When it comes to creating content for search engine optimization (SEO), one common debate among content creators and marketers is whether to focus on evergreen or trending content. Both types have their merits, but understanding the differences and implementing the right strategies is crucial for successful SEO.
Evergreen content refers to timeless and valuable content that remains relevant and informative for years to come. It is not tied to any specific time or trend and provides enduring value to readers. On the other hand, trending content is based on current popular topics, news, or events that generate temporary interest and engagement.
While both types have their advantages, evergreen content often outperforms trending content in terms of long-term SEO benefits. Here’s why:
1. Longevity: Evergreen content has a longer lifespan compared to trending content. It continues to attract organic traffic and backlinks over time, boosting its visibility and authority in search engine rankings. In contrast, trending content usually experiences a spike in traffic during its peak popularity but quickly loses relevance as the trend fades.
2. Sustainable Traffic: Evergreen content can drive consistent traffic to your website, serving as a steady source of organic views and potential conversions. This sustainable traffic can contribute to your SEO efforts by increasing dwell time, reducing bounce rates, and improving overall user engagement metrics.
3. Backlink Opportunities: High-quality backlinks are crucial for SEO success, and evergreen content is more likely to attract them. As backlinks are gained when other websites reference or link to your content, evergreen topics have a higher chance of being cited by other website owners and bloggers as a reputable resource. This naturally improves your website’s backlink profile, which is a strong ranking factor for search engines.
4. Keyword Relevance: Evergreen content tends to focus on evergreen keywords or search terms that retain their popularity over time. By targeting these long-lasting keywords, you can create content that consistently ranks high in search engine results pages (SERPs). Trending content, on the other hand, relies heavily on short-lived keywords or phrases that may become less relevant as the trend fades.
5. Valuable Resource: Evergreen content is often informative, educational, and valuable to readers. It addresses common pain points, answers questions, and provides in-depth knowledge on a particular subject. This valuable resource results in higher user satisfaction, increased social shares, and more time spent on your website—all factors that positively impact SEO rankings.
However, this doesn’t mean that trending content should be completely overlooked. There are instances where incorporating trending topics can be advantageous for your SEO strategy:
1. Immediate Traffic: If your goal is to generate immediate traffic or capitalize on a current trend, creating and optimizing trending content can help you achieve this. By leveraging popular topics, you can attract short-term spikes in traffic and potentially gain exposure to new audiences.
2. Social Engagement: Trending content often performs well on social media platforms due to its timely and shareable nature. By creating content around trending topics, you have a better chance of increasing social engagement, gaining more likes, shares, and comments. This social activity can indirectly contribute to SEO by increasing brand awareness and driving more traffic to your website.
To create an effective content strategy for SEO, it is prudent to strike a balance between evergreen and trending topics. Invest in evergreen content for long-term SEO benefits, but don’t shy away from incorporating trending topics when they align with your brand and target audience.
