Evergreen Content (Definition): What It Is and How to Create It

You might have heard of the term “evergreen,” but you’re probably wondering how it relates to your blog. A clear definition of evergreen content may help you understand this concept a little bit better. Furthermore, if you want to use this strategy, 📈 then it’s also important that you learn the basics of implementing it.

Evergreen content refers to posts that remain relevant throughout the years. Usually, these blog posts deal with topics that transcend time and continue to be popular among users. Fortunately, this type of content is easy to create, 😎 no matter what niche you’re in.

What is evergreen content?

The term “evergreen” describes 🌱 plants and 🌳 trees that retain their green foliage throughout the year. Similarly, evergreen content refers to posts that remain fresh – even if they were published a few years ago.

There are several benefits to having timeless content on your blog. For starters, it can help you maintain a steady stream of traffic from search engines. If your posts cover subjects that people continue to search for, they’ll likely get more clicks than time-sensitive content, at least in the long run.

For example, a post on Christmas events taking place in London this year can generate large volumes of traffic for a couple of months. However, once the holidays are over, that traffic will die down and the information in the post will become outdated.

Meanwhile, a guide to visiting London in December will continue to generate interest and clicks years after it’s been published:

People looking up “London in December” are likely thinking of visiting the city and want to know what it’s like at this time of year. They might have already booked the trip and would like to read more about the weather, the type of clothes to pack, and any classic winter attractions they can visit.

This information will likely remain relevant over the years. The weather in December is unlikely to change, and attractions such as Christmas markets and ice skating rinks are probably open every year.

This also means that your evergreen post will continue to come up in relevant search engine results, as long as you continue to work on your search engine optimization. Since fresh and relevant content can help you rank higher, that means you’ll simply need to update your evergreen material.

How to create evergreen content in 2022 (top tips)

Now that we’ve covered the definition of evergreen content, let’s look at 🔎 how to write timeless posts for your blog:

1. Find relevant topics and keywords
2. Avoid dates and events
3. Review and update your content regularly

1. Find relevant topics and keywords

As we mentioned, evergreen posts should remain relevant through the years. This means you’ll need to find topics that your audience will always be interested in.

Let’s say you have a lifestyle blog. During the pandemic, you may have written some posts about working from home and focusing on your health. If you’ve used keywords such as “how to work from home during covid” or “how to avoid getting covid,” your content is probably a little outdated now.

However, most of your readers are probably still interested in working from home. In fact, Google Keyword Planner shows a high volume of monthly searches for this topic:

This tool also suggests similar keywords and topics. In this case, many people are also searching for “how to apply for online jobs” and “how to make money remotely.” These topics are not dependent on unique events or unusual circumstances like pandemics:

There are different types of evergreen content that you can produce, including:

• How-to guides. This is great for any niche. If your blog focuses on DIY projects, you might show readers how to build a bookcase, upcycle old furniture, etc.
• Stories. Creative writers might want to share stories, funny anecdotes, and more. Even if you don’t usually choose this style, your readers may appreciate seeing a more intimate side of you.
• Advice and tips. Whatever your blog niche is, your readers will likely be looking for advice. If you have a travel blog, you might share tips for saving money while traveling. Alternatively, a food blogger might help readers plan out their meals and reduce food waste.

📌 The trick is to choose topics that are unlikely to go out of fashion. For example, if you run a finance blog, an evergreen topic could be “ways to save money during the holidays.”

2. Avoid dates and events

Evergreen content shouldn’t contain any timestamps other than the date it was published (and last updated). Therefore, you’ll want to avoid any references to time and dates, unless they’re relevant to the content.

For instance, if you write a post about digital marketing trends in 2022, the content will become outdated once the year is over:

However, if you’re writing a post about India and you’re talking about its history, it might be necessary to mention that the country became independent in 1947. Also, since this is a historical fact, it won’t have any impact on the relevancy of your content.

When writing your evergreen content, you’ll want to avoid using phrases such as “earlier this year,” “last month,” “in 2022,” etc. Even if the information in the post is still applicable in a few years’ time, these references can make your content seem old and irrelevant.

If a user comes across a post titled “How to Start a Blog in 2020,” they may easily ignore it and look for something more recent. Instead, you might want to opt for non-dated titles, such as “How to Start a Blog: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide” or “How to Start a WordPress Blog in 15 Minutes:”

Additionally, you’ll want to avoid mentioning one-time events in your posts. For example, if you’re sharing a list of the best attractions in Paris, these suggestions should remain relevant for years to come.

Things like temporary exhibitions will give your content a very short lifespan. Likewise, if you’re writing a France travel guide and you share some tips to help readers prepare for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, this post will become outdated once the event is over.

3. Review and update your content regularly

Like any other content on your blog, evergreen posts will need reviewing and updating regularly to remain fresh and relevant. That’s because, over time, some of the information in the post may no longer be applicable.

If you mentioned products in your content, some of them might have been discontinued. Similarly, businesses may have closed down since the post was published.

For instance, if you wrote a comprehensive how-to guide and used a particular WordPress plugin, you’ll want to make sure that the tool is still available. Likewise, if you published a guide about eating out in Rome, it’s a good idea to check that the restaurants you recommended are still in business:

You may also want to check your links to make sure they still work. Additionally, if you used screenshots in your posts, you might need to replace them with newer ones. For example, the interface of a plugin may have changed or a business might have updated its logo.

Let’s look at a few other things you may need to do when it comes to maintaining evergreen content:

• Review your primary keyword to make sure there’s still enough interest in that topic.
• Add and remove information as needed.
• If you wrote a product review, check whether there’s a new version available or if the product has been modified.
• Check the names and details of all places mentioned in the post to make sure they haven’t changed.

⚠ Remember, fresh and relevant content can help you rank higher in search engines. It also shows that you are committed to providing up-to-date and useful information. This can help you build authority in your niche and nurture a community of loyal readers.

Conclusion 🏁

👉 This may include how-to guides, tips and advice, or stories. Evergreen material can help you generate more traffic to your website and keep readers engaged.

Do you have any questions about the definition of evergreen content? Let us know in the comments section below!