Creating Evergreen Content That Stands the Test of Time
Desperate for some long-term content?
Content creators get trapped in this vicious cycle: publish new content, watch traffic fall, and scramble to write more new content.
No thanks. There's got to be an easier way to create content with long-term staying power.
Enter: evergreen content
Evergreen content is like a time machine for your content marketing.
It keeps on working for you, even when you're not looking.
There's a few things you need to know about evergreen content though. Simple things like…
Identifying evergreen topics
Types of content that work best for evergreen pieces
Overcoming the dreaded writer's block
Evergreen content strategy planning tips
Advanced tactics for evergreen pieces
In This Article:
1. Evergreen Content 101: The Basics
So you wanna try evergreen content?
Great, just a few basics first.
Evergreen content, at its core, is content that never gets old.
Unlike trend pieces that you write for a timely topic, evergreen content works in the background indefinitely.
Why does it matter?
Well for starters, statistics show that evergreen content generates 4x more ROI than seasonal content.
That's a big difference for your marketing budget.
But there's another reason evergreen content is so valuable…
Evergreen content gives you a way to overcome writer's block. Need to generate ideas for new blog posts? Check your library of old, evergreen posts and see what you can update or expand.
Instead of stressing about coming up with new topics each week, you can plan for long term and write posts that work for you for months and years. Tools like Squibler can help generate compelling titles for your evergreen pieces when you're stuck brainstorming ideas.
2. Evergreen Topics That Are Simple But Not Stale
Evergreen content can be many different types of content formats. Not every content type is created equal for evergreen content, though.
Here are the content types that are consistently winners:
How-to Guides
Guides are your evergreen gold. People are always looking to improve their skills.
From "How to Write Effective Email Subject Lines" to "How to Prepare for a Job Interview," these guides will remain relevant for the next 5 to 10 years.
Ultimate Guides
Ultimate guides go deeper. They cover a topic comprehensively from all angles.
These are the resources that get bookmarked and shared for years.
"What is" Explanations
"What is" content simply explains a topic in your industry.
This type of content is perfect for attracting beginners who are just learning about your niche.
Lists
List posts are a classic for a reason. "10 Essential Tools for Small Businesses" is a list that's useful for years to come because the fundamentals don't change much.
The key is to focus on timeless concepts, not time-bound topics or fleeting trends.
3. Writer's Block? There's An Evergreen Trick For That
Every writer hits a wall sometimes.
It's part of the game.
The truth is, the U.S. publishing industry generates $25.71 billion every year and supports more than 200,000 professional writers. That's a lot of copy!
And those professional writers all have systems to churn out content regularly.
Professional writers overcome writer's block by choosing topics that won't require them to constantly check for updates.
Evergreen content is perfect for this.
Try these tips when you get stuck:
Ask yourself: “What are the questions my audience is always asking?”
Turn those repeat questions into evergreen content topics.
Look at your competitors' most popular content from 2-3 years ago. If it's still ranking and getting traffic and engagement, it's a proven evergreen winner that you can tackle from a fresh angle.
Review your own analytics to see what content is still performing months after you publish it.
Those are your natural evergreen hits that you can expand or update.
Here's something most people don't realize:
Evergreen content makes it easier to overcome writer's block because you're not always looking for the next shiny trend. Plan months ahead because you know your topics will still be relevant.
4. Planning Evergreen Content Strategies For The Long Haul
Evergreen content requires a different mindset than chasing trends.
Start by thinking about your research process.
When you're thinking about topics to write on, look for subjects that address ongoing core challenges in your industry.
These are topics that won't disappear with new technology or fads.
Pick a subject like "How to Manage Remote Teams." That's a topic that will be relevant for as long as there are remote workers.
Build your content around proven frameworks and methodologies. These offer more lasting value than current tactics because they're based on fundamental principles.
Focus on providing comprehensive coverage of a topic instead of offering bite-sized tips.
A 2000-word "Content Marketing Strategy" guide will provide much more lasting value than a 500-word post about a social media trend this month.
It will also serve your audience better and provide stronger search engine authority over time.
Update and refresh your evergreen content periodically.
This is key. Even evergreen content can become outdated over time. Review your best performing pieces every 6-12 months to make sure the information still holds value.
Add new examples, update dated references, and expand sections based on reader feedback. That way, you keep your content fresh while maintaining its evergreen status.
Build content clusters around evergreen topics.
Don't publish single posts and move on.
Instead, build entire resource libraries around core subjects in your industry.
Your cluster might include one ultimate guide, several how-to articles, a few case studies, and tool reviews. All related to different aspects of the same evergreen topic.
This approach establishes your authority on a subject while creating multiple entry points for readers to discover your content.
5. Evergreen Content Strategies For Experienced Marketers
Once you've got the basics down, you can start to amp it up.
Take your evergreen content game to the next level with these tips.
Repurpose and redistribute your evergreen content.
Repurpose evergreen blog posts into video content, podcast episodes, social media posts, infographics, and more.
The same evergreen value carries over to these channels and can multiply the benefits.
Build seasonal content around timeless principles.
Even holiday or seasonal content can be evergreen if you take a timeless approach
"How to Plan Effective Holiday Marketing Campaigns" is a post you can write every year with a few minor tweaks.
Create content around problems that need solving.
Problem-solving content is naturally evergreen because the core problems persist.
"How to Price Your Services as a Freelancer" is an evergreen topic because there's always people needing that info.
Support evergreen content with data and research.
The more you can back up your evergreen content with research and statistics, the more authority it will have over time.
The Wrap-Up
Evergreen content is a powerful tool. It just requires a shift in mindset.
Instead of publishing a piece and moving on to the next thing, you're thinking months ahead.
You're creating resources that your audience will bookmark and return to over and over.
These evergreen pieces are your content marketing foundation.
Once they're built, they work for you. Even when you're not around.
How do you get started?
Pick one comprehensive, well-researched topic in your area of expertise and go deep.
Focus on a basic topic that your audience is always going to need help with.
Research like a beast, write thoroughly, and optimize for long term value, not short term spikes.
This approach creates long term, sustainable success in content marketing that's not dependent on constantly creating new content.
Want someone else to create content for you? We can help! Book a free discovery call to learn more about how People First Content can create evergreen content that helps elevate your business.
