Some feel that older articles vanish from sight and stop earning. Is this really true? What determines whether an article will keep earning months and even years down the road?
While it is not always possible to write an evergreen article, it pays to give some thought as to why evergreen articles are the better earners, attracting readers and continuing to earn revenue over the long-term.
You may be thinking, what the heck is an evergreen article?
Evergreen Articles
Evergreen articles are works that continue to strike a chord with readers. These articles are written around topics that don’t necessarily age–topics that wear well.
Now, while you may be able to write about something that is currently popular–and there is nothing wrong in doing so–you’ll also want to give consideration to crafting evergreen articles.
How On Earth Do I Come Up With An Idea For An Evergreen Article?
- Is this something that readers will be interested in a year from now?
- Does this article offer information readers can benefit from?
- Will it appeal to both men and women?
Examples of Evergreen Articles
Someone wrote to me recently and stated that older Triond articles were basically dead in the water. That depends on the kind of articles. Some “lazy” articles fail to earn their keep; evergreen articles are the “achievers,” works that continue to earn revenue.
Some of my earliest articles are still my best earners. Let’s examine these articles to see why they are still attracting readers.
- This article, Physical Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression was written back in March of 2007 and continues to draw an audience. Although it is only the 10th of March, 2009, this article already shows $0.94 for this month. This is an example of an article that is two years old and still performing.
- Another little article was a surprise: Lighten Your Hair Using Hydrogen Peroxide. Now, this article has worked hard for me this month because it is already showing $1.00 in 10 days. This article is a year old.
These articles have proven to be evergreen because they are written around topics that many people have concerns about. The first article discusses challenging mental health issues; the second article offers an inexpensive and safer alternative to hair dye.
In both cases, the articles offer usable information that is just as timely today as when the articles were first written. Ten years from now, will people still be concerned about depression and anxiety? Yes. Ten years from now, will people still be looking at ways to lighten hair? Yes.
Rule of Thumb
While every article you write doesn’t have to be evergreen, ask yourself: is this information something that will appeal to people 5 years from now? Is this topic something that most people can relate to?
While an article about slugs in colder climes might appeal to slug-lovers in the Arctic, will it really attract a large enough audience to result in clicks that earn more than a couple of pennies?
An evergreen article reaches a wider audience because it offers information that many people are interested in or it gives insights people can use in everyday life.
When you picture clicks and revenue, what size of audience do you want to attract? In other words, do you want to drop pennies into a piggy bank or do you want to deposit dollars?
In sum: when you think “evergreen,” think “earner.”
