How do I stop my blog post from cannibalizing my category page?

How do I stop my blog post from cannibalizing my category page?

'Q: My 'best running shoes' blog post and my running-shoes category both rank, swapping positions. Which wins?'

Short answer: Decide which URL should rank for the money keyword, then point the other one's links and internal anchors at it.

The longer version: Resolve it deliberately.
— Check the SERP intent: for 'best X' queries Google often wants a comparison page; for '[product] for sale' it wants the category. Pick the URL that matches.
— Strengthen the winner: target the exact keyword in its title/H1 and link to it from the loser with that anchor.
— Demote the loser for that term: retarget its title to a different angle ('how to choose') so they stop competing.
— If the blog post and category serve identical intent, consider merging the post's content into the category and 301'ing it.

Example: a store's buying-guide post and category traded spots monthly; pointing the post's CTA and anchor to the category settled rankings on the category within a month.

Rule of thumb: two URLs chasing one query is a choice to make, not a tie to leave.

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