When it comes to content creation, one of the biggest questions I hear from clients is: Should I focus on evergreen content or trending topics? My answer? It depends on your goals.
Both types of content play an essential role in a well-rounded content strategy, but knowing when and how to use each can make all the difference in your visibility, engagement, and lead generation.
Here are the pros, cons, and how to strike the right balance to get the most out of your content efforts.
What is Evergreen Content?
Evergreen content is the gift that keeps on giving. It stays relevant over time, continuing to attract traffic and engagement months (or even years) after it’s published. Think of it like a well-crafted guide, a how-to article, or an FAQ page, something that remains useful regardless of what’s happening in the news or industry trends.
Benefits of Evergreen Content:
Long-Term Traffic & SEO Benefits
Evergreen content ranks well on search engines because it answers ongoing, high-demand questions. Once it gains traction, it can generate consistent organic traffic without requiring constant updates.
Positioning as an Authority
Creating in-depth, evergreen resources showcases your expertise and credibility. This is particularly important for thought leadership, personal branding, and client attraction.
Lead Generation & Sales Enablement
Because evergreen content remains relevant, it serves as an ongoing lead magnet. Whether it’s a blog post, a downloadable guide, or an educational video, it continues to nurture potential clients over time.
Repurposing Opportunities
Evergreen content is highly adaptable. You can turn a well-performing blog post into social media snippets, a video script, or even a webinar topic without it becoming outdated.
Drawbacks of Evergreen Content:
Slow to Gain Traction
Unlike trending topics that can go viral overnight, evergreen content typically takes time to build momentum. You won’t see an immediate spike in traffic.
Competitive & Harder to Rank
Because evergreen topics are timeless, everyone is writing about them. Standing out requires deep expertise, unique insights, and exceptional execution.
Needs Periodic Updates
Even evergreen content isn’t completely “set it and forget it.” SEO best practices evolve, statistics change, and industry norms shift. Regular check-ins are necessary to keep the content fresh.
What Are Trending Topics?
Trending topics are hot, timely discussions in your industry or society at large. These could be newsworthy events, viral trends, industry updates, or even pop culture moments that you leverage for quick engagement and visibility.
Benefits of Trending Content:
Immediate Visibility & Engagement
When you create content around what people are actively searching for, you tap into high interest and high engagement. If you hit the right trend at the right time, you can skyrocket your brand awareness.
Potential for Virality
Unlike evergreen content, trending content has a higher chance of going viral, especially if you’re one of the first to comment on a breaking news story or a hot industry shift.
SEO & Social Media Boosts
Trending topics often get priority on social platforms making it easier to reach a wider audience organically.
Positioning as an Industry Insider
Reacting to industry news quickly positions you as someone who is in the know. This is great for personal branding and thought leadership, especially if you add unique analysis or bold opinions.
Drawbacks of Trending Content:
Short Shelf Life
Trending topics fade fast. What’s relevant today may be forgotten in a week (or even a few hours).
Unpredictable ROI
While a trending post might get a ton of views, those visitors might not convert into leads or clients if the content isn’t aligned with your offerings.
Requires Speed & Agility
If you want to capitalize on trends, you have to be fast. Delayed reaction times can mean missing the wave entirely.
How to Balance Evergreen and Trending Content in Your Strategy
Now that we’ve covered the pros and cons, let’s talk about strategy because the truth is, you need both.
The key is knowing how to leverage each type of content to support your bigger business goals.
1. Start with Your Business Goals
Before deciding on content topics, ask yourself:
Am I focused on long-term visibility and SEO? → Prioritize evergreen content.
Do I need a quick boost in engagement or brand awareness? → Lean into trending topics.
Am I building personal authority and a loyal audience? → Use a mix of both.
2. Use the 80/20 Rule
A solid balance is 80% evergreen content and 20% trending topics. This ensures that most of your content has long-term value while leaving room for timely, high-engagement pieces.
3. Repurpose Trending Content into Evergreen Assets
When you jump on a trend, think about how you can turn that topic into an evergreen resource.
Example:
Trending Post: “How AI is Revolutionizing Sales in 2025”
Evergreen Spin: “The Ultimate Guide to Using AI for Sales Success"
4. Keep Evergreen Content Fresh
Update your evergreen content with new stats, trends, and insights to keep it ranking on Google and valuable to your audience.
5. Use Social Media for Real-Time Trends
Your blog and website are great for evergreen content, but social media is where trending topics thrive. Use LinkedIn, Instagram, or X (Twitter) to engage with trends quickly without having to write full articles.
6. Test & Analyze What Works Best for Your Audience
Use Google Analytics, LinkedIn analytics, and social insights to see which content drives the best engagement, conversions, and traffic. Adjust accordingly!
Your Content Should Serve Your Goals
At the end of the day, your content, whether evergreen or trending, needs to align with what you’re trying to achieve.
If your goal is long-term visibility, SEO, and consistent lead generation, focus on evergreen content as your foundation.
If you want to boost engagement, gain quick visibility, and position yourself as an industry leader, layer in trending topics strategically.
For my clients, I use both approaches to support their brand positioning, client attraction, and lead generation. It’s never just about creating content for the sake of it, it’s about creating content that works for your business.
What’s your next move? Will you invest in evergreen content, ride the wave of a trending topic, or find your perfect balance? Let’s talk about how I can help you craft a content strategy that delivers real results.
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