By: SEO Savvy

July 17, 2014

4 Ideas For Engaging Evergreen Content

You may have heard the phrase “evergreen content” being thrown around the SEO world without quite knowing what it is. To put it simply: evergreen content is web content that doesn’t “go bad” the way timely or newsworthy content does. Its subject matter will stand the test of time and continuously be sought out and consumed by readers. Evergreen content has the ability to drive traffic consistently to your site over the course of many years.

If you’re still not 100% clear on what evergreen content is and why you should be writing it, consider this example: A clothing retailer wants to include evergreen content on her blog, so she commissions three pieces: one on the history of the trench coat, another on classic film icons who wore trench coats, and a final piece on how to pair trench coats with the latest spring styles. One of these things is not like the others! While the information in the first two pieces will continue to hold true, the last piece is only relevant during the latest spring season.

So what makes for a quality piece of evergreen content? Read on for 4 evergreen ideas:

1. Just the FAQs. A solid Frequently Asked Questions section can be a great way to optimize content on your site, while providing key information about your product or service to potential customers. While you may occasionally need to update your FAQ based on product availability or changes in your company, a focus on the origin and history of your brand should stay fresh for a long time. And by answering the common questions of your customers, you’re providing an invaluable resource for your business.
2. Content Curation. There are multiple ways to do this. One is offering a round up of industry related links in a top ten-style post, which is a great way to boost your co-citations while providing useful information to your potential customers. Be sure to write a new and engaging introduction, and check back on these posts from time-to-time to make sure that all of the links still take you to the right place, and add to your list if necessary. This is a simple way to show your customers that you are a knowledgeable and active member of your industry, and it can even be a way of repurposing your old content.
3. How-To Videos and Blogs. Written or video content that offers instructions for how to do something related to your product or service is a perfect example of evergreen content. If you choose to create a video, keep it short and sweet with an emphasis on information over salesmanship. Similarly, your how-to blog posts should be easy to skim, and formatted with bullets or lists so that readers can get the information that they need quickly.
4. Insider Info. A post that includes definitions of industry jargon and/or your company’s stance on industry-related issues could provide helpful information while positioning your company as a knowledgeable and confident player in the field. By sharing this useful information with your customers, you show that you’re not trying to hide anything from them, and you give them the tools to do the research for themselves. A whitepaper is a good format for this kind of content.

Developing a few pieces of evergreen content can amplify your content marketing without a lot of extra work for your writers. Remember to make your content relevant and accessible, and monitor any links for overall “freshness” to keep your content truly evergreen.