What Are Evergreen Posts? (And Why You Need Them)

The term evergreen content has nothing to do with the color green, but it’s a critical marketing concept every website owner should understand. Here’s what to know about evergreen blogs and why you should include them in your content marketing strategy.

Evergreen Content Defined

Evergreen content was named after evergreen trees, which don’t lose their leaves during the winter and stay green all year despite the changing seasons. When this concept is applied to content, it refers to posts that can’t be dated and are always relevant no matter the day or year.

On the other hand, posts about trending topics or blogs written on current issues are called timely content. These pages are likely to lose relevancy over time, lowering the overall value they add to your website. It’s a good idea to have a mix of the two types of content on your site, but when in doubt, lean towards evergreen.

Types Of Evergreen Content

Any kind of content can be considered evergreen if it’s not about a timely subject. Here are some types of evergreen posts and other content marketing materials that can be adapted to just about any industry or topic:

• Deep dive case studies
• Problem & solution case studies
• Statistic listicles
• How-to guides for beginners
• Intermediate and advanced how-to guides
• Checklists
• How to select a product or service
• Common mistakes or things to avoid
• History of a topic
• Top tips listicles
• Pros & cons
• Best and worst comparisons
• Glossaries
• Industry overview
• Your brand story
• Best practices roundup
• White papers
• Tutorials
• Reviews
• Interviews
• eBooks
• Podcasts
• Videos
• Webinars
• Resource lists
• FAQ

What Isn’t Evergreen?

For comparison, here are some types of content that aren’t considered evergreen:

• Influencer or celebrity roundups – the popularity of the people listed can change quickly
• News posts – these can become stale or irrelevant in as little as a day
• Holiday content – the relevancy of holiday materials shifts between seasons, making them only applicable for part of the year
• Fashion and beauty trends – these trends change quickly as the textiles and cosmetics markets ebb and flow
• Pop culture blogs – pop culture or gossip content is only relevant for a few days or weeks and unlike holiday content, they’re unlikely to become applicable again

Examples Of Evergreen Blog Titles

Whether or not your post or guide is evergreen, it needs a great title. The title of your content is what entices users to take action, like clicking to read more or downloading a PDF. Here are some example titles for evergreen blogs, case studies, how-to guides, and more:

• How To Take Perfect Care Of Your Cast Iron Skillet
• 52 Things You Need For Your New Baby’s Arrival
• 10 Top Places In The U.S. To Retire
• How To Have An Eco-Friendly Wedding
• Your Complete Auto Repair Glossary
• 17 Cybersecurity Best Practices To Use Right Now
• How To Tie A Tie For Any Formal Event
• Top 50 Most Effective SEO Tips For Any Industry
• Why Pack Light When Traveling (It’s Not For The Reason You Think)
• The Beginner’s Guide To Training An Obedient Dog

Top Tips For Writing Stellar Evergreen Content

Remember that evergreen materials are intended to be liked, shared, and revisited over and over again. The more accessible and user-friendly you make the language, the better. Avoid using super technical verbiage or writing about topics that are too complex or in the weeds.

It’s also important to keep your topic narrow and write specific, targeted content that is shorter in length and easier to consume. The broader your approach, the longer your material is going to be.

While long-form content is great for SEO, if it’s too long or verbose, you might lose the interest of real users. If your topic has a lot to cover, try to break things down into chapters or individual blog posts.

For example, you can write posts like “How To Apply For Education Grants” and “How To Fill Out Your FAFSA,” and then combine those with other related pages to create a downloadable eBook titled “Your A-Z Guide To Funding Your College Education.”

As always, make sure everything you’re writing adds value and keep fluff to a minimum. Break up long paragraphs and use good formatting to hold users’ attention.

Get Expert Help With Content Writing & Marketing Today

Writing content that ranks well in search engines and offers real value to human visitors can be an intimidating line to straddle. Get expert help with content marketing today by contacting McDougall Interactive at 877-623-4291. We can make it easier than ever for you to put great content on your website that helps build credibility in your field.