There's no denying that a relatable, funny, and perfectly timed pop culture meme or topical post is a winner on social media. But while trends and timely topics are here today and gone tomorrow, evergreen content is timeless and will continue to bring you engagement, leads, and growth for the long haul, well after that funny meme or trending sound bite hits its peak. That's why evergreen content should always be a priority in your posting schedule.

‍What is evergreen content?

Like an evergreen tree can sustain its green leaves all year through the changing seasons, evergreen content maintains its relevance through the changing seasons - of social media. This is because evergreen content isn't bound to specific trending topics or moments, so regardless of whether someone sees it the day you post it or six months later, it remains relevant. Not only does evergreen content have an excellent shelf life, but it is also content you can repurpose repeatedly. Talk about a win-win for your content!

‍Here's a great example of trending content vs. evergreen content:

‍The trending post

The published this post on the same day that Beyonce released tickets to the Renaissance tour. Since Beyonce's Renaissance tour was a huge topic on social media, we leveraged it to make our post timely and relevant to the moment. As a result, we got a lot of great engagement quickly.

‍The evergreen post

We published this evergreen post in June 2022. This post continues to garner engagement, even though we posted it nearly a year ago.

Both posts share valuable information, but one garnered more engagement quickly and lost relevance almost as quickly, while the other is still going strong months later. Both play a role in your social media strategy, but it's essential to understand the right time to use each type.

‍Why is evergreen content important for social media?

While trending content is fantastic for gaining visibility, this type of content can be momentary and fleeting. If you're always focusing more on what will get your audience's attention right now than what will provide value and build trust for the long haul, it's easy to end up in the vicious cycle of trying to keep up with the social media machine. This cycle is not sustainable and can ultimately lead to burnout. That's why it's essential to have a healthy balance of both.

‍How to create effective evergreen content

‍STEP 1: Choose a relevant, timeless topic

Use evergreen content to answer frequently asked questions from your audience, address common points they may be experiencing, or teach them something that can help them achieve a quick win. Remember: your evergreen content should have lasting power, so prioritize topics that are always relevant and not likely to change over time. Also, avoid using pop culture topics or trends, and instead, think of other intriguing, unique angles you can leverage to make your content engaging.

‍STEP 2: Make sure your evergreen content is comprehensive & easy to consume

Think of your evergreen content like a Wikipedia page: it should be a thorough, informative breakdown of the topic you are talking about. Make sure you're breaking down the topic for your audience so that it is easy to understand whether they are a novice or an expert. Also, make sure that your content is formatted comprehensively. How-to guides, tutorials, case studies, infographics, and videos are all great formats for evergreen content.

‍Step 3: SEO-Optimize your evergreen content

Remember: your evergreen content will remain relevant for a long time, so you want to ensure that it continues to bring you new eyeballs and leads. Include relevant keywords, follow SEO best practices, and use appropriate hashtags to ensure that your content is algorithm-friendly and continues to produce great results.

‍Step 4: Updating your evergreen content regularly

Even the most evergreen content will need a few updates here and there, whether due to a change in your industry that you may need to update your audience on or a new social media update that requires you to tweak the formatting of your content. Think of your evergreen content as an ongoing series. If new updates arise about a topic you made an evergreen post for a while back, repurpose your content and include any new information and updates.

Evergreen content should be the backbone of your social media strategy and overall content strategy because it is guaranteed to bring you the most return on your investment. Don't get me wrong: this doesn't mean you should avoid trendy content altogether. In fact, trendy content is a great way to boost engagement and grow your following on social media. But evergreen content is undefeated when building brand authority, trust and bringing a consistent flow of new people into your brand community. Find the balance that works best for you and your audience, and get to creating!