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Going green isn’t just for treehuggers. Here’s how to create content that lasts.
The key to creating content that resonates with your target audience ? Determining what’s consistently most important to them. That’s what evergreen content does: it stays forever fresh, and is not rooted in a time, place, or season.
What kind of content is considered evergreen? Here’s our take:
1. “How-to” Articles/Tutorials
How-to articles tend to remain relevant over time, because the information they contain can be discovered again and again by new audiences searching for tips to master a given process, strategy, or technique. SEO optimization can guarantee that these articles consistently surface high in a user’s search results. Remember to gear your content toward audiences with varying levels of experience — basic how-to guides are perfect for beginners, while more in-depth, hyper-focused pieces perform better among experienced professionals.
2. Original Research
If your company owns proprietary data or has the means to conduct original research, use these assets to your best advantage. Simply issuing a yearly report of completely proprietary information will improve your SEO standing over time (as other sources cite your research), establish your brand as an industry leader, and lend authority to your content.
3. Product Reviews
Product reviews have become a vital part of the purchasing journey for consumers. Establish your brand as a leader by dishing out the details on tools your team relies on for work processes, or products that are relevant to your industry.
4. Inspiration
#Inspo is all the rage right now, and a quick look at Pinterest indicates that aspirational content is still on the up and up. Not only do inspirational pieces rarely go out of style — they’re also fun to write. Craft a piece that’s relevant to your audience, and equip them with advice that they can carry with them into their day (while keeping your brand top of mind).
5. Interviews & Advice
Interviews with relevant influencers can win you major exposure with your target audience. Try compiling a roundup of quotes from industry leaders to help up-and-comers on their journey to the top. Let each interviewee know when you’ve published the piece, so they can share your content with their social followers .
6. Free Tools & Resources
There’s surprising value in giving something away for free, whether it’s an infographic, a whitepaper, or a simple algorithm. For example, CoSchedule’s Headline Analyzer is a completely free, incredibly helpful tool that gives writers a taste of CoSchedule’s offerings — and this introduction is often enough to convert casual prospects into loyal customers.
Related: Four Brands That Failed To Co-Opt the Feminist Movement
7. Best (& Worst) Practices
Compiling an actionable list of best practices provides an obvious benefit to your target audience, while simultaneously establishing your brand as the preeminent authority on the topic at hand.
Alternatively, “Worst Practices” posts are typically humorous and helpful. They subtly establish you as a brand that does not engage in these practices, while also helping readers steer clear of missteps.
8. Case Studies
Case studies can serve as high-value assets that demonstrate a proven track record to sales prospects. Outline the ways in which your product or service was implemented, and highlight the tangible benefits you were able to provide in service of your client or customer’s goals.
9. History
Articles or content initiatives that outline the history of a certain topic ( Experiential Marketing , for example) serve as useful assets to industry insiders, and can improve your blog’s SEO value over time. Strive to update the information contained therein at least once a year to reflect any new developments, and they will continue to garner relevant traffic to your blog.