Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: What if I told you that a single piece of content you create today could still be bringing you brand new leads months from now without ever having to touch it again?
We're not talking about putting any money behind an ad or boosting posts on social media, just well made pieces of content sitting out there on the Internet working for you while you're in client meetings, on the golf course, or even when you're fast asleep.
[00:00:21] Speaker B: That's the opportunity that evergreen content provides. So today we're going to break down exactly why it matters more for agents and advisors than almost any other business profession right now. But most importantly, how you can actually start creating it.
[00:00:33] Speaker A: This week we'll also talk about the one mistake we see people making constantly with AI that's actually killing their personal brand online and what to do instead. I'm David Belleville.
[00:00:44] Speaker B: And I'm Jo Barker and this is the Amerilife Marketing Mentors podcast.
[00:00:53] Speaker A: All right, Jo, let's set the table. Whenever you hear about evergreen content, especially when it pertains to our audience of agents and advisors who are running a book of business, what comes to mind for you? Let's put a definition out there.
[00:01:06] Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. So evergreen content is that content that, that can live and doesn't need to be updated because the, the, the information that's within that content isn't going to change. And so what's great about it is you can put it out there on your website, on social media, you can make it a cornerstone page on your website and you know this is going to live and this has a long lifeline to it compared to other things like digital marketing in 2026 where you know it has an expiration date because you know in 2027 that needs to be updated, just keeps living.
[00:01:35] Speaker A: Yeah. And we'll talk more about like tactics like that where you can go back and keep updating evergreen content so it continues to work for you as time goes on. But it's not just website content, although that matters a lot here for this conversation. What are some other format types that we could talk about when it comes to evergreen content?
[00:01:55] Speaker B: Well, I think you can, you can take that content that you're putting on your website or really anywhere and you can put it into all the different forums. So when you think about evergreen content, it, yes, it is website content. You can utilize that on social media. You can utilize it as value, add into your email marketing. Really it can go anywhere and everywhere. If you wanted to put it on that content in digital market or in direct mail, you could do that it's just content that is, that is a solid base. And again, it doesn't change. And so it just has a very, very long lifespan and it can stay out there for a long time and represent and answer questions for you within your industry.
[00:02:28] Speaker A: And you just said it, it doesn't change. But we should make sure to define that more specifically because this is in contrast to trending content.
So you know, when we're here giving content strategies and talking to you about what can perform best for your audience, there are a few different schools of thought, some that are more timely and tied to current events and others that we're talking about today that can have a long shelf life. So there is a difference and it's important to differentiate those two. And anytime we talk about content, Jo, it's important that we also bring up personal branding. And so when we're talking especially about content that other agents and advisors might also be producing, how can our audience make sure that they're not blending in when they're creating this type of content?
[00:03:15] Speaker B: Yeah, I think this is where the elevator pitch comes in. So the things that, that you set yourself apart and when you're talking to somebody and what makes you different from the person you know who may be selling the same products as you down the street. And those are the things that can be become evergreen.
Your history, your education, those type of things that explain who you are and what makes different. So you can look at it from a personal difference of this is who I am and this is how I'm different. Business wise, this is who we are and this is what makes us different than the competitor next door. And then you're also going to want to have that evergreen content that's in there that other people do have, such as answering the basic questions, you know, where the, where the answer doesn't change. So what is Medicare? That answer remains the same. And you can put that information out there because if people are learning about or want to find that answer, they go there and then they can learn who you are and they, they don't have to leave your site or wherever it is that they're checking you out on.
[00:04:08] Speaker A: And those questions matter. They're the most frequently asked questions and that's what makes them evergreen. But you said it yourself, make sure that you're adding your own experience and your own perspective. So when it comes to creating evergreen content, it's not just industry related. You had just mentioned you yourself, your own stories, those aren't changing either. And so that's another example of of evergreen content that will pair really nicely with your industry explainers and breaking down those complex topics like what is Medicare?
[00:04:38] Speaker B: There's also stories you can bring in. So you know, as you have experiences and you want to share stories about how you helped somebody or things like that, those can become evergreen content because it's not going to change once you have that story.
You know, you're probably going to remove certain names or you know, just change certain things to it. But really that has a long lifeline. So putting out those stories and putting them on your site, wherever it may be, those can last a really long time and you can come back and keep reusing them. So that's, those are other things to think about where you can constantly be making those evergreen content pieces.
[00:05:09] Speaker A: And those specific types of content are something that AI can't replicate. So let's bring AI into the picture here because when we talk about creating evergreen content and generating content ideas, AI can be a tool, a companion that makes that process more efficient. But we're talking about how not to blend in with your competition. So are there any tactics or strategies to keep in mind if you're using AI to find some of this type of content?
[00:05:37] Speaker B: Well, I think, you know, look at your area of where it is that you live, that's something that can set you apart. So where other people may be talking about a wider scope or not even bringing in their local area, bringing your local area, if you're doing every Thursday meetings at the library and you have the name of that library, bring that in. That all helps AI and, and really helps everybody in general know where you specialize. Um, don't be afraid to, to go out into your community and bring in those pieces into the community and drop in those little, you know, gold nuggets into your content. And that's what really helps as like people in your area are looking for something near me. That's what really helps bring that into play and, and bring your content kind of to the surface.
[00:06:18] Speaker A: So now that we understand what evergreen content is and what it shouldn't be, when you bring in AI and your personal brand or why wouldn't you be creating content that works for months or years? It kind of seems like a no brainer once you put it in those terms. Posting something with a 48 hour shelf life versus something that can live out there indefinitely, it just starts to make sense. And I think Jo, a lot of the reasons that people might not see the value in it is because there isn't necessarily an immediate payoff. So can you talk about the mindset for our audience out there? It's not something that you can just post and immediately start benefiting from more times than not.
[00:06:56] Speaker B: No, I think it's the foundation. So really it's what builds your foundation of your content. So you have those pieces like we mentioned, either your personal brand or your business brand, you have those pieces that set you apart. So creating that content and using it as your foundation of your content now. And keep in mind, if you're creating one, say it's an ebook about who you are or a guide about working with you that within that one piece of evergreen content, you can pull out paragraphs or sections of that content and create other content. But really it is the foundation of who you are. And then anything that happens throughout the year that's more timely then sharing that, you know, those are those things that you want to have both you want to be able to have your foundation and then on top of it, put your timely pieces with it, knowing that you're going to have to keep doing the timely pieces. And like I said, as you have experiences that that are impactful, that's where you want to create more evergreen pieces around them and be able to share, you know as much as you can. Both evergreen and timely.
[00:07:54] Speaker A: Yeah. What you're talking about is a holistic approach to creating content and you're giving your audience multiple opportunities to find you. One great benefit of evergreen content is that it serves a lot of those SEO purposes or discoverability purposes in which people are searching for that type of content and then the goal is for your brand to surface when audience is making that inquiry. Trending topics usually just keep you top of mind. You might get ranked higher with the algorithm, you might show up on people for you pages, but that's kind of the difference in tactics. Of course, trending topics can also help you get discovered, but evergreen content will allow you to get discovered for months on end. So Jo, let's talk about the why now? Why does this conversation matter and how can evergreen content benefit agents and advisors? We're kind of talking about it right now. For the long haul, what are some of the perks that come with this?
[00:08:51] Speaker B: Well, it gives you content that you can keep reusing. And so if you get to a point, say a year or two for now, that content's probably still valid. Even if you have to adjust one or two things, it's still valid and you just go back to your base. So it's really when I mentioned the foundation, it's who you are and you can always keep bringing it back and reminding people. So when people are seeing you on social media or other channels, they're not going back through your whole history to go back and read all of it and to see everything. It's at that point in time. And so you want to keep resurfacing that evergreen content. So then that way when they are searching or when they are on your site, it's right there and it's not two years old. So those are the type of things that you want to think about. And in my opinion, you can't repeat your messaging. And what makes you different enough. Yeah, it's constantly putting it out there to the point where people remember it. And, you know, it's the frequency of people seeing something and. And it's the same messaging coming across, and that's how people remember you. So that evergreen, it is the. It's your foundation. It's what you should be looking at and figuring out, how can I keep reutilizing this in a way that will make. Make this memorable for when people hear it, they know it's me.
[00:10:02] Speaker A: That is such an interesting point, because when you're publishing content, you have to assume that only a certain percentage of your audience will see that content. So if you're telling yourself, well, I just posted about the three pitfalls to avoid when picking a Medicare plan two weeks ago, I shouldn't, I shouldn't post something like that again, only a certain subsection of your audience probably was served that piece of content. So to your point, it's okay to repeat those topics, A, because you're not capturing your entire audience with every post. But B, that also adds to your authority in the industry. If you post about a certain topic enough, you might start establishing yourself as a thought leader in that industry.
[00:10:46] Speaker B: Yeah. Depending on the platform, that's really where you want to know the different platforms and you want to understand how they each work. So Facebook's a perfect example. It's no longer about who you're friends with, because the majority of everyone's feeds now is being overtaken by content that the platform believes that you want to see. And so to your point, you could put out a piece of content and only 5% of your actual friends and family or local audiences actually seeing it. And you could be hitting people who you didn't even realize that, you know, could see it.
[00:11:15] Speaker A: Where?
[00:11:15] Speaker B: On LinkedIn. LinkedIn's a little bit different. You know, LinkedIn is. Is known right now for delivering content that's two to three weeks old. Yeah, so you're seeing outdated content. So if people have an event, you're seeing that get recycled two to three weeks later on a consistent basis. So that's where really just understanding the cadence and how each of the platforms currently is working is going to be in your benefit. So to the point you Facebook is more real time and so is, you know, some of those other channels like TikTok and those. Actually TikTok recycles a lot too, but that's where you really want to look at it and you want to see, okay, how often can I put this out here to where you're hitting frequency but you're not hitting fatigue. That is like that, that sweet spot you have to find and you'll know it by the impressions. So not necessarily how many people like it or how many people comment in the beginning, it's going to be on the impression share because if the platform believes it's valuable, it's going to keep sharing it with others. So you'll see that impression share go up.
[00:12:10] Speaker A: Great advice, Jo.
We're kind of starting to talk about it now. When we're actually creating evergreen content, whether it's a blog, an article, a social media graphic or a video, what advice would you give an agent or advisor who's listening to this conversation today? If they were just getting started out creating this type of content, where are they starting?
[00:12:32] Speaker B: I think I mentioned it earlier. If it was me, I would be starting with my elevator pitch. So that way it's not too overwhelming and it gives me just a base
[00:12:39] Speaker A: of where to start.
[00:12:40] Speaker B: So I would start with the. If, you know, if I had one minute to explain what makes me different or what makes my business different, it would be taking those talking points and getting that on paper from there. It's expanding off of that. So instead of the elevator pitch, okay, well, now I have time for a full pitch, so maybe this is a little bit longer form and let me put out there exactly what makes me different and from everywhere, from maybe my history to how I got to where I am today, to the business where it started, where it is now, what we specialize in, why we are so good compared to others.
Those are the type of things that, that you could easily start with and you don't need to look anything up because you know it, it's your history.
So I think if you start there and then you really need to look at the, your industry and what are those frequently asked questions that are the basics. So it's almost going back to the one on ones Getting your take and giving the answer and also putting your 2 cents on top of it. Those are things that you'll be able to keep reutilizing.
[00:13:35] Speaker A: And that one, on one level, content, I feel like if you're an expert in your field, you might take it for granted. And it's something that we talk about too. Being in marketing, we're in this every single day. We're using the lingo, we're talking about best practices. It is our everyday life. And so for our audience of agents and advisors, it's the same thing they are in their industry every day, pouring over the different policies and regulations and what their clients need to know.
It can be a trap to watch out for that. That 101 level content doesn't start to matter because everybody's finding you at different stages of the discovery process. They might just now be starting to learn about an annuity or just now be starting to think about retirement. So just something else to keep in mind as we have this conversation here today.
So, Jo, you're licensed. You've been doing marketing in this industry for nearly a decade. We talked about some FAQs and the personal story. Is there any specific topics that you've seen work really well? When it comes to evergreen topics in
[00:14:42] Speaker B: our industry, the basics always work. And so when people are trying to find out something new for the very first time, they ask the basic questions. And I think to your point that you just made it a minute ago about, about how we live in this life every single day and sometimes we forget that the basics is really what is most important. And I'll give an example. I recently was at an event and I was talking about SEO, aeo, geo, and I, I realized as I was talking, you could tell there was a lot of confusion and they weren't really sure what I was talking about. So I went back to the beginning and I was like, does everybody here. I assumed everybody knew what SEO meant and I was like, does everybody here know what SEO stands for? And I think one person raised their hand and then it clicked and I was like, oh, that's such a great reminder that I just assume AEO and GEO are new and forget that just because SEO has been around for a long time, if you're not in marketing, you probably aren't paying much attention to it unless it or you could be hiring someone that's doing it for you.
So I think that's where for anybody who's in the Medicare life or annuity business, we have to remember that, you know, if you're selling life insurance, you just. Because we know what term is versus whole life. Like they don't, our consumers don't, they don't understand the differences and sometimes they're just looking at the price and they just want to see what it's going to cost, not necessarily what's going to be best for them in the long run. And so just putting out the basics in there of the different types of life insurance, the different types of Medicare, from original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, part A, part B, part C, part D. I mean, we live in this and we know this, but our audience has no idea what we're talking about when you know when we are.
If we come out and just start using the lingo. Same thing with annuities. You know, when you hear the multi year guaranteed annuity, you know, like people don't know, even though we are out there talking about it, you have to go back to the basics. So it really is pretending like you're sitting down with somebody for the very first time and just imagine they know nothing. So you want to explain it from the very beginning and then you can get more advanced. Because if people want to keep learning, then you're giving them the opportunity to keep learning. You're still going to have the, the timely pieces of content that will come on top of there based off of like current rates from which carriers and what products are out there. Those come in and those are those timely pieces. But the evergreen ones is really just answering the basics.
[00:17:01] Speaker A: Yeah, and that's kind of the theme here, is always going back to the basics for your audience. And that too will shorten the sales cycle. If you're doing a bulk of that education right now, during that first phone call, think about if they're already warmed up enough and they, they have a general understanding of what your knowledge level is, how you explain these complex topics and what you can bring to the table to make them feel like they're making a sound decision for them and their family.
So there is a real business outcome that can be reached here. And if it's simply just shortening that sales cycle, that's one thing. But you're also putting yourself out there when people are searching for that type of help as well.
So let's bring AI back into the mix. Jo, we've talked about what not to do with AI. You don't want to sound like everybody else. And we talk about AI best practices. We've talked about it a lot on this show. If I was using AI to start generating specific content Ideas, whether that be, you know, help with annuity content, retirement, life insurance, what have you, what kind of a prompt formula would you be putting into AI?
[00:18:09] Speaker B: So I think you can use AI on a couple of different avenues. You can use it to help set up your personal story and so you could tell AI.
You know, I act as a content specialist and I'm trying to create a evergreen piece about what makes me and my company different. I need you to interview me by asking me one question at a time that will help build an evergreen piece of content. And you could say this all to AI. That will help build an evergreen piece of content that sets me apart from anybody else in my industry.
And that way as. And you could even put it to where you're doing voice so that way you're not having to type as much, which is what I would do. I would set it to where I could speak every question that it asked me. I would answer it back and, and let it continue to ask me questions until it feels confident that it has enough information to help me draft a piece of content. From there, it's taking that content and it's making it your own. And so from there it's, it's reading it, it's reading it out loud. And if it doesn't sound like something you would write, it's changing it and it's editing it to where it truly sounds like you. And then you have a piece of gold there. It's your history and AI helped you create it. Same thing with going to the basics. You can easily go into AI and you can again ask it to act as a content specialist and ask it to find those frequently asked questions that people are asking when they are new to annuity or new to life insurance and that you're trying to help them. And again, ask you one question at a time.
And you can even ask it to give you, give you the, you know, the, some of the answers to it so you don't have to come up with it all yourself. You can say, go ahead and give me some talking points, and then that way you can write it back your way.
One of the things that I absolutely love to do is I like to get inspiration from AI and ideas for videos that I can go and then create myself. But it gives me some talking points that I know. Okay, well, I can say that and I'm going to bring that in because I like the way that was said.
But I'm never just reading it word for word. I'm making sure that I'm making it My own.
[00:20:07] Speaker A: Sure. We also talked about too, being able to hit the same point multiple times, drive those points home if they're frequently asked questions. And you can also use AI to come up with a variety of ways to present that same content. So if you've had a successful Facebook post, feed that into your favorite AI platform, tell them that this was a successful post and you want to replicate it. Provide me 10 different examples of this one post that I could share. Jo, as we start to wrap up this conversation today, we've talked a lot about how to use evergreen content as a discovery tool specifically for traditional search. And now with AI, frequently asked questions are important for AEO purposes, I.e. answer engine optimization.
So when we think about framing this content, putting it in the form of a question is also a best practice these days. Correct. Is there anything that you can elaborate on on that?
[00:21:02] Speaker B: Yes. Putting in the form of a question so you actually putting the question out there and then just giving the answer directly. So it's kind of like killing out all the fluff. So a lot of the times we used to dress it up and we used to try to get content to be so long and we would need so many minimum keywords or, or word count, that's gone now. People just want the answer. So those frequently asked questions give the answer, just come right back and answer the question. You don't need to add a bunch of filler in there as long as you're providing the value and you're answering the other thing that is great practice is answer the question and then give them the next question and answer that they're probably going to be asking next. So if you know that people who ask this question also ask this, that's where you're providing the value in saying, hey, here's the answer to your question. By the way, if you're asking about this, you're probably going to want to know about this also. So let me go ahead and just go above and beyond and give you both, both answers now. And that's really where you can take your content to the next level. And AI loves that because not only are you answering the question, you're going above and beyond to provide more value.
[00:22:03] Speaker A: And that's what we're talking about here today. Evergreen content can benefit you in so many different channels, whether that be traditional search or AI. Social media is increasingly being used as a search engine as well. So if you have evergreen content peppered across your website, your social media channels, you have video content and you've been engaging online, then you're giving yourself a pretty good shot to, to enter your market and be discovered within your market. So let's put all this together. Jo Evergreen, Content is the opposite of trending content.
It's a long game strategy. You create it once and if done right, you can benefit indefinitely. But it must sound like you include your own perspective and answer questions that people are actually asking. That's how you tracked organic leads without spending a single ad dollar. Jo, final thoughts today.
[00:22:56] Speaker B: Content's still king. Gotta remember that you've gotta be producing the content, getting out there, putting your own spin on things, giving your own opinions on things, and, you know, putting, putting it in your own words. And content is still owning everything, whether that's video content or, you know, written content. Content still king.
[00:23:13] Speaker A: Yeah. And if you have three topics that you know you're an expert in, then that's your assignment this week. Create three posts around those topics and just get the ball rolling.
Otherwise, that's a wrap for us today. Jo, on this episode, as always, you made this a simple, easy conversation to have. So it's good to be back behind the desk with you and talking marketing.
Next week, we are getting into more content marketing, so be sure to follow along wherever you get your podcast or follow us on YouTube if you're there. And if you think a colleague of yours would benefit from hearing this episode, be sure to share with them. For David Belleville, that's Jo Barker and this is the Amerilife Marketing Mentors.
