The Content Spectrum
All content exists on a spectrum from ephemeral to evergreen.
Ephemeral: News, trends, hot takes. Valuable today, irrelevant tomorrow.
Evergreen: Principles, fundamentals, timeless insights. Valuable for years or decades.
Your knowledge library should skew heavily toward evergreen.
Identifying Evergreen Content
The 10-Year Test
Ask: "Will this be relevant in 10 years?"
- "React vs Vue in 2024" → Ephemeral
- "Principles of Good API Design" → Evergreen
Tools change. Principles persist.
The Novice Test
Ask: "Would I recommend this to someone just entering the field?"
If yes, it's likely foundational. Foundational content ages well.
The Republish Test
Ask: "Could this be republished without a date and still make sense?"
If removing the publication date breaks the content, it's time-bound.
Signs of Ephemeral Content
Watch for these red flags:
- Heavy focus on specific tools or versions
- References to "current" events or trends
- Headlines with years ("Best Practices for 2024")
- Comparison articles between specific products
- Hot takes on recent news
Signs of Evergreen Content
Look for these indicators:
- Focus on underlying principles
- Examples that transcend specific tools
- Written by practitioners with long track records
- Already proven valuable over time
- Addresses fundamental human/business challenges
Building an Evergreen Library
Core Categories
Every field has evergreen categories:
For developers: Data structures, algorithms, system design, clean code
For designers: Visual hierarchy, typography, color theory, user psychology
For marketers: Persuasion, copywriting, positioning, customer research
Start with the fundamentals of your field.
The 80/20 Rule
Aim for: 80% evergreen, 20% timely.
Some current content is necessary—you need to know what's happening now. But don't let it dominate your library.
The Long-Term Advantage
Investing in evergreen knowledge compounds. The principles you learn today will still apply in 10 years, while your peers are constantly relearning the latest trends.
Build for the long term.