Evergreen Excellence: a guide to timeless content creation
In the fast-paced digital landscape, trends come and go.
It makes staying on top of timely topics and content an almost round-the-clock task.
Evergreen content is content that retains its relevance and continues to attract traffic long after its initial publication. Unlike seasonal or trending content, evergreen content covers topics that are always of interest to readers.
From how-to guides and tutorials to comprehensive resources that address perennial problems or questions, evergreen content can take many forms. But it should not be ignored, as it plays a crucial role in remaining seen and relevant.
Evergreen content plays a crucial role in a successful content strategy for several reasons:
Before we get into the practicalities of creating the content itself, it’s vital to address some of the strategic elements of content marketing strategy.
Focus on Timeless Interests: Topics that are universally relevant and do not change quickly. Take the time to research universally relevant topics
and focus on creating content that matters.
Research keywords, search patterns and channels: once you have your topic ideas and themes, conduct keyword research to learn how your audiences are searching for these terms. Whether it’s on Google, YouTube or even TikTok, you need to know how and where people are searching.
Consider Different Formats: how-to guides, listicles and tutorials are some of the most effective evergreen content. They are easily digestible and sought after by audiences. When planning your content approach, prioritise these formats.
Solve Problems: content that addresses these universal themes helpfully and practically will always be the most successful. When creating evergreen content, look to offer aid, assistance or advice to problems and pain points. Plan your content accordingly.
Headlines are the first thing readers see. A well-crafted headline is critical to search engine optimisation. It can impact the longevity of your content. When it comes to crafting headlines, consider the following:
Include Keywords: Use relevant keywords to improve SEO and help readers find your content.
BeClear and Direct: Avoid using trendy language or references that might become outdated.
Promise Value: Clearly state the benefit or value the reader will get from the content.
Some formats lend themselves better to evergreen content than others. Here are a few to consider:
How-To Guides: these are often detailed instructions on completing specific tasks.
A how-to guide is perfect for tasks that require detailed, step-by-step instructions and where the reader might benefit from additional context, tips, and comprehensive coverage of the topic.
Tutorials: are perfect for audiences looking for a quick, practical guide to accomplishing a specific task without needing extensive background information.
Listicles: a short, snappy list related to a specific topic or issue. For example, 7 Things You Need To Know About Mortgage Renewal or 14 Tips for Crafting a Winning Job Application.
Resource lists: are compilations of valuable tools, articles, or reference materials that a user would find helpful. This could be anything from the best social media marketing tools, the ultimate guide to learning Python or even a list of reputable plumbers in your area.
Ensuring your content is accurate and thorough is essential for its longevity. Here are some steps to follow:
Use Credible Sources: referencing authoritative and reliable sources to back up your information will help your search engine rankings.
Provide Comprehensive Coverage: address the topic in-depth. Try to answer the burning questions practically and helpfully. Give the people what they need!
Repurposing your evergreen content into different formats can hugely extend its reach and lifespan.
Google was once the defacto go-to for most people. YouTube and even TikTok are now as important in content marketing strategy as blog posts and web pages.
You should create great, written, evergreen content for your website. But that doesn’t mean you should solely be doing that.
Google now pulls YouTube videos and social media content into its search rankings. So consider how you can create evergreen content that fits this.
TikTok is now the most popular search engine amongst younger audiences. So consider how you can manufacture content for this channel to your advantage.
We’ve mentioned previously that evergreen content requires less effort to maintain than constantly creating fresh content. But this doesn’t mean it can, or should, be left alone entirely.
You’ll need to be updating your evergreen content for many reasons. The main one is the competitive edge.
In search terms, everyone’s competing for those top slots. You may create content that ends up on top of the search, but rest assured the competition will have seen this, and they’ll be working to knock you off that spot.
For written content, it’s vital to review and re-optimise regularly. For a channel like YouTube, you can do the same by tweaking things like hashtags and link descriptions, as well as changing up thumbnails.
Beyond just re-optimising for keywords, consider also how you can add new insights into your evergreen content. For example, here at AMBITIOUS, we use the PESO model and recently its Founder, Gini Deitirch, updated the model.
Rather than create an entirely new blog post, we updated the existing, and already well-performing blog, with these news insights. This keeps the content fresh and also avoids the risk of creating a self-competing piece of content within our content ecosystem.
Creating evergreen content means developing material that remains relevant and valuable. This will continually attract traffic over time.
Here are some real-life examples of effective evergreen content, along with explanations of what makes them so successful:
Lifehacker’s How-To Articles provide a wide range of practical and actionable advice across a range of topics, ranging from how to transfer your photos from Google Photos to iCloud, how to create your own RSS Feeds and even how to make the most out of leftover celery.
It is a broad church. The site covers diverse subjects, ensuring there’s something for everyone and doing it in a practical and actionable way.
Articles often include step-by-step instructions that are easy to follow. It often features user-generated content from community involvement and contributions, which adds variety and keeps content fresh, while regular updates and new how-to articles ensure ongoing engagement and traffic.
Moz’s Beginner’s Guide to SEO covers everything a beginner needs to know about SEO, from basic concepts to advanced strategies. It’s organised into clear sections and chapters, making it easy to navigate and reference.
Moz ensures the guide is up-to-date with the latest SEO practices and algorithm changes. Moz is a respected authority in the SEO industry, lending credibility to the content. The guide includes visuals, examples, and links to additional resources, enhancing its value and engagement.
BBC Good Food may seem like a strange addition, but this site excels in both content and delivery.
It offers some of the most comprehensive content relative to its subject matter, providing in-depth information that thoroughly addresses the topic.
It offers practical, actionable advice that readers can implement immediately. Recipes always include clear instructions, ingredient lists, and cooking tips.
Beautiful food photography makes the recipes more appealing and easier to follow and allowing users to leave reviews and ratings creates a sense of community and trust.
This comprehensive approach not only drives consistent traffic but also builds a loyal user base, making this site a model of SEO and evergreen content excellence.
Creating and activating evergreen content is a strategic investment that pays off in the long run.
By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, you can develop content that remains valuable, engages your audience, and continues to drive traffic over time.
Remember, the key to evergreen success lies in regular updates. Evergreen content is so-called because it can have a longer life span and value, but that doesn’t mean you should just ignore it once it’s live.
AMBITIOUS by name and by nature, we are a PR led communications agency that delivers integrated strategic communications - online, offline and everywhere in-between. Proud to be crowned winners of The Drum Magazine's RAR Best PR Agency of the Year.
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