Content is important only when it is worth referring back to. All content share the following features
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Purpose
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Timeline and
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Targeted Audience
Once any one among these it attained, the Content is useless. Meaning, it does not derives any value. So, when you are as a Blogger writing content, you need to understand the impact of all the three features, so as to optimize your blog posts. How? let’s see.
Purpose is pretty easy to attain. You already know what you are writing about. And in today’s world, we Smart Bloggers already know our targeted audience (Even then it is better to have a double check on these two features before you sit down writing). Finally, the most important aspect which also varies a lot as per writing is TIMELINE.
To put simply, the way your content is frame, it has a particular timeline. It could be by its nature (a news post, which won’t have any importance after sometime the event is done) or style (Your experience clearing Board Exams) etc. Now the purpose of this post is to dwell more into creating Content that have a large TIMELINE, so that it remains useful for a larger period. Let’s see how can we create Timeless Content.
Features of Timeless Content
So how do you go on to write timeless content? What defines it? How is it different from any other content? What measures I need to take? Can I make any content timeless? Let’s take these questions one by one.
Timeless Post do not only mean removing Dates
Writing timeless post and articles is an art. You cannot write any topic and consider it timeless. For Example, if you write on your sixteenth’s birthday party, it would cease its value after the party is over and a few days more. But if you write about the most exiting party of your life, which incidentally was also on your Sweet Sixteen Birthday, then it would definitely have a larger timeline. So get the point. Its more about Content representation than removing all occurrence of Dates from your Blog Layout.
A timeless post has a theme, which is represented in such a way that you are compel to read and connect to it, irrespective of the time. Although no posts can be exactly timeless, but you can definitely make the timeline of a post adding value long enough.
Look at the Bigger Picture
Looking at the bigger picture, taking a macro opinion, leaving minute details and taking the level higher always makes a post be more effective over time. When you insert details, which are small and change soon, chances are high that you would in quest for grabbing attention and personal touch, sacrifice the time span of the content.
Main Subject of the Post should not Disintegrate Quickly
Choose a topic, which is more general in nature, yet specific enough for you to maintain attention of your audience. Choose subjects which do not Disintegrate Quickly. A good idea would be General Tutorials, How-tos etc. Notice the word GENERAL here. Writing about experience of a Blogger using WordPress would be more useful than writing about the experience with respect to a particular version like say WordPress 2.7
Now comes the Make Part
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Remove Date from Post BYLINE
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Change Permalinks to not reflect YEAR and MONTH in it
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Get rid of CALENDAR
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Get rid of POST ARCHIVES. Rather maintain a list of Post group by categories
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If you need to put Current News and Site updates, use a plug in like Advance Category Excluder and remove it from Blog Front Page
Benefits of Timeless Content
- Your posts will be much more relevant for a longer time.
- Actually you will find the value of post increased as time progresses.
- People will link you with writing content that have a larger Value-Life (time until the content gives useful value) than others, giving you AUTHORITY STATUS in your niche.
- It will draw more traffic once you have a hang of writing it.
- More people will link to your content as they are comparatively more relevant due to their timeless nature (baring few exceptions).
When you should not try to “Write Timeless Content”
- Site updates and News from your Niche.
- Contests
- About day to day topics.
- Narrating a story.
- Sports and Events.
- Trips, Tours and Travel Experience.
When you should try to “Write Timeless Content”
- When you are addressing to your whole niche
- Explaining some Concept
- Posting Tutorials or How-tos etc.
I would like to hear your views on it. Do so via comments. Happy Valentine’s Day to you all..!!
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You’ve given me some useful insights – thanks!
I’ve written about timeless content and selling timeless products on my blog. It’s a great way to insure that your work doesn’t go to waste. Fads can be profitable, but you want your work to pay dividends for years.
[...] now as they were three or four years ago.Here’s a good explanation on how to write so your content is timeless.Post Length and ContentI highly recommend a post with at least 400 words with care taken to ensure [...]