Have you ever heard of evergreen content? Though the name conjures up thoughts of pine forests (fir me, at least), “evergreen” is a word that’s used to describe content that’s always relevant. Evergreen content doesn’t go out of date and does not become obsolete. Things like recipes, historical articles and some kinds of instructional content can be considered evergreen.
Today I want to share a few easy ways to use evergreen content in your lenses and how to spruce up your existing lenses to make them more evergreen.
1. Research your topic and filter out things that are time specific
Anything that gets updated regularly or goes out of style isn’t evergreen. For example, “X-Box 360 Games” will be replaced by newer versions and eventually the whole console will become obsolete, but “Fun Outdoor Activities” is much more evergreen. You can prune content with an expiration date from an existing lens to make it more evergreen, but be sure that you add more new and unique content that’s timeless.
People will always want to know how to make salsa, but making salsa with this year’s latest kitchen gadget has a shorter lifespan and isn’t as valuable.
2. Target a specific audience and write at their comprehension level
Evergreen content is somewhat special in that different audiences may all want content on the same topic, but the depth and breadth they will expect changes as their reading level changes.
Kids and teens expect less words, more interactivity and simpler explanations of concepts while more educated, adult readers will want richer, more complex content based around text rather than fun gimmicks.
Consider the way we learn the story of a historical event as a child with the way we would learn about it as an adult. Evergreen content lets you branch out off one topic in multiple directions. You can make multiple lenses and link them together or create one lens with different sections for different readers.
3. Consider additional angles and bring in the opinions of trusted sources
People trust content that’s comprehensive and offers them a variety of viewpoints. By carefully selecting your sources and quotations, you can create content that’s relevant for a longer period of time. Quotes from great philosophers are more valuable that those from today’s celebrities when you are trying to create evergreen content. Anything that’s stood the test of time is a good candidate for inclusion in your lens.
I hope these 3 simple concepts can help you improve lots of kinds of content and have got you thinking about lensmaking in a new way. What’s your favorite evergreen lens on Squidoo? I’d love to see your picks in the comments.
photo: Some rights reserved by Dawn Huczek