Episode 363

Timely Vs. Evergreen Content

First, we need to talk about repeating content.

Before we dive into how we can use timely and evergreen content, we need to talk about the fact that we’ve already covered this on the show before. Make sure you check out the other episodes where we’ve touched on important definitions for creating content that can help you — whether you’re just getting started or you’re a seasoned pro.

• How to Create Content for a Current and Future Audience
• Content Creation Definitions You Need to Know – Part 1
• Content Creation Definitions You Need to Know –Part 2

Now, let’s dive into timely vs. evergreen content.

Timely Content

The term timely content refers to content that’s relevant to what’s happening now, in present day. The other words I’d use to describe timely content would be: dynamic, fluid, trendy, or news-worthy. It’s happening now.

This type of content may or may not be relevant five to ten years from now, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of sharing. 

Think of pop culture fads that have come and gone over the years. Planking. Ice bucket challenge. Even TikTok wasn’t mainstream 5 years. It was there, but not everyone knew what it was now. 

Another way to look timely content is to consider what it’s associated with in your bog, podcast, or YouTube content. Are you talking about a live promotion that has a clear “cart open, cart close” situation? Then that deserves timely content.

Evergreen Content

Evergreen content, on the other hand, can be heard/read/watched ten years from now and the message remains noteworthy. It’s still relevant. I’ve listened to podcast interviews and watched YouTube videos that are five plus years old, and the content still hits the same.

This type of content is timeless. It covers foundational principles that don’t change frequently or ebb and flow with the latest trends.

The topic that comes to mind for me is word-of-mouth marketing. This has been around since humans started communicating. We tell each when we like a movie. Or when that $7 pack of socks at Costco is so worth it! And I’d feel comfortable covering content that’s evergreen because it has potential for the long SEO game.

Check out my resources for SEO below:

• SEO for Podcasts – What You Need to Know
• Keyword Planning for Content, SEO Research Tutorial Start to Finish
• SEO for Content Creation, My 3 Favorite Tools
• SEO for Podcasts and Keyword Research, Keywords Everywhere Demo

When Should You Use Timely vs. Evergreen Content?

This really depends on your overall content goals. What are you trying to achieve? What are you aiming at? And while I’d love to tell you there’s one path to success here, the truth is these are questions you’ll have to answer for yourself.

But, to help you out, here are the questions I ask when considering what type of content I’m creating:

1.  What is my goal with this piece of content?
2. Am I creating this for my audience today or someone that will listen in the future?
3. Is SEO important for this topic?
4. Do I need to consider if this will be relevant to someone listening in five years?
5. Should I call it out that this is only a special episode/blog post/video that won’t be available in a few months?

There are more questions you could ask, but these are the baseline questions that run through my mind when considering content style.

At the end of the day, you make the rules for your content. You decide if what you’re creating will be timely or evergreen. For me, they’re BOTH a good strategy that can be used in different ways. Find out what works best for you.

Video Recap of Today’s Episode: