The term ‘evergreen content’ might ring a bell. Perhaps you’ve heard that it’s a great idea for content marketing and SEO. But just what is evergreen content? If you’re thinking of Christmas or fir trees, you’re on the right track…
In this article, we’ll define evergreen content. We’ll explain why it’s useful in helping you effectively market your business and why it’s so important for long-term success.
We’ll also give pointers on creating effective evergreen content for your organisation, so you can get started right away.
What is evergreen content?
A fir tree maintains green leaves and a ‘vital’ appearance year-round. Similarly, evergreen content remains relevant, fresh or timeless for months, years – or possibly forever. It needs minimal or no updates.
It’s that simple!
So in terms of the substance, exactly what is evergreen? Content or info-heavy articles or features written with a full knowledge of your industry or business that don’t need changing, tweaking or updating.
The content will always be of interest to your target audience. As such, readers will find it valuable and come back to it years down the line.
In fact, this article is a great example of evergreen content, because the fundamentals of the concept are likely to remain unchanged over time!
Read more: How to be a better writer
What it’s not
Basically, anything that has a limited shelf-life, or, to continue the analogy, ‘sheds its leaves’.
Content that has specific time, statistical or data references, deals with news or time-limited fashions is not evergreen. Obviously, these subjects change regularly. Therefore the text will either become irrelevant or need regular updates to maintain relevance.
Why is evergreen content important?
It takes considerable energy and resources for marketing managers to stay on top of current trends. Creating topical content that reflects changing public interests takes valuable time and energy.
Therefore, creating one evergreen article can be of benefit to businesses of all shapes and sizes because it stays fresh with minimal effort. As a consequence, it can help grow a brand and establish a strong and stable base on which to build further interest and website traffic.
Such articles can remain relevant for years to come. They play an invaluable role in supporting other content and can help drive results to potentially achieve a better ROI.
The content can also easily be repurposed for different platforms, increasing reach and reducing effort and costs for SMEs.
Creating evergreen content
You know your business, brand and target audience better than anyone – or you should! Focusing on what you know and who you want to reach, alongside what your audience wants to know is key to getting started. Addressing where your needs overlap can usually surface potential content ideas.
Conducting some keyword research and incorporating the findings into your content strategy can help you create evergreen content. Identifying and incorporating timeless keywords and phrases can help you direct traffic to your website.
It should be sustainable and stay fresh – not just in the immediate but in a few months’ time.
Easy evergreen formats
There are a few formats that lend themselves to evergreen content.
For instance, lists, top tips and generic instructional pieces (‘How-to’ DIY, craft, dieting, back exercises, animal care etc) can help boost traffic and easily be co-opted for evergreen content that won’t date.
‘How to lose a stone in a month’ could be evergreen with exercises, lifestyle tips and recipes; ‘Lose a stone by Christmas/summer’ with a specific seasonal pivot isn’t. This applies to webpages, blogs or videos as well as social media.
Find out more
If you want to craft evergreen content for your business, get in touch today. We can help you identify the right topic and create an article that will keep readers coming back for more.