It’s important not to rely on inspiration magically appearing every week. That’s why we’ve got your back if you want to create evergreen content systematically with a clear strategy.
You have the power to control your brand reputation, change opinions and inspire others to join your company or cause by simply using your phone. Would you dare to do that? Will you help your colleagues to tap into the world of content creation?
Content creation means sharing information which is important to you as a company and/or as a person to create a specific image in a way that helps you to reach your business and personal goals. But there are challenges in creating content.
Consistent content creation is one of the biggest challenges your Employee Ambassadors will face. Some people wait for inspiration to strike and find it doesn’t come. Because of this, it’s important to develop a routine that allows you to create content regularly, whether you feel inspired or not.
You might think that when you create posts in advance, they will be irrelevant in a few days or weeks, but there is a way to create evergreen content in bulk months in advance. How can you create evergreen content that stands the test of time? For example, a post about the new iPhone is not evergreen; a post about why people need to implement new information within 48 hours after training is evergreen for years to come.
Choose timeless topics. Instead of writing about the latest events, focus on fundamental principles that your readers will find helpful no matter what’s happening in the world. Create ‘How to’ guides providing practical tips and advice that your followers can apply in their daily work and personal lives.
Use stories. They make your content more engaging and memorable. Use anecdotes, examples, and case studies relevant to fundamental principles, not the latest trends. Write about your values and company culture, which will probably not change in months to come. Answer the FAQs that people ask you all the time about your industry, position or company, record a relevant tutorial or prepare an infographic. Here are some examples of what evergreen content can look like:
- Your questions answered: FAQs about customer experience in retail
- The banker’s ultimate guide to building a solid company culture
- The top three benefits of cloud accounting for B2B businesses
- Surprising hacks to optimise your headlines for more engagement
- Seven mistakes you’re making on LinkedIn that will ruin your employer brand
Creating evergreen content is a discipline that takes time and effort, but it’s worth it. We have clients who craft their content months in advance. They can create, on average, 10–20 high-quality pieces of evergreen content in a day. That accounts for 6 months of evergreen content you can mix with time-sensitive and trendy topics and events. This way, your Ambassadors will not stop because they lack new inspiration, ideas or motivation. They will always have a few pieces of content to pull from the drawer when they do not feel like creating.
When you do not teach your Ambassadors how to tap into the power of evergreen, there will be times when they tell you they do not want to post just for the sake of posting something and that they can’t think of anything to write. Weeks go by, and it is hard for them to start creating again. Try to think ahead and help them to understand how relieved they will be when a few posts are ready to be used, not time-sensitive and trendy for months to come.
Content creation is a habit, not a talent. Your Ambassadors must show up at least once a week, whether they feel inspired or not. Developing a consistent content creation routine is vital and will help them when their motivation inevitably slumps. As Elizabeth Gilbert, an author who has sold millions of books worldwide, says in her book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, perfectionism, originality and passion are overrated. Instead, we should strive to be authentic doers who follow our curiosity.
Ivana Brutenič and Kristína Cichý Kováčiková, are entrepreneurs, co-founders of SUNDAYFLIES, and authors of The Magic of Employee Influence.
