Search engine optimization is rife with fads. In any given month, you can easily find new trends to chase. While it’s important to track trends (surprisingly, some are beneficial), you also need to keep an eye on tried-and-true methods that deliver results.
Enter evergreen content.
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Evergreen content should be the foundation of your content strategy. Done correctly, it’ll provide substantial traffic gains, improve keyword rankings, and produce lasting results.
- Why does evergreen marketing content matter?
- How can you craft a compelling evergreen post?
- How do you optimize evergreen content for search?
I’ll answer all those questions and more as we dive deeper into creating evergreen content.
What Is Evergreen Content?
“Churn rate,” “tech stack,” “ToFu, MoFu, BoFu” — the list of marketing terminology goes on. On that list, you’ll also see the term “evergreen content.”
So what does “evergreen” mean in marketing?
Evergreen content describes content that stays fresh and relevant over long periods of time. It drives consistent traffic over a long period and stays continually relevant because, unlike seasonal content or current events, it doesn’t rely solely on time-sensitive topics.
Think of an evergreen tree. In a forest of trees that shed their leaves, an evergreen tree stays perpetually full of life. Any shedding of needles happens so gradually that a casual observer wouldn’t notice.
Like the trees, evergreen content stays full of life in search results, generating continuous organic traffic.
TL;DR: evergreen content is lasting, relevant, and purposeful long past its publication. That’s the inherent value of evergreen content and why it’s a crucial part of SEO.
Benefits of Evergreen Content
Let’s break down how evergreen content benefits your business with its extended shelf life.
Long-Term Value
Evergreen content produces long-term value because its timelessness leads to less work and more results. Quality evergreen posts will continue to deliver organic traffic well after publication. In the world of content marketing, quality over quantity wins every time.
Link Building
Backlinks are an essential part of any SEO strategy. Evergreen content is excellent link material for SEO link building because the higher a page’s rank, the more likely it is to earn backlinks — which Google loves! (This is because Google views backlinks as a trust signal from other sites that your URL is relevant and valuable.)
Steady Growth
In the world of SEO, flash-in-the-pan results won’t cut it. Strategies that deliver quick but short-lived results aren’t viable. With evergreen content, you can create steady, consistent growth for years to come, which ultimately bolsters your search engine rankings.
Lead Generation
Even if you didn’t initially create your evergreen article or blog post with lead generation in mind, the considerable traffic generated from it inevitably inspires more leads. Of course, you’ll also need to craft compelling CTAs (calls to action) for readers so they know what steps to take next. Don’t let those site visits go to waste! Make sure there is a direct call to action on the page.
Examples of Evergreen Content
Now that you have a basic understanding of evergreen content, check out these examples.
Evergreen Format
First up, common evergreen formats. These include:
- How-to guides
- Lists
- Terms and definitions
- Historical articles
- Industry resources
- Best practices
- Reviews
- Ultimate guides
These formats are evergreen because their search volume and intent change very little over time. As such, they are a gold mine for SEO evergreen content creation.
When discussing the topic of evergreen content, for example, you could approach the subject in a variety of evergreen articles, for example:
- How To Create Evergreen Content
- The 15 Best Evergreen Content Practices
- The Ultimate Guide To Creating Evergreen Content
These formats adhere to the type of content that works best for evergreen content creation. Remember that even though you create content in this format, it won’t automatically be evergreen. For that, you have to connect the right format with the right topic.
Evergreen Topics
What topics make good evergreen content? The answer will largely depend on your industry. (Consider what evergreen means to your business. From products to principles, these core elements can define your overall evergreen content strategy.) Look at these examples to frame your understanding of solid evergreen content topics.
- How To Cook Chicken Breast: Chicken breast is a common ingredient in many meals, which makes a how-to guide a no-brainer.
- Tips for Running a Successful Business: New businesses open every day, and people never tire of learning new tips for success.
- The Best Toys for Three-Year-Olds: Toys and three-year-olds go hand-in-hand, and people always look for the best items in a marketplace full of options.
- Traveling to Iceland: An Essential Guide: People love to travel and want to learn about the place they either dream of visiting or are currently visiting.
These topics all cover themes that will remain relevant for a long time and have a clear search intent that does not waver. Many times, evergreen content will be top-of-funnel (such as the above examples) rather than bottom-of-the-funnel content. Although, there are exceptions. Some evergreen writing is ideal for more niche topics typically associated with the evaluation and purchasing stages of your marketing funnel. For example, Toys for Toddlers: Need-to-Know Tips Before You Buy.
Evergreen Content: What It Isn’t
When learning about what something is, it’s also valuable to explore what it isn’t. Take a look at these examples highlighting topics that aren’t evergreen.
- Time-specific articles (The Best New Artists of 2021)
- News coverage (Presidential Election Results for 2020)
- Trending topics (The Most Stylish Prom Dresses for Seniors)
- Seasonal articles (How To Decorate a Christmas Tree)
- Sporting events or pop culture (Who Won March Madness?)
These topics have an expiration date or are only valuable during a particular timeframe (prom season, the holidays). While timely topics have their place in your content strategy, they’ll experience peaks and valleys in search volume. Evergreen pieces are relevant long past a specific date or time.
How To Create Evergreen Content
Creating evergreen content is a necessary element of any effective content marketing strategy. Combined with proven SEO methods, evergreen content is a surefire way to drive traffic and generate new leads and brand awareness.
Now that you have a deeper understanding of what evergreen content is, here are some tips to help you create your own.
Perform Keyword Research
All evergreen content should stem from qualified keyword research. After all, the entire purpose of an evergreen post is to drive traffic and improve keyword rankings. That won’t happen if people aren’t searching for the keywords you’ve chosen.
Select a primary keyword that you’re knowledgeable about, has consistent search volume, and is richly connected to your industry. If you’re lucky enough to have our keyword research services in your back pocket, you can leverage Victorious to do the heavy lifting. If not, follow these steps to find keywords:
Step 1: Use a keyword research tool like Ahrefs or SEMrush to gain valuable insight into the search volume of a keyword. They also generate lists of other relevant keywords that may have lower keyword difficulty or might be more appropriate for your brand. Remember, while broad topics appeal to wide audiences, they also have more competition. Long-tail keywords can provide more space to prove your authority, grab rankings, and secure traffic.
While performing keyword research, you might find people are searching for your topic using a different keyword. Using the Parent Topic feature in Ahrefs, you can see other keyword combinations that might have better ranking and traffic potential. Approach keyword choice with your target audience top-of-mind, and write your SEO evergreen pieces according to how the intended audience speaks about the topic rather than using overly technical language.
Step 2: It’s easy to think of Google as the enemy, especially when dealing with a metric-busting algorithm update. However, Google is, in fact, your friend. Use it to look at what your competitors are doing so you can do it better. Performing keyword research on Google also lets you see how it interprets the intent of your query and provides insight into what the audience expects from your topic.
Step 3: Both steps one and two touch on intent, but search intent is so vital to keyword research that it’s worth mentioning again. When performing keyword research, always keep the query’s intent in mind.
Tips for Writing Evergreen Content
With keywords in place, the writing can begin! How do you make your writing stand out from the competition? Follow these tips.
Tip #1: Approach your topic with a unique viewpoint and authority. Also, maintain a high level of quality both in your writing style and the purpose behind your evergreen piece. (Think: does this solve a problem, simplify a solution, streamline practices, etc.)
Tip #2: Chances are, your article won’t be the first published on the topic. Therefore, it needs to be better, deliver more value, and be backed by a strong SEO strategy to make a difference. Similarly, your evergreen article won’t be the last ever written on your chosen topic. Be sure your writing can stand the test of time. Avoid using temporal language like:
- Earlier this year
- Last Month
- 201X (i.e., 2020, 2019)
- Tomorrow
- Yesterday
Also, avoid connecting your content to a specific season. For example, if you’re writing a piece about home trends, don’t introduce the piece with phrases like, “As we leave 2022 behind and look towards 2023.” This language automatically dates your content. Instead, broaden your language with phrases like, “As we say goodbye to one year and hello to another…” to signal a turning point without limiting it to a specific event.
Tip #3: Write for humans, not search engines. You want your content to rank on search engines, but if doesn’t engage your site visitors, they won’t read it. A human-centric approach gives your evergreen content meaning. (This is true for not just evergreen content but all SEO-driven content.)
Tip #4: Along with writing content for humans, write content with a mass appeal. Many topics that fall under the evergreen category are broad, which means you should write for beginners, not experts.
Tip #5: Avoid overly technical language and jargon. You don’t want to leave people confused when they reach your content. Instead, reward them with content that makes sense, is easily digestible, and is simple to understand. (The caveat here is that the amount of technical content your audience finds acceptable may vary if you’re a technical business or brand.)
Evergreen Content Best Practices
Don’t make the mistake of executing killer keyword research and writing a compelling piece of content without following these best practices for evergreen content.
Optimize for Search
You might be thinking, “Wait, didn’t I optimize for search with my keyword research?”
That was just the foundation of search optimization. To fully optimize your evergreen content, you also need to focus on your:
- Meta Description
- Page Title
- Headers (h1, h2, h3, etc.)
- Image Alt Text
- SEO-Friendly URL
Learn more about how to optimize your content for search with our Complete 2023 SEO Checklist.
Update Evergreen Content Regularly
In the world of SEO, a “set it and forget it” mentality doesn’t cut it. Even though evergreen content shouldn’t have an expiration date, new advancements and discoveries offer the perfect opportunity to make updates — no matter the subject.
Plan to update evergreen content regularly (bi-annually is a good option) to continue making your existing evergreen articles the best they can be. Updating content and its publication date is a proven strategy for keeping your content at the top of the first page of search results. With new competition constantly emerging, keeping your evergreen information up-to-date and fresh can help you maintain that top spot and ensure your content performs at its best.
Repurpose Your Content
The core of evergreen content is its timelessness, which you can leverage to create a variety of resources, including:
- Videos
- Infographics
- Webinars
- White Papers
- Ebooks
Learn more about repurposing content here.
Promote, Promote, Promote
Several years ago, the phrase “content is king” became popular. But I prefer the updated version: “Content is king, but distribution is queen.” And, while you can wait for the traffic to come to you, promoting and distributing content effectively through email and social media will help spread the word about your must-read article.
Final Thoughts
Evergreen content is a critical aspect of SEO content creation. Understanding what it is, how to create it, and its benefits are necessary to achieve the organic traffic results you want. can trust our SEO services to work strategically with your evergreen content. Our keyword research services, SEO content services, and on-page SEO optimization services can help you capture maximum search visibility.
Ready to get started? Sign up for a free SEO consultation today to see the difference we can make for your business.
