster and topical authority planning.
• Competitor site-gap analysis.
• Search-focused content briefs.
• Human-sounding article generation.
• Brand voice controls.
• Headings, internal links, schema, and images.
• Product-aware content for affiliate and ecommerce publishing.
• Direct publishing to WordPress, Shopify, and webhooks.
• Content refresh campaigns for existing pages.
• Multi-language generation across 21 languages.
• Performance tracking for published content.

The value is not simply that software can produce words quickly. The larger benefit is that it connects research, planning, drafting, optimisation, and publishing in one repeatable operation.

A Better Workflow for Writing Without Keyword Stuffing

Use this framework when creating a new article.

1. Define the Primary Intent

Write one sentence describing what the searcher wants.

Example:

The reader wants to understand whether several pages are competing for the same search intent and decide whether to merge, retarget, redirect, or leave them separate.

If you cannot write this sentence clearly, the article brief is not ready.

2. Choose One Primary Topic

Select one main phrase or topic label. Do not create a page for every minor variation before examining the results.

For the example above, the primary topic could be “keyword cannibalisation audit”. Supporting phrases might include:

• How to identify keyword cannibalisation.
• SEO content overlap.
• Search intent mapping.
• Cannibalised page consolidation.
• Internal linking strategy.

These phrases should appear naturally where they describe a real part of the process.

3. Build the Entity Map

List the concepts a competent reader would expect to see. Separate essential entities from optional ones.

Essential entities might include:

• URLs.
• Search queries.
• Google Search Console.
• Rankings.
• Internal links.
• Redirects.
• Canonical tags.
• Content consolidation.

Optional entities could include specific crawler tools, spreadsheet templates, or advanced log-file analysis. Their inclusion depends on the audience and the article’s depth.

4. Create a Distinct Heading Structure

Headings should reflect questions and decisions, not keyword variations.

Weak heading structure:

• Keyword Cannibalisation Definition.
• Keyword Cannibalisation Causes.
• Keyword Cannibalisation Issues.
• Keyword Cannibalisation Solutions.

Stronger heading structure:

• What Keyword Cannibalisation Really Means.
• How to Tell Content Overlap From Normal Ranking Behaviour.
• Which Data Reveals Competing URLs?
• Should You Merge, Retarget or Redirect the Pages?
• How to Prevent Overlap in Your Next Content Plan.

The second structure gives every section a job.

5. Draft for Meaning First

Write the explanation as if you were advising a colleague. Use the exact keyword where it is useful, especially in the title, introduction, relevant headings, and key explanatory passages.

Then vary the language naturally:

• Competing pages.
• Overlapping URLs.
• Divided organic visibility.
• Similar search intent.
• Duplicate topic coverage.
• Split ranking signals.

Do not replace every exact phrase with a synonym. Excessive variation can become vague. The aim is precision with natural language.

6. Add Internal Links Based on Context

An internal linking strategy should help readers move between related questions.

Link from a general explanation to:

• The detailed audit process.
• A guide to redirects and canonical tags.
• A content pruning framework.
• A page about topic clusters.
• A relevant service or software page.

Use descriptive anchor text. “Read more” provides almost no context, while “how to consolidate overlapping SEO pages” tells the reader and search engine what to expect.

7. Review for Repetition

Search for the exact keyword and inspect every mention. Ask:

• Is this phrase needed here?
• Does the sentence sound natural when read aloud?
• Would a pronoun make the paragraph clearer?
• Is the article repeating a point that belongs in another section?
• Does this wording create confusion with another page?

A quick repetition review often improves an article more than adding another 500 words.

A Hypothetical Example: An Ecommerce Site With Six Similar Articles

Consider an ecommerce company selling technical marketing software. Its blog contains these pages:

URL	Title	Organic role	Issue
/keyword-cannibalisation-guide/	The Complete Guide to Keyword Cannibalisation	Broad informational	Strong backlinks
/find-keyword-cannibalisation/	How to Find Keyword Cannibalisation	Diagnostic	Moderate traffic
/fix-keyword-cannibalisation/	How to Fix Keyword Cannibalisation	Procedural	Strong conversions
/keyword-cannibalisation-audit/	Keyword Cannibalisation Audit Checklist	Diagnostic	Thin content
/seo-content-overlap/	SEO Content Overlap Explained	Informational	Similar sections
/keyword-cannibalisation-tool/	Keyword Cannibalisation Tool	Commercial	Product-focused

An inexperienced team may merge everything into one enormous guide. That could damage the commercial page and make the main article unfocused.

A better decision might be:

• Keep the broad guide as the pillar page.
• Expand the audit page into a practical diagnostic tutorial.
• Keep the fix page as a procedural guide with implementation examples.
• Retarget the content overlap article around duplicate intent and editorial planning.
• Keep the tool page commercial, with product proof and a clear call to action.
• Redirect the weakest overlapping URL if it adds no unique value.

This solution preserves distinct intent. It also creates a sensible cluster.

Measuring Whether the Fix Worked

Do not judge a consolidation project by ranking position alone. A page can lose one keyword and still generate more qualified traffic, leads, or revenue.

Track the following before and after the change:

KPI	What it indicates
Total impressions for the topic	Overall search visibility
Clicks across the topic group	Combined organic demand captured
Number of ranking URLs	Whether focus has consolidated
Average position	Relative visibility
Click-through rate	SERP appeal and intent alignment
Organic conversions	Commercial value
Assisted conversions	Contribution to the buyer journey
Backlinks to the preferred URL	Authority concentration
Internal links to the preferred URL	Site architecture clarity
Indexation status	Technical discoverability
Engagement and scroll depth	Content usefulness signals

Give major changes time to settle. Search visibility can move during crawling, reprocessing, and link reassessment. A two-day judgment may create unnecessary reversals.

A Practical Measurement Window

Use a staged review:

1. First 14 days: Check indexing, redirects, canonical signals, and crawl errors.
2. Days 15 to 45: Review impressions, ranking URL changes, and query distribution.
3. Days 46 to 90: Compare clicks, conversions, backlinks, and visibility trends.
4. After 90 days: Decide whether further content refinement or internal link changes are needed.

The exact timeline depends on site size, authority, publishing frequency, and query competitiveness.

How SEO Letters Helps Prevent Future Cannibalisation

The best way to fix cannibalisation is to reduce the number of overlapping pages you create in the first place.

SEO Letters supports this by connecting keyword discovery with topical planning. Instead of asking, “Which phrase should we repeat in another article?”, you can ask:

• What topic does this site need to own?
• Which page should be the primary resource?
• What supporting intents deserve separate URLs?
• Where are competitors covering gaps?
• Which existing pages need refreshing?
• Which content ideas overlap with current assets?
• What should be published next and at what cadence?

Its autonomous campaign scheduler can research, write, and publish content on a defined schedule, while refresh campaigns help maintain existing pages. That is important because a site can suffer from content decay as easily as it suffers from content gaps.

A disciplined system can also route different stages to Gemini, OpenAI, or Claude using your own AI keys. This gives teams more control over model selection, cost management, and the type of output used for research, drafting, editing, or enrichment.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Chasing a Density Number

A density target can make writers add phrases that do not belong. Review topical coverage, clarity, and intent instead.

Mistake 2: Treating Every Shared Query as Cannibalisation

Some websites rank multiple URLs for a valuable query because different pages address different needs. Investigate the results before merging anything.

Mistake 3: Merging Pages Without Preserving Value

A consolidation that removes useful examples, backlinks, or conversion paths can reduce performance. Create a content transfer plan first.

Mistake 4: Using Synonyms Without Precision

Replacing every mention with vague alternatives can weaken relevance. Use the exact phrase when it clearly identifies the subject.

Mistake 5: Ignoring Internal Links

If your site links to three different pages using the same anchor text, you are sending mixed signals to users and crawlers. Align links with the page you want to prioritise.

Mistake 6: Publishing Variations Too Quickly

“Beginner guide”, “complete guide”, “ultimate guide”, and “advanced guide” may become one topic split across four URLs. Define the difference before approving the briefs.

Mistake 7: Letting Software Publish Without Governance

Automation works best with rules. Set review thresholds for sensitive topics, regulated claims, product statements, redirects, and pages that could affect important commercial URLs.

A Content Brief Template for Entity-First SEO Writing

Use this template when planning an article.

Page Definition

• Primary topic:
• Primary search intent:
• Intended audience:
• Funnel stage:
• Preferred URL:
• Main conversion action:
• Pages that must not be duplicated:

Keyword Set

• Primary keyword:
• Secondary variations:
• Question-based queries:
• Commercial modifiers:
• Terms to avoid forcing into the copy:

Entity Map

• Core entities:
• Supporting entities:
• Important attributes:
• Relationships between entities:
• Examples or evidence required:

Content Architecture

• Proposed H1:
• H2 sections:
• H3 subsections:
• Internal links to add:
• External sources to verify:
• Schema type:
• Images or diagrams needed:

Cannibalisation Check

• Existing URLs targeting the same topic:
• Difference in search intent:
• Current ranking URL:
• Preferred page:
• Consolidation or retargeting decision:
• Redirect and canonical requirements:

This makes the planning process visible. It also gives editors something better to assess than a keyword count.

Key Takeaway: Write for Topic Completion, Not Phrase Saturation

Keyword density is not a reliable target for modern SEO content. Exact-match phrases still help identify a page’s subject, but repeating them beyond what the reader needs can damage clarity and increase the risk of overlapping content.

Entity coverage provides a stronger editorial model. It encourages you to explain the topic through relevant concepts, relationships, evidence, actions, and outcomes. When paired with search intent mapping, it also helps you decide whether a topic deserves one page, a cluster, or a commercial landing page supported by informational content.

If you’re managing a growing content operation, the difficult part is rarely typing the next paragraph. The difficult part is maintaining strategic separation between pages, publishing consistently, refreshing old assets, and connecting every article to a measurable business objective.

Build clearer, better-organised articles with SEO Letters. Use it to research topics, map clusters, identify site gaps, generate structured blog content, add internal links and schema, publish directly to your CMS, and keep important pages current.

Final Summary

The main principles are straightforward:

• Keyword density is a diagnostic metric, not a ranking recipe.
• Entity coverage improves topical completeness and reader understanding.
• Keyword cannibalisation usually reflects overlapping intent and unclear page ownership.
• A keyword cannibalisation audit should combine query data, page analysis, links, and conversions.
• Cannibalised page consolidation requires careful decisions about merging, retargeting, redirecting, and canonicalisation.
• An internal linking strategy should reinforce one clear page for each distinct intent.
• Content clusters reduce repetition when every URL has a defined purpose.
• Blog software can connect research, planning, writing, optimisation, publishing, and refresh campaigns.

Review your content by asking one final question: does this page give the reader a complete and useful answer, or is it mainly repeating a phrase because a checklist told you to do so?

That answer usually points to the next SEO decision.