What Does it Mean to ‘Future-Proof’ Your Content?

Future-proofing content doesn’t mean having to predict future trends, but it does involve producing timeless content that will be as relevant in many years to come as it is today. But this is a lot easier said than done. It involves a lot of planning and research, however, if your goal is to have evergreen content that stands the test of time, then it’s worth the extra effort. So what does it mean to future-proof your content and how can you do it effectively?

What does ‘future-proofing’ mean?

Future-proofing content means that someone has created content in the knowledge that the information given or the topic it’s about won’t become obsolete in the future. Whether it be in the coming weeks, months or even years, future-proofed content will be as relevant in the future as it was the day it was published.

We know that you don’t have the advantage of a crystal ball, but future-proofing content is actually quite straightforward. But it’s important to keep in mind that not all pieces of content are going to be relevant forever, but the idea is to keep it as relevant as possible for as long as possible.

5 Tips for ‘future-proofing’ your content

Future-proofed content is ideal for businesses who have a wide range of topics and subjects to write about. It would also be perfect for companies who don’t have the luxury of time when it comes to content creation. Future-proofed content can be shared and re-shared months and even years after it’s been published, but it’s still of interest to your target audience in the present day. As an incredibly advantageous skill to have when it comes to content writing, here are a few tips for future-proofing the content you create, as and when needed.

1. Keep in mind that publishing your content is the first step in the process

Creating evergreen content has often been described as trying to look after and care for a new plant you’ve just bought. Of course, you want it to last and live for as long as possible and this is very much the same for the content you produce. But just as you can’t let your plant take care of itself, you can’t expect an audience to find and read your article just because you’ve taken the basic step of publishing it in the first place.

Let’s say, for example, that you published a post six months ago and it’s been doing extremely well since the day it went live: people are sharing it on social media, it’s doing well in the SERPs, it’s being found organically, it’s meeting most of your KPIs, bounce rate is low etc. It’s clear that you’ve done everything right from day one, but you may start noticing a downfall in the amount of traffic you get after that time because you haven’t optimised the page since the day it was published.

You need to make sure that, as times change, you update your content accordingly. For example, let’s say you’ve written a tax guide for first-time earners and you’ve cited information that was relevant two or three years ago, you can be sure that guidelines have changed since then. With this in mind, you should go back in and make the changes so it’s as up to date as possible. You should especially update your article if it’s performing well organically so as to maintain a professional, competitive edge.

2. Ensure your content is adaptable & anticipate future trends

As already touched upon, you’ll need to make sure your content can be adapted as easily and as quickly as possible. But then again, you don’t want to create just one type of content and nor do you want to stick to one content strategy, even if it seems to be working exceptionally-well for you.

Where your content has to be adaptable and versatile, so do you. This will help you to stay ahead of the game and predict future trends, possibly, before your competitors. Let’s say you’re helping to design a new website for a client, you need to keep in mind that what you create today might not be as on-trend in five years time, but the sole idea is to ensure the website design looks appealing and stylish for as long as possible.

Before designing a website, you should do some research about what websites will look like in five years time or the trends a website visitor will be looking for in the next few years. This way, you’ll be able to pitch a timeless design with a solid reason as to why you’ve chosen to go down that route. But you should still leave room for adaptation if and when the need for a refresh arises.

3. Have the mind-set of a journalist

When you’re a creative writer, thinking and writing like a journalist can seem a little out of your comfort zone. But if you’ve ever written a press release or anything of that sort of style, then you’re already halfway there. Writing like a journalist can be advantageous when it comes to future-proofing your content.

This is because journalists often do a lot of digging in order to get the scoop on the latest stories and this is something you’ll need to do if looking to produce content that remains on-trend for years to come. The idea is to be as engaged and as curious as possible when it comes to idea generation and this needs to be followed through when you come to sit down and write your first draft.

4. Keep your approach as diverse as possible

Being as diverse as possible when it comes to creating content is key to creating timeless articles and website copy. Producing future-proofed content is more than just creating varied content that’s simple and easy to put together. In fact, it’s a lot more complex than that. Let’s say, for example, that you published an eBook on behalf of a client or a very successful guide or article, then you could take snippets of information from that piece of content and use it to produce a long-form article. It’s important that you capitalise on successful content. Not only will this extend the life of the initial content piece you published, but it also helps to drive the success of your new piece. 

5. Determine your niche & stick to it

Before sitting down and creating any form of content, you need to establish and understand the niche. Whether you’re writing it for your own blog, your employer or your client, you need to make sure you’re writing specific, relevant content that’ll do well all-round.  This ensures that you’re hitting a clear and refined audience and that’s the foundation to a solid content strategy.

However, with a lot of things, you can’t always please everyone and so you’ll sometimes receive some negative feedback. Take this constructive criticism, if there is any, and edit your post accordingly. This shows you’re being receptive to your audience and proactive when it comes to suggestions they make in terms of improvements.

Kumo Digital is a highly-experienced digital marketing agency in the heart of Nottingham. We’re proud to serve clients all over the country. No matter the industry you work in, you’ll be able to count on our team of experts to catapult your business into the limelight, setting you apart from your competitors. For more information about how we can help you today, get in touch with a member of our specialist team – we’re always happy to hear from you.