What is ‘Evergreen’ content really?

Jun 11, 2021 by
What is ‘Evergreen’ content really?

The world of SEO and digital marketing is packed full of jargon and buzzwords. No such word has perhaps been as used or misunderstood, however, as “Evergreen.” If you’ve spent even a tertiary amount of time in digital marketing, you’ve probably heard the term being bandied around several times in a number of different contexts. But what is evergreen content and why is it so desirable? Let’s start with the basics.

Definition of evergreen content

At its core, the term essentially means content that is “always green,” and thus always relevant and useful regardless of the time of year or what’s happening in the wider world. It’s lossless content that will never lose its value and can be used, alongside the right strategies, to build traffic over time. A good piece of evergreen content will be as relevant in ten years as it is today.

That, in a nutshell, is why it’s so desirable. This is content that is always going to be sought after and will not age as trends, seasons and news cycles move on. It’s also why it’s so increasingly rare, as while a piece of content might not become any less relevant, there’s always the chance a similar piece of content will come along that says the same thing, only better.

Examples of evergreen content

Think of content that is going to make as much sense now as it will do years down the line. For example, there might be an inordinate amount of Euro 2021 content dropping over the next few weeks but who is going to be interested in it once the tournament is over? The same is true of election-based content or content based on annual or seasonal events.

A good example of evergreen content would be something such as a historical piece. For example, perhaps a piece on the history of a company or a person of interest who is no longer with us. Instructional content is also generally evergreen. Because time is never going to change how to build a wardrobe. This is why “how-to” content is so outrageously popular amongst SEO types, it is the archetypal evergreen content.

The benefits of being evergreen

  • Consistent evergreen content is incredible for traffic and lead potential. It’s also something that, if pitched right, can exponentially build traffic, particularly if you’re consistent with your posts.
  • Evergreen content is self-sustaining. These are ‘set and forget’ pieces of content that don’t need to be revised or optimised over time. This means it’s significantly easier to sustain in the long term.
  • You don’t need to create as much as it to gain a foothold. The problem with time-sensitive content is that everyone and their dog will be scrambling to get something out so they can join the conversation. How could you hope to compete with the BBC on a news item?

How to be evergreen

Of course, if it was that simple then everyone would be doing it, but the best way to get started is to do some good old fashioned keyword research. Search for the words that are getting regular traffic and those that are on an upwards trend and check out what the competition is up to. If you think you can do what they are doing, only better, then go for it.

Oh, and steer clear of the pop culture references. Because nothing dates content like a reference to a meme.