In an industry such as fashion, that's prone to fickle changes in trends and a “one minute you're in and the next you're out” mentality, how do bloggers create content with staying power? We have to think beyond seasonal style and look of the day posts, to things that can delight, entertain, educate and inspire long after they've been filed into our digital archive.
An evergreen post has to be useful, its subject matter in constant demand, or address a need that will not change (or will change very slowly). In other words, it doesn't turn stale or become irrelevant. This type of content is great for bloggers because:
- It can drive traffic to your site anytime (through search engines and links)
- It helps establish you as an authority and a resource in your niche
To determine if a topic or post idea is evergreen, try asking yourself these questions:
- Will this still be interesting or relevant a year from now?
- Would someone read this more than once?
- What do people always wear or always need?
Your blog is of course still a day-to-day publication with relevant, and timely posts, but peppering in long-lasting content will attract new readers, confirm your status as a resource within the community, and it's also highly shareable! An evergreen post should take longer than your usual post, and be paid special attention and effort in your writing, grammar and photography. You'll reap the rewards of that hard work when you're still getting traffic six months, ten months, two years from now!
To give you a jump on how to create evergreen content on your style blog, here are 3 post types to consider:
1. A DIY or Tutorial
There are so many ways to create at DIY or tutorial post, and almost an infinite range of topics you can cover. Think about the different things you do well. Are you an expert at cutting your old jeans into shorts? Have you mastered cat-eye eyeliner? Can you wear a scarf 25 different ways? A post like this should include step-by-step directions, with written instructions as well as images or a video. While it's true that a project with a trend element, like friendship bracelets, may not always be relevant, beauty tutorials or styling ideas for a perennial piece (a scarf, a black dress, jeans) will always be of use to readers.
2. A Set of Rules
Maybe you've laid out a set of rules or tips for yourself when it comes to applying make up, a fitness routine, do's and dont's of dressing… Create a list from one of these ideas and make it action-able for your audience. (Making it “action-able” just means that you want your readers to see what you do and be able to do it, too.) You can be liberal with the type of topic you make your list of rules for, just make sure it's something you identify with personally, and your audience will, too. For example, if you blog about personal style but are meticulous with your laundry, why not create a set of rules for washing, dry cleaning and caring for clothes?
3. A “How To” Styling or Fit Guide
People love a good “how to” post. Different than a DIY or tutorial, a how-to post gives insight on a grander scale, but still starts with figuring out your stylish strengths. For example, “How to Find Jeans That Fit,” would give your expert advice to readers for purchasing denim. A post like, “The Essential Guide To Styling Your LBD” could be a show-and-tell of ways to wear a black dress. You might base this post on a combination of personal experience, the experience of those you know and outside sources, too. (Don't be afraid to bolster your credibility by citing others.)
4. An Interview or Profile
While popular figures in the industry or in the community may come and go, a Q+A post or a profile of an interesting or well-known person will last as long as anyone still cares to search for that person online. Consider reaching out to a blogger you admire, or a local figure in your real-life community. By asking questions that inspire answers that transcend current trends, you can extend the staying power of your post. If you can't land an interview, or have your sights set on someone (or something, like a brand, a retailer or a designer) way up there, you can write a profile based on information that's available and previous interviews (just remember to cite your sources).
I have created several “evergreen” posts on my blog. How do we tag them or make them easy to find on our blog by our readers?
Hi Farah! I think it depends on what kind of post it is. You may want to create a page on the top of your blog where you may already have an “about” and a “contact” page, that is for the specific type of post, whether it’s a tutorial, a DIY, a Guide or whatever the case may be. You may also want to re-promote it every now and then on social media! Hope that helps. ~ Taylor
I love these ideas. I think as fashion-specific bloggers it’s easy to just chase the latest trends, since they’re moving so fast. It’s great advice to step back and create content with longer shelf life. Time to get started, I think.
Rebecca (hearts)…
Good Ideas, Thanks 🙂
I agree with your ideas. Fashion is something that changes so fast. So it’s useful to keep some evergreen ideas in mind.
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I love this blog for how transferable the content is to other types of blogs. Great tips! Will definitely be using some!
These are great ideas, because what I want to create for my blog is just this-evergreen content.
Every so often I come up with a good evergreen post and I do reap the rewards for months. Last year I spent weeks researching counterfeit purses online and took a few trips downtown to look, and photograph, them in real life. I still get comments on that post and it’s one of the more popular posts on my blog.
My problem is finding topics that relate to personal style that can be hooked by googles search engines. For a personal style blogger I’m sorry to say that my top posts are all beauty product related, but those are the ones that people search for! It’s by frustrating sometimes.
I’m loving everything about this outfit, and I love your hair, really gorgeous!