Written by: Gaye Swan

Borrowing its terminology from nature, evergreen content alludes to the timeless appeal of evergreen trees and foliage. Just as the leaves of such plants and trees never fade or change, evergreen content stays fresh and relevant for readers over a long period of time. 

An excellent example of evergreen content is the trusty how-to guide. “How to Walk Safely to Work,” “How to Plant a Garden,” or “How to Pack for a Two-Week Vacation” probably won’t change much over time. Tutorials and listicles that provide information or advice that is not likely to become outdated quickly are other formats that easily incorporate evergreen content into your marketing plans.

For the tone, evergreen content tends to be informative, educational, and practical. Writers should avoid any pop culture, current events, or news references in an evergreen blog, newsletter, or article. The goal is to be helpful to readers for months – or even years – after the content is published.

Why is evergreen content right for your brand or client? Here are a few reasons to consider!

• In addition to providing long-term value to readers, evergreen content continues to generate traffic, social media shares, and backlinks for a website, which may in turn lead to improved search engine rankings and increased visibility long after the content is first published.

• When you create evergreen content that provides helpful and relevant information to your audience, you establish yourself as an expert in your field, building trust with your readers and increasing the credibility of your brand.

• It saves time and resources! Creating evergreen content can be a cost-effective way to increase visibility, traffic, and leads, as it requires less time and resources than creating new content. 

• Evergreen content is easily repurposed. Turning your blog into a video, a podcast, or an infographic allows you to reach a wider audience and provide value in different formats.

• Evergreen content can provide a steady stream of traffic to your website over time, as it continues to rank well in search engines and be shared on social media. 

Choosing evergreen topics for your content can be challenging, but there are a few tried-and-true methods to help you. Use a keyword research tool such as Google Keyword Planner to identify words and phrases that have a high search volume and low competition to give you ideas to hold your audience’s interest. Look at popular evergreen content in other blogs, news sites, and industry publications for inspiration. Think about ways in which you can help your audience hone a skill or eliminate a problem. Consider evergreen content that focuses on a product or service that you offer. For example, if you own an HVAC company, create content around how to maintain the system or how to use it most efficiently.

Remember that evergreen content should be timeless, relevant, and provide long-term value to your audience. By focusing on high-quality writing and engaging topics, you can create content that will continue to be valuable to your audience for the long haul.