Content Types – Evergreen Vs. Timely
Fill up your blog with different content types. We go over two—Evergreen and Timely—and outline the benefits of both.
You already know that you have to put some thought into planning your blog posts. But did you know there are different types of content that you should think about when you’re outlining your editorial calendar? These are Evergreen and Timely articles and you need both content types on your site.
Both Evergreen and Timely content has a place on your blog. They bring in different types of readers searching for information that’s relevant to them. Let’s go over them in more detail.
Evergreen Content
Just like the tree it borrows its name from, Evergreen content stay green all year long. Wait, okay so maybe it’s not like a tree that way. Evergreen content is relevant for a long period of time – it has no expiration date. They cover topics that don’t tend to change. As an example, if you have a blog about gluten free eating, you’ll want to include an article about what exactly gluten is. Because it’s already been established that gluten is a protein found in wheat, this basic information isn’t going to change. It’s also contains basic essentials that people are looking for, in the form of SEO. Readers who want to learn more about gluten will type “What is gluten” into Google, and presto, up pops your Evergreen article that outlines just what gluten is.
Evergreen articles are awesome to link to as well – for you and for other bloggers. Link your Timely content to your Evergreen articles to provide your readers with additional background on a subject. If your Evergreen content is well written, other websites will link to it or use it for reference.
Here are some great ways to display your Evergreen content:
Top Tips
Lists
DIY “How To” Tutorials
Informational Articles
Product Reviews
Videos
Timely Content
If it’s news, then it’s Timely content. This information is hot and creates urgency. People who just gotta know about what’s happening right now look for this information. And we’re not necessarily talking about stuff on the 6 o’clock news. It’s the news that’s making waves in your particular field of expertise or industry.
Timely articles don’t stay fresh for long. People looking for the latest information need it that day, hour or minute and then move on. These types of articles are important for your blog. It shows people that you’ve got a finger on the pulse of your industry. You know what’s going on and that makes you an expert. Let’s take our gluten-free eating blog example. The health industry just found a link between cancer and gluten – you had better be all over that story. That needs to go on your blog right now! Now, you can’t plan what topics you’ll be writing about when it comes to Timely content, but be sure to add a space for a certain amount of these articles in your editorial calendar.
It also helps that Google really digs Timely content, too. This search engine will notice when there’s a surge in people looking into a certain topic. And if your post contains the keywords people are searching for, Google will notice.
Here are a few types of Timely content you can cover:
Statistics or numerical reports that are likely to go out of date
Specific holiday or season articles
Articles highlighting a current trend or pop culture fad
Trending topics or stories
Breaking events, incidents and stories
Does your blog usually favour Evergreen or Timely content? What type do you find draws the most audience? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.