Evergreen content: what you need to know
Content marketing is an umbrella term that includes so many different types of content
What is evergreen content?
Evergreen content refers to search-optimised content that remains valuable and fresh for years to come - hence being named ‘evergreen’.
It’s often suggested that all online content draws traffic and is sustainable, but this really isn’t the case. Although writing content that fits in with the latest trends is great for sharing on social media, it does have a shelf life. When these trends fade, single-use blog posts sit in cyberspace archives and draw in very little traffic. Although these topical content pieces have their moment in the sun and can be good for brand awareness, it’s important to know that they won’t be the content pieces drawing people to your website for years to come.
This is why it’s good to mix your content up and find the perfect balance of timely and timeless content pieces.
What is single-use content?
Single-use content refers to articles that cover statistics, opinions and news - generally speaking, topics that will change over time. Single-use content has its purpose for a set moment but loses its appeal and can become obsolete within a day, week, month or year.
For example, if you were to write about Facebook’s algorithm between 2020-2021, it will have a natural expiry date, whereas writing a beginner’s guide to Facebook posts is going to be a resource that’ll be relevant in 2021 and beyond. A guide like this will keep its value, as it’ll likely cover all of the main topics, such as how to write a good post to receive engagement and how to make creative posts - two things that generally won’t change all that much.
Why is evergreen content important?
Evergreen content is the stuff that draws in organic traffic even after the date of publication and accumulates more visits over time. Evergreen pieces draw more attention as they get older, which means they offer a better return on investment than their time-sensitive counterparts.
It might be the case that online users, after reading your evergreen piece, check out the rest of your blog and scroll through your archives - where they just might end up reading your once-topical pieces!
How to make evergreen content
We all use the internet for finding out the answers to everyday questions like, “how to unblock my sink?”, “why do I have a headache?” and “what is the history of bread?”. When you search for these sorts of questions, you will often get an immediate and definitive answer, and this is what we call evergreen content.
To be the top answer within the SERPs, you’ll need to remember to:
- Be the ultimate resource
- Ensure your blog is simple and accessible
- Keep your blog on-topic, don’t be too broad with your content
Types of evergreen content
Now we know what evergreen content is, let’s take a look at the different types that you can make. These include:
- Industry FAQs
- Top tips
- How-to guides
- Step-by-step instructions
- 10 ways to (become more confident, get creative)
- Historic or origin posts
- Video tutorials
- Product reviews
It’s good to keep in mind that although these formats tend to end up as evergreen content, it is not a certainty that they will become evergreen. To increase your chances of creating effective evergreen content, it’s important to find a niche, write about it in-depth and use specific keywords.
Videos are particularly effective when it comes to producing evergreen content as it’s visually appealing and easier to follow than written instructions. However, if this isn’t available to you, consider turning your content into a graphic or adding a series of images to your copy - this will help to beat similar content that’s out there.
Evergreen content - tips to remember
Once you have chosen the type of content you’re going to produce, you’ll want to think about the ingredients you’ll need to make it successful.
1. Use long-tail keywords - see what people are searching for to get a sense of what will work and what you’d like to include
2. Make the content simple - write for beginners, as these are the people who will be researching for how-to guides and step-by-step instructions.
3. Steer clear from technical talk and jargon - it can be alienating, especially when online users are trying to gain basic knowledge on a topic.
4. Remember on-page optimisation - add meta titles and descriptions to the page and alt text to images; link to other evergreen content pieces you have made where relevant.
5. Reuse your content in different formats - if you made a long how-to article, try breaking it down and turning it into an infographic. Reusing content this way can encourage more traffic to your website.
Why does evergreen content matter for SEO?
Having content that’s engaging in the long term is not only rewarding but hugely beneficial to SEO strategies. Evergreen content that draws plenty of traffic is likely to end up with a whole load of backlinks that similar authors refer to because it’s the definitive piece of content for that niche topic.
When writing evergreen content remember to write for beginners because these concepts have an increased likelihood of being circulated amongst your target audience. Having the backing of other high-authority sites will help your brand to build trust and position you as a thought leader within the industry. You can also write evergreen SEO landing pages - this is a strategy you might want to consider if you’re looking to revitalise your content marketing strategy.
Digital Ethos
At Digital Ethos, we provide omni-channel marketing, which means we’re well-equipped to meet the various needs of clients. From content marketing and SEO to social media marketing and PR, we have a team of experienced and dedicated professionals who can build, create and deliver successful marketing campaigns to suit both long-term and short-term goals.