WOW! Women On Writing Blog: evergreen articles

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Evergreen?

Recently I saw a call for evergreen content. In the past, when I’ve seen posts about evergreen content, they were talking about subjects that readers want to read about year after year. For online markets that might include articles about holidays (Christmas and Valentine’s Day) or annual events (the new school year or tax season).

The wording in this post made it clear that that was not what the publisher wanted. They wanted material that would continue to bring people to their site.

How we use various writing-related terms changes over time. That shouldn't be surprising because writing and layout standards have also changed. For example, we no longer need to include two spaces after a period in a document. Now a single space is standard. Because it was obvious that the meaning of the term evergreen had shifted, I knew I needed to do some research.

Evergreen content is anything that is relevant long after it is posted or published. It is something that readers will continue to turn to with readership building over time. There are certain types of posts that tend to be evergreen. These include listicles, tips, how-tos including videos, and reviews.

Remember it is more than the format that makes the content evergreen. The topic must also draw readers in. It has to be something that readers need to know.

What types of topics will do that? Many evergreen articles answer common questions. Others give tips. An evergreen post might be a how-to describing how to get something done. Or it might go into information about the topic that might confuse a newbie.

For my own blog, which is on writing, I could post:

What you need to know to write a picture book.
10 ways to find the facts you need for historical fiction.
A video about how to find time to write during the holiday season.

I could query a parenting publication on:

5 rewards that aren’t food.
How to get your preschooler to eat healthy foods.
What parents need to know about team sports.

But there are just as many things that you need to avoid when pitching evergreen content. I have used deadlines to drive sales in that I will pitch a piece about an upcoming award or an anniversary. Because there is a date attached, editors will generally give me a yes or no. This kind of content is not evergreen.

Neither are articles about trends or pop culture. Taylor Swift at the Super Bowl? That’s so two weeks ago. The Barbie Movie, chocolate covered bacon, and troll dolls all had their time in the spotlight, but they are not evergreen. Barbie dolls? You’d have to pick the right topic. Other topics that are not evergreen involve those that rely heavily on statistics which can quickly become dated, the latest fashion trends, or hot toys for Christmas.

Evergreen online content also needs to be written with SEO in mind. SEO or search engine optimization is all about making sure that a site or article ranks high in a web search. Don’t worry. If you don’t know how to do this, Google it! You’ll find articles and tutorials to help you better understand how it works.

Now when you see a call asking for evergreen content, you’ll know that they aren’t asking for pieces about literal evergreens. Instead, they want to you give them content that will draw readers in for months if not longer.

--SueBE

Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of 40 books for young readers.

To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.
Click here to find her newsletter.

She is also the instructor for 3 WOW classes which begin again on March 4, 2024.
She teaches:

6 comments evergreen articles, evergreen content, pitching idea, SEO, Sue Bradford Edwards

The Surprising Writing and Earth Day Connection

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

So I was checking out my calendar, thinking about Earth Day, when I started tossing ideas around for this post. And I know what you’re thinking: she’s going to talk about recycling.

Nope! (Though recycling is super important and I sure hope that you do your best to recycle!) I went with the calendar.

The calendar, you ask? What’s the calendar got to do with writing? So glad you asked!

When it comes to writing, whether it’s articles or books, there are certain dates on the calendar when editors and/or publishers are looking for very specific topics. Nearly every month has its special holiday and if you are the creative writer who can put a unique spin on those tired topics around Christmas, Halloween, or 4th of July, you will make a sale, I guarantee it. But you have to be on top of the editorial calendar or you’ll miss your window of opportunity.

The editorial calendar is the golden ticket for the freelancer; with it, you have all the information and dates you need to submit. Sometimes, it’s easy to find the submission guidelines and calendar. Here at WOW, for example, you can find all kinds of info on the Contact Us page. Make every effort to find the submission information and/or calendar before you submit because the freelancer who sends out stuff willy-nilly is the freelancer who doesn’t get the job.

An editorial calendar may require a seasonal submission months (and months) ahead of publication. So what’s the writer to do when that great Labor Day query isn’t accepted and Labor Day is right around the corner?

You have two choices when your seasonal queries go bust: you can wait a whole year or you can revise the article into an evergreen piece. (An evergreen topic is one that will fit either year-round or year after year.)

Granted, not every topic can be converted into something broader and evergreen. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer might work in an article about reindeer but you’ll still probably be limited to a winter theme. However, if you’ve come up with a few ideas for a craft article on how to recycle odds and ends into Christmas ornaments, then maybe that article becomes ornaments for a tree in your yard when you celebrate Earth Day. Wheee!

And one more thing about the calendar and writing: don’t overlook the lesser known celebrations when you’re looking for topics. Editors get swamped with queries about Earth Day on April 22nd, but did you know that April 6th was National Tartan Day? (Which makes me wonder if there’s a National Plaid Day…) Or that tomorrow is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day? Here’s a great site to give you all kinds of holidays and observances in the United States which will also give you information to get started on your research. And P.S. Here’s a fun site with world-wide calendars.

So I think I’ve made my Earth Day point about the simple yet amazing calendar. (But it’d also be swell if you recycle!)

~Cathy C. Hall (Writer and Recycler)

Photo by Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels