It’s a myth that content marketing needs to be timely and only speak to topics that occur in the moment to be relevant and have an impact on audiences. The reality is it doesn’t have to be time-sensitive in order to be effective. In fact, content with a shelf life will most likely get lost in social feeds because people don’t share yesterday’s news. Content that has the most impact on audiences are the pieces that aren’t timely this week or the next, they are the pieces that feel relevant for years to come and this is what is known as evergreen content.
Evergreen content is special in that it stays visible and continues to reach new, engaging audiences long after its produced. It is not only the best type of content to produce but also the most effective in maximising the return you get from the time and effort involved in producing each asset. When you produce evergreen content, it does the important job of introducing people to your brand every month and drives demand. It also generates leads long after it was created. Evergreen content has an enduring authority and is the type of content that will feel relevant and compelling for many years. If you are a small business, evergreen content is what will allow you to work with limited budgets, stretching content over many months and paying less per impression while reaching a larger audience.
Why have an evergreen content strategy?
- When you develop an evergreen content strategy you will find that there is an endless appetite on the internet for the authoritative take on many different subjects.
- It can always make a comeback because the information remains relevant.
- You can stretch your marketing budget using evergreen content and pay less per impression or click.
- You can target your ideal audience using evergreen content ads, allowing you to bid low.
- You can create a long-term campaign that runs over a longer period of time that outlasts the competition.
What evergreen content looks like
- Evergreen content should cover topics with a voice of authority and go as in-depth as possible. (The reason for this is that long-form content is largely favoured by search engines and is likely to get shared repeatedly long after it’s been promoted).
- If you have content that isn’t evergreen, update the details and repurpose it.
- Have a look at your top-performing posts and give them an evergreen makeover.
- Time-sensitive details should not be included.
- Your content should be organised around insights and key learnings rather than being event focused.
- Use an always-on approach. Don’t stop your evergreen content strategy as there is no reason to pause campaigns at certain times of the year. Many people tend to research products and services in the evening, on the weekends and during holiday periods.
The best way to stay relevant is not to keep creating content that only speaks to what’s happening right now but to create content that performs best over the long term.
