The day’s almost over.  You open Instagram and start scrolling.  It hits you like a ton of bricks… you haven’t posted on Instagram or Facebook in over a week (heavy sigh).  The pressure is on to get SOMETHING out.  I see you over there creating content on the fly.  Stop the last-minute post and scramble for a topic.  There’s a better way, and evergreen content is the answer.       

I get it.  You feel like a hamster on a wheel when it comes to consistently posting on social media and e-mailing your list.  Once you get one e-mail out the door or status update posted, and you need to do it all again (another heavy sigh).  

So, how do you find time to get it all done?  One small step at a time.  Besides, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and amazing content won’t be either.  Give yourself a break.  And, remember to celebrate each step – even if it is a status update.    

Win the battle of content creation and jump off the hamster wheel. 

Who, Who, Who

Who are you creating content for?  Nope, not an owl.  Create for your buyer persona, also known as your ideal client.  Close your eyes.  Now, you should see that person in front of you.         

What problem or pain point will your content solve for him or her?  Build upon this with the value you plan to deliver.  Always deliver exceptional value to your audience.          

Content Defined

Let’s define content, so we’re all on the same page.  Well, without content, the internet would be empty.  Yep, empty. 

It’s all of the words, photos, videos, infographics, blogs, checklists, guides, and more that are found when you search Google.  Imagine searching Google and it returning an empty page.  And, no, it’s not your internet that’s on the fritz.    

That’s why many say content is KING.  I have a slight deviation of this phrase.  Quality content is king.  With so much noise on the internet, quality wins every time.        

Content Types

Two types of content consist of news (or topical) and evergreen content.

News will always be news.  Good for only a short time, the opportunity to share the message runs out quickly.  For example, you may only share the community service project your team participated in over the holiday break on social media within the next two weeks.

Other topics with a short shelf life include statistical data, trending information, or seasonal stories.        

If it’s not news, then what?  “Tale as old as time, true is it can be.” Just like Beauty and the Beast, evergreen content is timeless. (My daughter loves this story.)            

We search for this type of content when we want to learn, be inspired, fix something, or compare things.  Good for today, tomorrow, next month, a year from now, and maybe, many years to come, evergreen content never grows old. 

Think about it.  How do you tie your shoes?  Well, the same way we did 50 years ago.  Not a lot has changed on that topic – just our shoes.     

Have you ever thought about why we call a newspaper a newspaper? It’s not because you’ll find tons of evergreen content.  Who goes to the paper to learn how to fix their lawnmower?  Not me.

Benefits

The best news about evergreen content  – it saves you time and peace of mind.  And for dream owners, we all need more of both.  So, take a look at the benefits you can’t miss out on.        

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Evergreen content helps your SEO efforts.  And, we all strive to rank at the top of a search engine’s results page when an ideal client, Google’s products or services you provide.  Content gives you a chance to even get on the list.             
• Decrease paid media spend – When you create content that adds value to someone’s life, and they search for that topic, your website has a chance to appear in the results.  Of course, implementing SEO strategies such as researching and using keyword phrases, increases your chance of ranking, and generates traffic.  The more organic traffic your website generates, the less paid media you need.  Cha-ching. 
• Give them a reason to revisit – Why do you revisit a website?  Stop and think about this a minute.  Typical answers include getting a great deal or promotion, browsing or buying, gathering information, learning something, or using a membership login.  Amazing evergreen content falls in that information gathering or learning bucket.  When you help people learn, grow, or solve problems, they’ll come back the next time they need help. 
• Build a loyal following – When you consistently deliver valuable content, you become a trusted source.  This process nurtures the relationship with your following and builds loyalty.  We buy based on the know, like, and trust factor.  In the marketing world, they call this lead nurturing.  Nurturing a qualified lead through the buyer’s journey increases conversions.                    
• Many ways to share – Share one piece of content in many ways.  Imagine you create a checklist for your ideal client.  You add it to your blog.  You write about it in your e-newsletter and link it to the blog on your website.  Then, you share it on social media.  In this new digital world, you need to share a message 28 times to reach your audience.  When I started my marketing career, that number was 7.  Evergreen content allows you multiple opportunities to share one message.    
• Share and Reshare on Social – On average, only 5-6% of your audience on social media sees a post.  If you’re not resharing evergreen content, it’s a missed opportunity.  And, you’re creating more work for yourself.  Get off the hamster wheel!  Remember, content delivers value that will make your ideal client’s life better.  They need to see it.      
• Helps create a calendar – When you create evergreen content, it’s easy to develop a social media and editorial calendar.  Then, fill in the news around it.  It’s that easy! 
• Never expires – No expiration date means goodness all around for a long time to come.  Now, this doesn’t mean set it and forget it.  You grow and change as your business evolves, and so will your knowledge and experience.  Revisit earlier blogs and update content to provide even more value to your audience.  Change the blog date and reshare.        
• Positions you as a thought leader – Sharing valuable knowledge shows your expertise on the subject.         
• Answer questions or provide help – Creating evergreen content on your website offers resources or helpful information for clients to access.  It helps with the closing phase of the sales process, gives after-sale follow-up, and aids in the repurchase.  If clients can help themselves to information and resources they need, it automates your entire process.  Ultimately, it saves you time – big win!     

Find Balance

Now, exactly how much evergreen content do you create versus news?  Whatever works for you.  Seriously.  Try something new, mix it up, test, measure, and adjust along the way. 

Too much news, and you may not have enough evergreen content to fill your calendar.  Too much evergreen content and your audience may lose sight of you as the core element in your brand.  Constantly work on your balance.  And, don’t be afraid to take risks.                 

Resources

It’s hard to be GREEN – evergreen that is.  We all wish we could wake up tomorrow and poof – amazing evergreen content appears on our website.  It’s insightful, interesting, smart, and optimized for keywords and SEO.  Uh… in our dreams. 

Creating amazing content takes strategy to develop topics and an editorial plan that aligns with your brand.  Plus, don’t forget the actual copywriting, editing, and designing of each content piece.  Never fear, you can always get help at any point in your journey.  And sometimes, we all need just a little help along the way.         

Once you develop your first evergreen content piece, you’ve mastered the hardest part – getting started.  Determine the frequency you’ll curate content and how it will be promoted.  And just like that, you’re on your way to greatness!

Comment below with the type of evergreen content you plan to create for your brand.  

Ready, set, grow!

All my best,