Evergreen content is an important aspect of any successful content marketing strategy. In this blog, we will explore what evergreen content is, why it's important, and how you can create it. If you are new to content marketing or you've been struggling to drive traffic to your website, this blog is for you.
We'll cover everything from the basics of evergreen content to the best practices for creating a piece of content that will drive traffic to your website for the long term.
So, let's dive in and learn how to create evergreen content that will keep your website ranking high on Google and drive traffic to your site for years to come.
What is evergreen content?
Evergreen content is a type of content that is relevant and valuable to readers over a long period of time. Unlike news articles, which have a short lifespan and become outdated quickly, evergreen content remains relevant and valuable for months or even years after it was first published.
Evergreen content is characterized by its ability to drive traffic to a website over a long period. It can be in the form of blog posts, infographics, podcasts, videos, and other types of content that educate and inform readers about a specific topic or answer a frequently asked question.
To create evergreen content, it's important to focus on creating high-quality, informative, and well-researched content that will stand the test of time. This means using keywords that are relevant to your niche and target audience and creating content that is easy to read and understand.
What evergreen content is not?
Evergreen content is often confused with other content that is not actually evergreen. For example, news articles and current events pieces are not evergreen because they become outdated quickly and lose their relevance as time passes.
Similarly, content that is only relevant for a short period of time, such as holiday-themed content or content that focuses on a current trend or fad, is not evergreen. Evergreen content is meant to be useful and informative for readers for months, or even years, after it is first published.
To create evergreen content, avoiding topics or trends likely to become outdated quickly is essential. Instead, focus on creating relevant and useful content for your target audience over the long term.
Examples of evergreen content
Many types of evergreen content can drive traffic to a website over the long term. Here are a few examples:
- ”Beginner's Guide to Starting a Blog” by WP Beginner: A comprehensive guide that teaches readers how to create a blog from scratch, including selecting a domain name, choosing a web hosting provider, installing WordPress, and creating content.
- ”How to Write a Resume” by the Balance Careers: A step-by-step guide that helps job seekers write a professional resume, covering all essential sections, formatting, and best practices to follow when creating an effective resume.
- ”Top 12 Benefits of Meditation” by Healthline: A health article that covers the top 10 benefits of meditation, including stress reduction, improved focus, and enhanced well-being.
- “How to Cook Perfect Rice” by Food Network: A cooking tutorial that teaches readers how to cook perfect rice every time, including selecting the right type of rice, rinsing and measuring the rice, and cooking the rice using different methods.
5. "How to tie a tie” by Art of Manliness: A classic example of evergreen content that teaches men how to tie a tie in different ways. The article explains each knot step-by-step and has illustrations to make it easy to follow. Since the topic is timeless, the article has remained relevant for years, making it a great example of evergreen content.
By creating evergreen content that is relevant and valuable to your target audience, you can drive traffic to your website over the long term and establish yourself as an authority in your niche.
Why is evergreen content important?
Creating evergreen content is a crucial aspect of a successful content marketing strategy. Evergreen content is content that stays relevant and valuable to your target audience for a long time. Here are three reasons why evergreen content is important:
1. Evergreen Content Boosts Search Rankings
Search engines like Google prefer high-quality evergreen content because it provides value to the user and helps them find the information they are looking for. Creating evergreen content optimized for specific keywords increases your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
For example, if you create an evergreen piece of content about "how to start a small business," and it ranks on the first page of Google, it will continue to drive traffic to your website for years to come.
2. Evergreen Content Increases Organic Traffic
When you create evergreen content, you are investing in long-term traffic generation. Evergreen content is not tied to a specific time or event, so it can continue to drive traffic to your website long after publication.
For example, if you create an evergreen piece of content about "how to create a budget," it can attract visitors to your website year-round, as people are always looking for ways to manage their finances.
3. Evergreen Content Helps Convert Leads
Evergreen content is not just about attracting new visitors to your website; it can also help you convert leads into customers. When you provide valuable and informative content that helps your audience solve their problems, they are more likely to trust your brand and consider purchasing your products or services.
For example, creating an evergreen piece of content about "how to choose the best CRM software" can help your audience make an informed decision about which CRM software to choose and position your brand as a trusted authority in the industry. This can lead to more leads and conversions over time.
How to Determine If a Topic Is Evergreen
Determining whether a topic is evergreen is crucial to ensure that your content continues to drive traffic and conversions for a long time. Here are some actionable steps to help you determine if a topic is evergreen:
- Consider the Search Volume and Trend: One way to determine if a topic is evergreen is by looking at the search volume and trend. A topic with consistent search volume and trends over a long period will likely be evergreen.
- Check the Expiration Date: Check whether the topic has an expiration date or whether it will be relevant for years to come. For example, a news article about a specific event may not be evergreen. However, an article on the benefits of yoga will likely remain relevant for a long time.
- Analyze the Keyword Search Intent: Analyzing the search intent behind a particular keyword or topic can help determine if it is evergreen. If the search intent is informational, the topic is more likely to be evergreen, as people will always search for information on that topic.
- Look for Timeless Themes: Look for themes that are timeless and won’t change much over time. For example, content related to human emotions, relationships, personal finance, health, and beauty will likely be evergreen.
- Analyze Social Media Engagement: Analyzing the engagement on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram can also give insight into whether a topic is evergreen. If a topic has consistent engagement over a long period of time, it’s likely to be evergreen.
- Use Google Trends: Google Trends is a great tool to determine a particular keyword's search volume and trend over time. If a keyword or topic has consistent search volume and trend over a long period of time, it’s likely to be evergreen.
- Look at Long-Term Results: Look for topics that will provide long-term results. For example, an evergreen blog post that ranks well on search engines and drives consistent traffic over time will likely be evergreen.
Using these insights, you can effectively determine if a topic is evergreen and decide whether to invest time and effort in creating evergreen content.
8 Evergreen Content Ideas (with Examples)
When it comes to creating evergreen content, several types of content lend themselves particularly well to the task. Here are eight ideas for evergreen content that you can use to create content that will remain relevant and valuable to your audience over time.
1. Explainer Blogs
Explainer blogs are blog posts that take a complex topic or concept and explain it in a way that is easy for the reader to understand. They can cover a wide range of topics, from technical concepts to product features, and can be a valuable resource for your audience.
One example of an evergreen explainer blog is this post from BlockGeeks, which explains the concept of blockchain technology clearly and concisely.
2. How-to guides
How-to guides are step-by-step instructions for completing a task or achieving a specific goal. They are a great type of evergreen content because they can help your audience solve a problem or learn a new skill and will remain relevant over time.
One example of an evergreen how-to guide is this post from Harvard Business Review, which explains how to write a winning business plan.
3. Case Studies
Case studies showcase how your product or service helped a customer achieve their goals. They are a powerful type of evergreen content because they demonstrate the value of your offering in a real-world context.
One example of an evergreen case study is this case study from Think With Google, which features a case study of three businesses that used first-party customer data to improve their marketing while respecting their customers’ privacy at all times.
4. Research Reports
Research reports are studies or surveys that provide data and insights on a specific topic. They are a valuable type of evergreen content because they can help establish your brand as a thought leader in your industry, and provide valuable information to your audience.
One example of an evergreen research report is the Delloite 2023 Global Human Capital Trends; this report provides an annual analysis of human capital trends affecting businesses worldwide, including issues such as workforce development and the impact of technology on employee experience.
5. Customer Spotlight
Customer spotlights are profiles of your customers or clients, highlighting their success stories or unique perspectives. They are an effective type of evergreen content because they showcase the real-world benefits of your product or service and help build trust with your audience.
One example of an evergreen customer spotlight is this customer stories library from Shopify, which features an entire glossary of customer success stories to inspire new and potential customers.
6. White Paper
A white paper is a report or guide that presents a problem and proposes a solution. It is a valuable evergreen content because it demonstrates your expertise and can position your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
One example of an evergreen white paper is this white paper from McKinsey, which discusses the future of the consumer goods industry after COVID-19.
7. Checklists, Toolkit or Downloadable
Checklists, toolkits or downloadable resources are helpful tools for your audience that can help them accomplish tasks or achieve goals. They are a great type of evergreen content because they can be used repeatedly and provide ongoing value to your audience.
One example of an evergreen downloadable resource is this free downloadable pillar page checklist by Scalenut to help businesses create the best and most effective pillar pages.
8. Ebooks
Ebooks are longer-form content pieces that can provide in-depth information on a specific topic. They are a valuable type of evergreen content because they can help establish your brand as an authority on a particular subject and provide ongoing value to your audience.
One example of an evergreen ebook is this definitive SEO audit e-book by Scalenut that explains the topic in detail and helps readers conduct SEO audit themselves.
Creating evergreen content is a valuable strategy for building a lasting online presence and driving traffic to your website. Using the ideas and examples discussed in this section, you can create content that will remain relevant and valuable to your audience for years to come.
How to Create Evergreen Content
Creating evergreen content may seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach, it can be a manageable and rewarding process. Here are five steps to help you create evergreen content that will continue to engage and inform your audience over time.
Identify What Your Audience Wants to Know
The first step in creating evergreen content is understanding what your audience wants. Start by researching your target audience's interests, pain points, and frequently asked questions. This information can help you identify topics that will resonate with your audience and provide long-term value. Use tools like Google Analytics, social media analytics, and keyword research to gather insights into what your audience is searching for and engaging with.
Make a List of Topics and Identify Keywords
Once you have a good understanding of what your audience wants to know, make a list of potential evergreen content topics. These can be broad topics relevant to your industry or niche or more specific topics that address your audience's pain points or interests. As you develop your list of topics, identify relevant keywords that will help your content rank in search engines.
You can use a tool like the Scalenut Keyword Planner, which is integrated with SEMRush, to find clusters of interrelated keywords based on your primary keyword/topic and your target location.
Here is an example of the keyword planner report for “kitchen appliances” in the US.
As you can see, the Scalenut Keyword Planner produced more than 120 groups of related keywords for the target term. This will help you identify topics based on the keywords in each cluster for your evergreen content.
Create Content That Ties into the Keyword
Once you have identified your evergreen content topics and keywords, it's time to start creating content. When creating evergreen content, it's important to focus on providing long-term value to your audience. This means creating more informative, engaging, and actionable content than your competitors.
You will need to conduct in-depth research, comb through all the top ranking pages and create a competitive content brief based on what works for you and what is missed by your competitors.
Competitive research is a time intensive process, that is why we have SEO Reports in the Scalenut Article Writer. Two unique tools clubbed in one. The Scalenut SEO Report gives you a detailed competitive analysis of the top-ranking content for your target keyword. This helps you create a comprehensive content brief which you can use with the Scalenut Article Writer to create some amazing evergreen content.
Here is a Scalenut SEO Report from the earlier example on one of the keyword clusters (kitchenaid refrigerators).
Make sure your content is well-researched, well-written, and optimized for search engines. Use visuals, such as images and videos, to help break up your content and make it more engaging.
Publish, Analyze, and Modify Content Periodically
Once your evergreen content is created, it's time to publish it on your website or blog. Make sure to promote your content through your social media channels and email list to reach as many people as possible. After your content is published, monitor its performance using analytics tools.
Keep track of your traffic, engagement, and other relevant metrics to see how your content performs. Use this information to make modifications and improvements to your content over time.
Repurpose and Distribute Content for Higher Reach
One of the benefits of creating evergreen content is that it can be repurposed and distributed across different channels. For example, you can turn a blog post into a video, a podcast, or an infographic to reach different audiences.
You can also use social media to promote your evergreen content over time, bringing it to the attention of new followers and potential customers. You can increase its reach and impact over time by repurposing and distributing your evergreen content.
Creating evergreen content requires a strategic approach, starting with understanding your audience's interests and pain points, identifying relevant topics and keywords, and creating high-quality content that provides long-term value.
These steps, with periodic analysis and modification of your content, will help you create evergreen content that engages your audience and continues to drive traffic and conversions over time.
How to Refresh Evergreen Content
Evergreen content requires regular updates to remain relevant and continue driving traffic to your website. Here are some tips on how to refresh your evergreen content and keep it up-to-date.
Correct any outdated information.
The first step in refreshing your evergreen content is to review it for outdated or incorrect information. Make sure all the facts and figures in your content are still accurate, and update any information that has become obsolete.
Check and update links
Links can break over time, so it's important to regularly check your evergreen content and ensure all the links are still working. Update any broken links or replace them with new, relevant links.
Add new media format
Another way to refresh your evergreen content is to add new media formats such as infographics, videos or podcasts. This will not only make your content more engaging but also attract a new audience.
Make it interactive and conversational
Make your evergreen content more interactive and conversational by adding elements such as quizzes, surveys, and polls. This will encourage readers to engage with your content and share it with others.
Optimize for keywords from the search console
Use keyword data from your website's search console to optimize your evergreen content for search engines. This will help your content rank higher in search results and attract more organic traffic.
Refreshed evergreen content can continue to drive traffic to your website, establish your brand as a thought leader, and provide value to your audience.
By correcting outdated information, updating links, adding new media formats, making it interactive and conversational, and optimizing for keywords, you can keep your evergreen content fresh and relevant for years to come.
Tips and Best Practices for Creating Evergreen Content Right From the Start
Creating evergreen content from the beginning can save you time and resources in the long run, as it ensures your content will remain relevant and valuable to your audience over time. Here are some tips and best practices for creating evergreen content that will stand the test of time.
Choose the Right Topics and Keywords
Choosing the right topics and keywords is crucial for creating evergreen content. Look for topics that are relevant to your audience and will remain relevant over time.
Keyword research can help you identify the terms and phrases your audience is searching for, which can inform your content creation strategy. Focus on long-tail keywords, as they tend to have less competition and can be easier to rank for.
Avoid Inserting Events and Dates
Avoid inserting events and dates in your evergreen content, as this can quickly make it outdated. Instead, focus on creating timeless content that can be relevant for years to come.
If you need to mention a specific event or date, make sure it is in context and won't detract from the overall evergreen nature of your content.
SEO Optimize & Update Your Content Regularly
SEO optimization is essential for evergreen content. It can help ensure your content is easily discoverable and relevant in search engine results pages.
Regularly updating your content can also improve its relevance and value over time. Make sure to use relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and header tags, and consider adding internal and external links to improve the overall SEO of your content.
Make Sure Your Content Is Error-Proof
Errors and mistakes can quickly detract from the value of your evergreen content, so it's important to ensure your content is error-proof. This means checking for spelling and grammar errors and factual inaccuracies. Consider enlisting a second set of eyes to proofread your content before publishing it to ensure its accuracy and quality.
Creating evergreen content requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a commitment to regular updates and improvements. By choosing the right topics and keywords, avoiding dates and events, optimizing for SEO, and ensuring error-free content, you can create relevant and valuable content for your audience over time.
Conclusion
Creating evergreen content is a crucial aspect of any content strategy as it can provide long-term value to your audience and continue to generate traffic and leads over time. To create evergreen content, choosing the right topics and keywords that align with your audience's interests and needs is essential.
Avoid inserting events and dates to ensure the content remains relevant even after several years. SEO optimizing and updating the content regularly is necessary to maintain its relevance and ranking. Additionally, ensuring the content is error-proof and follows best practices in grammar and spelling is crucial.
With these tips and best practices, you can create high-quality evergreen content that will continue to provide value to your audience for years to come.
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