Strategies for creating evergreen content

Creating content that lasts can be a challenging task. It's essential to put effort into ensuring your content remains relevant for as long as possible. Here are some strategies to keep your content evergreen:

Choose inherently evergreen topics

Some subjects are naturally timeless. For instance, certain educational content like "Accounting for Sophomores at Texas A&M" tends to remain relevant because the foundational knowledge doesn't change much over time. However, when it comes to software tutorials like "version 19 of program XYZ," these can quickly become dated as new versions are released. Select topics that are less likely to require frequent updates to maintain their relevance.

Avoid anchoring content in time

To avoid making your content feel dated, refrain from including specific dates or referencing current events. Anchoring your material to a particular date can lead to unfair critiques regarding its relevance, especially when the core subject matter hasn’t changed. For example, the fundamentals of screencasting remain constant, so whether it was recorded last year or ten years ago doesn’t matter significantly.

Steer clear of pop culture references and memes

Pop culture references and memes age quickly. What might be funny and relevant today can soon become outdated and misunderstood by future viewers. This can alienate potential learners who encounter your content later. By keeping your material free from these fleeting references, you maintain a wider appeal and longer relevance.

Create snapshots for easy updates

A practical strategy is to create snapshots or artifacts of your work as you develop each piece of content. For example, when creating a course that involves software demonstrations, save a copy of the workbook at the end of each session. This allows you to easily update specific parts of your course later without needing to recreate everything from scratch.

For programmers, making git commits after recording each session can serve a similar purpose. This allows you to roll back to any previous state, facilitating updates where necessary without redoing the entire course.

Long-term content relevance

Implementing these strategies can significantly extend the lifespan of your content. By focusing on creating timeless and flexible material, you'll produce educational resources that retain their value and usefulness for years to come. Although initially demanding, these practices ensure your content remains as fresh and engaging in the future as it is today, making the effort worthwhile.