Evergreen content is the key to building a sustainable, long-term content marketing strategy. Unlike news or trending topics, evergreen content focuses on core topics that maintain steady interest over time. This type of content can continue driving traffic and conversions month after month, year after year.

What Makes Content Evergreen?

Three key features define evergreen content:

It Provides Timeless, Universal Advice

Rather than discussing timely topics or current events, evergreen content sticks to universal advice and information that appeals to readers at any time. For example, content about starting a business, effective study habits, or healthy eating focuses on advice relevant now and 20 years from now.

It Closely Matches User Intent

Evergreen content laser focuses on providing information users are seeking. If you’re creating content about meal planning, for instance, you’d focus on providing practical tips and advice to match user intent rather than discussing related tangents.

It Covers Topics Broadly

Evergreen pieces provide thorough, expansive information on a topic. This helps extensively cover a specific user query in one place.

Examples of Evergreen Content

Some examples of evergreen content topics include:

• How to start a business
• What is the 80/20 rule and how can I apply it?
• A step-by-step guide to meditation
• 9 research-backed study habits that work
• A complete beginner’s guide to meal prep

The Best Content Formats for Evergreen Content

Certain content formats naturally lend themselves better to evergreen content, including:

Tutorials and How-Tos

By providing step-by-step instructions on accomplishing a goal, you can create evergreen tutorials on everything from starting a blog to fixing a leaky sink.

Ultimate Guides

Extensive guides that cover every aspect of a topic have great evergreen potential. For example, you could create a monster guide to healthy eating.

Educational Tips/Advice

While not a strict how-to, advice-based evergreen content provides useful tips to overcome common problems. Content about habits for saving money would fall into this bucket.

List Posts

Comprehensive lists can effectively tackle broad evergreen topics. For instance, you could create content like “The 30 Best Apps for Learning a Language” or “10 Must-Have Tools for Entrepreneurs.”

How to Identify Evergreen Content Topics

The key is finding topics that maintain consistent interest over time and provide universal value. Here are two tips for finding relevant evergreen topics:

Look for Problems Your Audience Faces

Identify common problems and questions your audience has around a core topic. These tend to make for great evergreen topic ideas. For example, a cooking site could create content like “How to Stop Burning Food in the Oven.”

Research Keywords With Consistent Search Volume

Use keyword research tools to analyze search volume trends over time. Look for keywords with steady, consistent search volume rather than huge spikes. This indicates evergreen potential.

Creating Compelling Evergreen Content

Once you’ve identified your evergreen topic, follow these best practices when creating the content:

Extensively Cover the Topic

Approach the content as if you were explaining the topic from scratch. Cover every relevant aspect in extensive detail to create a definitive resource.

Avoid Any Timely References

Don’t mention current events or anything timely. Evergreen content should feel just as relevant today as in 5 years.

Include Engaging Interactive Elements

Boost engagement and time on the page with charts, quizzes, calculators, or other interactive elements relevant to the topic.

Interlink With Other Relevant Content

Link out to other related evergreen content you’ve created to reinforce your expertise on the topic.

Promoting and Maintaining Evergreen Content

Creating the content is just the first step. You also need to promote it and keep it updated over time. Here are some key tips:

1. Update and Refresh Content Regularly

Revisit old evergreen content and update any outdated facts, figures, or advice. This keeps it accurate and relevant.

2. Continue Link Building

Don’t neglect link building just because the content is evergreen. Links remain crucial for rankings, so build links to boost authority.

3. Repurpose Content Across Channels

Turn evergreen posts into videos, podcasts, and other formats. Then promote them across social media, email newsletters, and other channels.

4. Interlink With New Relevant Content

When creating new content, link back to relevant evergreen content. This helps reinforce the relevance of both pieces.

The Takeaway

Evergreen content requires more work upfront, but the long-term payoff is worth it. With the right strategy, evergreen content can provide immense value to readers while driving sustainable organic growth for years to come.