We had a great SEO question come our way last week, and felt it was a shareworthy one.
A new client asked us if it is better to create articles around trendy topics or stick with evergreen senior living content.
She had the idea that because Google wants to see new content posted often, what they look for is articles on hot topics. That trending topics should be the focus.
We’d honestly never considered that people connected frequent posting with trending topics.
Then we talked with a few other folks during a webinar we hosted and, sure enough, many of them believed the same thing.
Who knew this was such popular misconception? Not us, that’s for certain.
So, here’s a quick answer to why your senior living website needs for you to keep creating and publishing fresh evergreen content.
SEO and Evergreen Senior Living Content
While it’s interesting to write about trends like adding butter to your coffee to decrease your cholesterol or why you should take sunscreen pills if you spend a lot of time outdoors, most of these topics don’t stand the test of time.
So, if you are choosing between trends and evergreen articles, often referred to as authoritative content, evergreen wins nearly every time.
That’s not to say you can’t have a little fun with trendier topics that might garner you some short-term traffic. It’s just important to keep your eye on the SEO prize and that means authoritative content.
Is It Evergreen?
If you aren’t sure if a topic you are considering would be considered evergreen, there is an easy way to make that determination. Ask yourself these questions when you are creating your editorial calendar or reviewing one your agency sends you:
- Does this help a senior or their family at any stage of the decision-making process?
- If a family is uncertain about the type of care they need, will this information be useful?
- Is it a recurring seasonal topic that relates to aging or senior living? (i.e. flu shots in the fall or tips for Medicare open enrollment)
- Will this topic be helpful to a senior or their adult child influencer six months from now? A year from now? Or even longer?
- Does it allow an older adult or their children to self-educate?
- Will the reader walk away with a better understanding of a core component of senior living and the search for a community? (i.e. how to finance care or questions to ask on a community visit)
- Are you explaining or answering a question people often ask your sales team?
If you answered YES to any of these, the topic you are considering could probably fall in to the evergreen category.
One last tip we’d like to leave you with in regard to evergreen senior living content.
You’ll need to write about those topics again and again from a variety of different angles.
The goal should be to create a hub of content on these authoritative topics so that seniors, families, and the old Google machine recognizes you as an expert.
It can get to be a bit monotonous, but it’s important to keep at it. And to be creative in how you do so.
Shoot us a note if you have any questions….