How to create evergreen content that performs well on organic search and Google Discover

Evergreen content is the cornerstone of any successful long-term content strategy, offering lasting value to readers as well as consistent traffic from the search results.

Creating content that stands the test of time but also appears on platforms like Google Discover has become increasingly important for publishers and content creators who want to get more bang for their buck.

Google’s personalised content feed, which appears on mobile devices and in the Google app, offers a unique opportunity for content creators to reach their target audience in mass.

Here’s how TRAFCK would optimise your content for both organic search and Google Discover.

Understanding Google Discover

First off, you must understand Google Discover as a platform.

Google Discover is a content recommendation engine that uses artificial intelligence to present users with articles, videos, and other content based on their interests and search history.

Unlike traditional search, Discover proactively suggests content to users without requiring them to enter a query.

What content has worked before? Choose the right topics and keywords

We recommend you start here.

From a Google Discover perspective, identify content types – topics and themes – that have worked before and lean into them.

You can do this by diving into your analytics on Google Search Console and finding topics and themes that have previously resonated on the platform.

From an organic search perspective, select evergreen topics that have consistent search over time but also fit under the content types that have worked for your domain on Discover.

Use keyword research tools to identify evergreen keywords with stable search volumes. 

Focus on topics that will remain relevant for years, such as ‘how-to’ guides, reviews, and comprehensive overviews.

To give you a couple of examples, if you’ve seen success with wine content on Google Discover you could try evergreen content such as: How can you tell if wine is corked? 15 wine questions answered.

Reviews are great examples of content that can work on organic search and Google Discover.

So, if you’ve seen success with running content before you could try evergreen content such as: 7 best Hoka running shoes – tried and tested.

While Google Discover prefers timely content, evergreen articles that deliver long-lasting value can consistently perform well.

Focus on quality and relevance

The foundation of successful content on Google Discover is its quality and relevance to users’ interests.

TRAFCK recommend you double down on creating niche, evergreen content that provides ongoing relevance to your audience.

Create content that provides valuable insights, solves problems, or entertains your target audience.

Implement E-E-A-T

Google emphasises the importance of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) in content creation.

Four tips for producing content baked with E-E-A-T include:

1) Provide original information, reporting, or analysis
2) Clearly source your information and demonstrate expertise
3) Include author bios and background information about your site
4) Create content that benefits your intended audience

Optimise headlines and off-platform images

Crafting compelling headlines that entice users to click and explore your content further is key on Google Discover.

Try to create a curiosity gap by using intriguing language or questions to capture interest.

However, avoid clickbait tactics, as they violate Google Discover guidelines.

Off-platform images also play an important role in increasing click-through-rate.

Images need to be large and high-resolution (at least 1200px wide) and have a ratio of 16:9 (TRAFCK recommend using images that are 1920 x 1080).

You also need to enable the Max Image Preview meta tag.

Use Structured Data

Implement schema markup to provide additional context about your content.

Structured data types such as Article, NewsArticle, and VideoObject can help Google better understand your content.

Refresh and update content

Regularly update your evergreen content to maintain its relevance and freshness. This practice can help reinvigorate traffic from Google Discover and keep your content current.

Technical considerations

Core Web Vitals

Currently around 60% of articles in the Discover feed are AMP-enabled.

While we wouldn’t recommend enabling AMP, we would recommend you optimise your Core Web Vitals.

Optimise page speed

Fast-loading pages are crucial for success in Google Discover. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify and resolve performance issues.