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4 articles with over 100,000 clicks - The power of evergreen posts

By
Home Builder with The Flooring Girl

Last week, I was thrilled to discover that I now have 4 articles with over 100,000 clicks.  Here they are:

 

 

 

 

This really shows the power of writing unique and evergreen content.  These articles consistently generate traffic (and calls, appointments) month after month.  Each of these generates around 3,500-5,500 clicks per month.

 

You'll notice that these were written 4-5 years ago, and yet they are still relevant today.  That is ahat evergreen content is all about.  It works every day of the year.  These articles are geared towards those who are looking to redo their floors soon (i.e. within 3 months).

 

Do I have more recent content that is doing well?  Of course.  Check out this article on 2016 hardwood flooring trends. It's current getting 8,000 clicks per month.  Or my 2nd highest for the month:  Dark vs light hardwood floors - what are the pros and cons?  This has over 6,000 clicks per month.

 

So what is the secret? 

 

Actually, there is no secret.  It's pretty straight forward.  Write unique, relevant content that is evergreen and epic.

 

That's it.

 

Step 1:  Listen to your customers and observe them.  What are their top questions?  What do they need to know?  What are their concerns?  This generally correlates to what they seach for on google.  Write down each topic.

 

Step 2:  Write epic content about that topic.  My goal is just to write one epic article per month.  (And from there, I hope that I will have 1 homerun for the year and 3-4 base hits...you can't always predict what will work well).  My top articles are generally 1000+ words.  Some are 2000-2,500 (and a few are 750 or so).  I write what's appropriate for the topic, not to fill up the page.  But, I try to choose meaty topics.

 

Step 3:  Add pictures and lots of white space.  Make sure paragraphs aren't too long.  Make sure you have a good outline.  (Actually, the outline is the 1st thing I do after the title.  Then, I write the article, one paragraph at a time...and not all at once).

 

Step 4:    Do some BASIC SEO.  Make sure title has key words and key words are toward the front. This is your most important thing.  If you care about long term search, it's more important to use the key words than to make it a catchy title (see my top performers above).  Make sure 1st and last lines incorporate your key words.  I'd advise you not to repeat the key words, especially in first line, but rather restate them.  This will generally help your readers and will probably help you with google, too.

 

Add in some alt tags for your pictures.  I generally use the header tags in the outline (i.e. the first line of the section).  This is a bonus tip.  This shows google what the article is about and guides your reader through.

 

Step 5:  Link back to key and relevant articles on your site/blog.  It's ideal to do some within the text (provided that they naturally flow) and you can also do some at the end.  (In many of mine, I'll have a section that says something like "related articles" and then 3-4 bullets at the end.

 

Step 6:  Include a strong call to action.

 

Step 7:  Publish.

 

Step 8:  Socially share (e.g FB, LI, Tw, G+, P, etc...whatever you use.).  If you haven't joined Viral Content Buzz or Copromote, do so today.  These are FREE services which allows others to share your content on social media (and you share theirs.

 

Step 9:  Try to backlink to your article.  Active Rain is a great place to do that.  Write another article on Active Rain and link back to your new article. (just as I did here).  Bonus:  Ideal to find other places to do the same thing (e.g realtytimes.com, huliq.com, guest post etc.

 

Later...3 to 6 months later

 

Step 10:  Go back and repeat steps 8 and 9 over time.  Look at your analytics and see what's doing well.  "Feed the strong."  Every 6-12 months I try to go back to my top 5 (and sometimes top 10 articles to see what I can do to make them stronger).  Add or update a paragraph add a picture or chart, add a video or something.  Can I write another article on Active Rain to link back to it.  How can I give it more energy?  How do I make sure it's up to date?

 

A big piece of advice:  One epic post will get you way further than 10 thin content posts.  In fact, it will probably get you way further than 100 thin posts.

 

I hope this is helpful.  Just my 2 cents for the day.  Sorry no pictures, but I have to run now as I have a busy week ahead. 

 

 

Comments (59)

Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Matt - LOL, I doubt it.

Sam - Hopefully, it will encourage others.

Sharon - Glad to hear that.

 

May 12, 2016 06:50 PM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Dana - Cool.  I'm so glad to hear that.

Melissa - You're welcome.

Ryan - Thx.  I'm very excited about it.

 

May 12, 2016 06:52 PM
Scott Seaton Jr. SLS Home Insp
SLS Home Inspections-Kankakee Will Iroquois Grundy Counties - Bourbonnais, IL
The Home Inspector With a Heart!

I will see what I can do to not screw this up. I usually use the wrong account and then have to cancel and start over. Need to get consistent with all of my accounts. 

May 12, 2016 08:44 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

Thanks for sharing this great advice! You are getting great results with your articles!

May 12, 2016 08:55 PM
Janis Borgueta
Newburgh, NY
Retired RE Salesperson

That is a lot of clicks!! Evergreen content is truly the best. The more you blog the more you learn that content and presentation is so important. MORE is not better, and quality wins every time.

May 12, 2016 09:07 PM
Dagny Eason
Dagny's Real Estate - Wilton, CT
Fairfield County CT, CDPE Homes For Sale and Condo

Great article Debbie - such useful advice.  Its very impressive to have 100,000 on 4 articles!

May 13, 2016 12:07 AM
David Alan Baker | Laveen & South Phoenix Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Phoenix - Laveen, AZ
Your local Expert

This is good stuff.  Looks like 2012 january was a good writting month.

May 13, 2016 01:57 AM
Greg Nino
RE/MAX Compass - Houston, TX
Houston, Texas

You've always been incredibly consistent with your work here on AR. I have to tell you I'm always surprised when I go back and view the stats of a post a few months or even years later. It's really telling. My all time high is 212857 for one post, but I won't post the link on your thread! 

May 13, 2016 02:01 AM
Debbie Gartner

Greg Nino That's awesome.  Feel free to add the link here.  (and thx for being respectful).  Let Carla Muss-Jacobs, Principal Broker/Owner know when you post. 


Was it the granite/countertop one you wrote?  Or was that someone else?

May 13, 2016 06:58 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED

I want to know . . . that's a boat load of clicks!  

May 13, 2016 05:33 AM
Susan McCall - - Compass Realty Solutions
Compass Realty Solutions - Portland, OR
Listing and Buyer's Agent

Debbie is so amazing not only here on Active Rain but her presence on the internet in general.  I took the time and clicked through her website. It was personal and professional as I am always trying to learn new stuff and have a client that just purchased a home with engineered floors.  Debbie's website has anything that you would need to know about flooring.  I have shared her articles before and will always come back here if I need more information.

May 13, 2016 02:05 AM
Jerry Newman
Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX
Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Debbie, That's so amazing and it gives encouragement for all of us to blog more unique, and quality content for our readers. I am working on writing some posts that are over 1000 words. You've set the standard for me to follow.

May 13, 2016 02:18 AM
Denise Hamlin, Broker/Owner
Cardinal Realty ~ 319-400-0268 - Iowa City, IA
Helping Happy Clients Make Smart Choices

Thanks for the "How To" Debbie. You really are a mine of information!

May 13, 2016 03:09 AM
Carla Muss-Jacobs, RETIRED
RETIRED / State License is Inactive - Portland, OR

And that should equate to clients!  

May 13, 2016 05:34 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Carla - Yes, indeed it does.  I get many appts due to this, and close a higher percent.  I have many reference my blog posts during the appointment.

May 13, 2016 06:56 AM
Marti Steele Kilby, CRS
Steele Group Realty - La Mesa, CA
Broker/Owner, San Diego, CA

Thanks Debbie.  I always appreciate your posts as they are well written and thoughtful...and obviously that has a big pay-off!  I'm going to go check on some of my posts...just curious to look at the numbers and see what I can do better.

May 13, 2016 10:20 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Debbie,

Those are great blogs. Good to know, there are a lot of fellow nerds out there, who want to know this stuff up front. I would buy from you, if you were closer.

May 13, 2016 01:19 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Great post showing your stats Deb. Once you post, there's another step to getting it out there & getting it seen.

May 16, 2016 04:43 AM
Julie A. Black
KAUAI DREAMS REALTY Kauai Real Property Specialist - Kapaa, HI
CLHMS, CRS, GRI, Realtor, Broker

Love this: Actually, there is no secret.  It's pretty straight forward.  Write unique, relevant content that is evergreen and epic.

There's never any secret.  It's always about doing.

May 16, 2016 05:07 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Julie - Exactly.  And, no short cuts.

Lyn - That's for sure.  Many here just post to AR and stop.

 

May 16, 2016 06:16 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Those are amazing numbers Debbie.  And you made me go and look.  I have a few with a quarter of that amount.

May 17, 2016 08:45 AM
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Tammy - Thx.  Yes, but yours are more targeted for your area.

May 17, 2016 08:52 AM