#744 I Love Evergreen Content

One of the things I love about living in Indiana is the color of the seasons. There are the bright pastels of spring, the rich greens of summer, and the bright orange and yellow of fall. The exception is winter. The dreary days of winter seem colorless and bland compared to the vibrancy of colors throughout the rest of the year. That’s why I love evergreen trees. They bring spots of color to my view all year long.

Just as these wonderful trees bring consistent color to my yard, evergreen content brings spots of color to a marketing calendar.

What is evergreen content?

It is information which is always relevant to readers. Unlike seasonal content or breaking news, this information answers questions readers have every day. That’s one of the advantages of evergreen content, you can insert it into your blogging schedule whenever you need filler. Frequently asked questions, simple how-to blog posts, or product reviews make great evergreen content. These posts can be researched and written well in advance. Then they are ready whenever you need some fresh content but there just isn’t anything happening that is newsworthy.

Breaking news gets stale

Sure breaking news and hot industry trends are exciting to write about and read, but they are hot for a moment and then become irrelevant.  The posts may get a lot of traction when they are written, but like the beautiful spring flowers I love so much, they fade quickly.

How to write evergreen content

Start with the questions customers ask. Look in your email folder for those long answers you have already written. Use your answer as the foundation of a FAQ. If one customer has the question, others will as well. In addition to rounding out your blog, these posts tend to index well on Google, as prospective customers search for answers.

The timeless nature of this type of content allows it to build value over time. A well written FAQ or how-to article with a good title and appropriate keywords will bring traffic to your website weeks, months, and even years after it is published.  

Focus on Keywords. Brainstorm a list of keywords you want to rank for. Use a keyword tool such as Google Trends or Google Search Console to find alternatives and ideas. I searched the phrase WordPress SEO, for example, and Google Trends suggested WordPress SEO plugin and WordPress SEO Themes. Both of these would make interesting posts on their own. They are more “niche topics” which means a well written post has a better shot at rising to the top because there will be less competition.

Commit to Quality. If you want your post to stand the test of time, you can’t just slap up a 500 word article and call it a day. If you do, another article will come along pretty quickly and knock you down. So take extra time with your evergreen content. Research the topic, add unique examples, and your perspective. Create an article which isn’t just another 5 Ways to Do This…..

Update Periodically. I know, I said this would be the kind of blog post that would stand the test of time. IT wouldn’t age, it would live on forever. All of that is true. But if it is a great traffic draw for your website, go back occasionally and add new content, a different image, and maybe a new CTA to keep it fresh.

The key to successful blogging isn’t necessarily more content, just better content.

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