Two of my pages rank for the same keyword and keep swapping places. Should I merge them?

It can be a problem, and merging is often the fix, but check intent before you act.

Step 1: Confirm it is real. In Search Console, open the Performance report, filter to the query, and switch to the Pages tab. If 2 pages each get a share of impressions and the positions alternate week to week, they are competing.

Step 2: Compare intent. Search the query yourself. What kind of page does Google show: a guide, a product, a comparison, a local service page?

• Same intent, 2 pages. Merge. Keep the page with the better links, history, and URL. Move the best material from the other page into it, then 301 redirect the old URL to the survivor. Update internal links to point straight to the survivor.
• Different intents. Keep both and separate them. Rewrite the titles, headings, and intros so each one clearly targets its own question. Change internal anchor text so links to the guide say "guide" and links to the service say the service name.

Step 3: Fix internal linking. Often 1 page wins because most of your links point to it. Link to the page you want to rank, with descriptive anchors, from the pages that already have authority.

What not to do

• Do not delete the weaker page without a redirect. You lose its links and send visitors to an error page.
• Do not noindex 1 of the pair as a shortcut unless the page truly has no search purpose.
• Do not merge 2 pages that serve different customers just to tidy the list.

After the change, give it a few weeks, then check that 1 URL holds a steady position and total clicks for the query have not dropped.