Many aspects make content marketing work. And evergreen posts are surely a part of that. Regardless of your niche, you can use evergreen content ideas to drive traffic to your blog and boost visitor engagement.
So let’s discuss what evergreen content is. What characteristics does it have? What types of evergreen content should you add to your marketing strategy? Learn here.
What is evergreen content?
The term "evergreen" comes from the name of the evergreen tree. The tree's leaves stay green and fresh through all seasons. Likewise, evergreen content remains relevant and useful to readers over time and organically attracts them.
Examples of evergreen content include all types of content, from guides to checklists. We'll explore them more in this post.
News articles or trending topics have a short lifespan. But an evergreen story focuses on timeless topics, enduring principles, and base knowledge.
Think of it as encyclopedia pages in the realm of content marketing. People may still need the info the encyclopedia provides years later, regardless of when it was published.
Evergreen blog posts target the same goal, which is to provide value no matter how the industry evolves.
Why should you post evergreen stories in 2023?
A study on Parse.ly’s network found that evergreen content gets more than 5% of page views on most top websites.
So evergreen stories get a steady rate of audience interest. Therefore, it creates opportunities for your content marketing to get more engagement, conversions, brand awareness, and authority.
What are the benefits of evergreen content?
Let’s discuss the specific benefits of evergreen content.
1. Consistent and predictable traffic. News or trending topics get a spike in views and then quickly decrease. But evergreen content examples like glossaries and lists of best picks stay relevant and valuable. That's why they keep a steady stream of visitors.
2. SEO benefits. Timeless evergreen topics and relevant keywords improve your website’s visibility in search engines.
3. Higher authority and expertise. Evergreen stories demonstrate your expertise and knowledge since you provide valuable information that stands the test of time. This can boost your trustworthiness and attract a loyal audience looking for reliable content.
4. Content repurposing. You can update and republish existing evergreen content ideas to keep them accurate and relevant. Different formats like videos and podcasts can breathe new life into the posts and help reach a fresh audience.
So, in general, posting evergreen stories in 2023 is a long-term investment in your content strategy. You can get ongoing benefits for your brand and its online presence.
What are the elements of evergreen content?
We've discussed the benefits of evergreen content. Now, we should review the elements of evergreen posts that ensure their longevity and relevance.
Here are some key elements that evergreen content should have.
1. Comprehensive and timeless information. Evergreen posts should cover the subject fully and avoid focusing on specific events or short-lived trends.
2. Longevity and relevance. Your evergreen content ideas should address lasting principles, timeless advice, and basic knowledge that will stay useful for a long time.
3. Practical and actionable advice. Evergreen content offers practical tips, actionable steps, or guidance. So the audience can reach their goals or sort out their problems.
4. SEO work. An evergreen article should be SEO optimized and have applicable keywords naturally placed across the piece to boost its visibility in search engines.
Any of your evergreen content ideas that have these elements will carry on to attract traffic and engagement long after its publication.
10 evergreen content ideas worth adding to your content marketing strategy
So evergreen content has various types. Here are 10 evergreen content ideas that should give you a better insight into how such content looks.
1. Ultimate guides
Ultimate guides are the go-to evergreen content examples that take readers from the basics to advanced concepts. They benefit both beginners and more experienced readers.
Also, they usually include:
- step-by-step instructions
- tips
- examples
- case studies
- visuals
- additional resources to boost the learning experience
For example, Ultimate Guide to Small Business Marketing by Salesforce represents the idea for this type of evergreen post. It covers everything from the definition to common mistakes:
Another example could be a guide about a specific but vast topic, like creating marketing dashboards.
Ultimate guides tend to attract constant traffic. This is because they aim at a wide audience with various knowledge levels looking for in-depth insights. Ultimate guides also have good chances of ranking high in search engines since they cover many aspects (and hence keywords) of the topic.
2. Case studies
Case studies show real-life examples of how a product, service, strategy, or approach has been used and delivered results. Particularly, they analyze specific situations, highlight challenges faced, solutions applied, and the results achieved.
For example, here’s a Hackernoon case study on growing one’s Instagram with hashtags:
Social proof of your product’s effectiveness attracts more attention from the readers. Hence, it increases their trust and brand awareness, as well as your authority.
So make sure that your evergreen content ideas for case studies have the key elements like:
- introduction and context
- challenges faced
- solution applied
- process followed
- results achieved
Also, add data, metrics, and testimonials wherever possible for quantitative and qualitative proof of success.
3. Origin posts
Origin posts delve into the historical background of a subject, concept, product, or industry. These give readers a deeper understanding of the growth of a particular topic.
Origin posts often explore a topic in terms of:
- the beginnings
- early development
- influential figures
- key milestones
- important events
Origin posts offer useful insights to readers in the light of the past. This allows them to grasp the topic better. In fact, more than 70% of Internet users would rather find out about products through content than other means of ad.
Besides, historical posts also set up your expertise and offer valuable context for your audience.
As an illustration of an origin article claiming your expertise in the niche, the post The History of Photography from Lumas:
4. Tutorials
Tutorials are also known as how-to guides. These evergreen content ideas give step-by-step instructions on how to do a task, reach a goal, or learn a skill. Also, they aim to guide readers through a process clearly and in an actionable way.
How-to’s often include visuals, examples, screenshots, or videos to boost the learning experience and make the instructions easy to follow.
Tutorials can benefit both your marketing plan and your audience regardless of your niche and product. You can also use these as a part of the user onboarding process.
Here are two examples of how-to guides:
But mind the difference between how-to and ultimate guides. The first is limited to reaching a specific result. And the latter aims to educate the reader.
5. Industry glossaries
Industry glossaries simplify complex or unfamiliar terms for readers. These evergreen content ideas provide clear definitions, explanations, and context, making sure that individuals can grasp the meaning and use of industry-specific language.
Glossaries rarely grow old despite the direction your industry takes. The knowledge base also helps you set yourself as an expert in the field and earn the trust of your audience. This is a good option to consider after starting your blog and boosting your content marketing efforts.
An example of a glossary title can be 40 Must-Know SEO Terms for Every Marketer. Another way to make glossary-like content is through blog articles on term and definition explanations, like What Is Data Stitching?
Mind that these can quickly become ultimate guides. But focusing on evergreen topics that provide base-level knowledge will help you create a useful reference for the audience that will drive traffic to your blog.
6. Checklists
Checklists are structured lists of tasks or items to be completed for a specific purpose. They offer actionable guidance that readers can follow right away. These also act as a safety net to reduce the chance of errors.
A good example of a checklist is StoryChief's post How to Write a Blog Post People Want to Read we recommend checking out 😁
This type can come in many formats, such as blog articles, PDFs, or web pages. But make sure they're reader-friendly regardless of the format.
Checklists can be compared to tutorials. But the first is like criteria for the reader to not miss anything as they work on a task. The latter, in turn, focuses on educating readers on how to do something.
Checklists are great evergreen content ideas that people can visit more than once and help make sure that they don't forget anything.
7. Strategy articles
Strategy articles give practical tips on developing, executing, and evaluating strategies. They can offer:
- step-by-step frameworks
- recommendations
- solutions
- approaches
- common challenges
- analysis of industry trends
- market dynamics
- emerging opportunities
Then, readers can carry out the above in their own projects to overcome obstacles and reach desired results.
So, for example, your evergreen content ideas for strategy articles may be something like Launching Social Media Marketing for Your Online Store or the example below:
In a nutshell, your strategy articles should give actionable and practical tips supported by relevant data, examples, and case studies. In parallel, structure the article logically to make sure that key concepts and insights are easy to understand and apply.
8. Comparisons
Comparisons analyze and contrast two or more products, services, or concepts. These evergreen content ideas aim to give readers an objective assessment of their similarities, differences, strengths, and weaknesses.
Comparisons of new technology or trendy items don't usually belong to evergreen stories. This is because the interest in these products will fade when new ones come out.
But comparing concepts, terms, options, and ways to do something is a good example of an evergreen comparison.
Comparison posts should always stay objective and give a balanced analysis. So, clearly choose the criteria for evaluation, point out the key features or aspects, and add supporting data.
9. Listicles
Listicles of top or best things may include items, products, resources, or tips on a specific topic. These evergreen content ideas point out the most popular options in a category, like The Best Product Blog Examples or Top 10 JavaScript Books for Beginners.
Listicles offer a handy and in-depth overview of available choices. Additionally, they often include options for different preferences, budgets, or needs.
Lists are the most likely to become evergreen stories because of their value and convenience. They are easily scannable for readers to grasp the information fast.
For top/best listicles, clearly define the criteria for selection. Then, briefly describe each item on the list. Include images, ratings, or user reviews to give extra insights to readers.
Note that your lists can contain items that may become outdated or for which better alternatives may emerge. So be sure to update the list regularly to reflect industry changes or include more recent options.
10. Best practices
Best practices articles offer readers insights on approaching specific tasks, processes, or challenges based on industry expertise and experience. Mainly, they help readers optimize their workflows, increase efficiency, and improve productivity.
Best practice posts also help individuals ensure they operate within the legal, ethical, and industry-specific guidelines.
The practices you give in your SaaS, B2C, or B2B content writing should be actionable and practical. Use clear language, give step-by-step instructions, and support your claims with examples. So, it can be something like 9 Tips on How to Get More Direct Bookings for Tour Companies.
Also, update the evergreen content ideas in your articles regularly to add any changes or advancements in the industry.
11. Bonus: Explanations and descriptions
Explanations and descriptions give readers or viewers a clear understanding of the content's purpose and objectives.
You can apply this non-trivial content type to other forms of evergreen content ideas, like webinars, ebooks, templates, dashboards, and other resources. They give users concise information and the main points of the resource. So readers can dive deeper into the full thing.
This type of additional content offers background knowledge, definitions of terms, or other insights that make the learning experience more comprehensive. Hence, it extends the lifespan of your resources. Descriptions and transcripts also help optimize your resource’s visibility in search results.
Say, you hold an evergreen webinar How to Remain Productive and Motivated at Work. Create a blog post with key points and concepts presented in the video. This way, you'll have an evergreen blog post. If you optimize it properly, it'll become more visible to the web than the video itself.
Wrapping up
Here you go. Now you have 10 evergreen content examples you can use to boost your content marketing.
There’s a lot of room for experiments. You’ll surely find what to start with between ultimate guides, checklists, case studies, listicles, and other types. All you need is some creativity to make up topic ideas relevant to your industry, niche, or audience!