Keeping Content Evergreen by Displaying Updated or Last Modified Timestamp.

One of the biggest challenges for most website owners is developing and sustaining a content marketing strategy that is consistent and relevant.

Often times delivering website content becomes the goal rather than delivering relevant content that is engaging.

Most website content is often outdated no sooner than it goes live. However, more and more websites have committed to creating and sustaining the efforts to keep content evergreen.

One of the ways evergreen content is achieved is by displaying updated or last modified timestamps for each piece of content — see CNN image below.

Most website content will display the original published date. This is great when initially published and indexed by search engines, yet the publish date can actually work against content as time progresses.

Major search engines, especially Google, have long-conditioned searches to prefer content with current or near current dates, regardless of search ranking position.

But it’s not enough to display published and updated or last modified timestamps to classify content as “evergreen” or refreshed content — see and click the DNAcademy image below just by the text “By Michael Cyger…”.

The original rules of creating evergreen content for sound content marketing strategies certainly apply in addition to displaying updated or last-modified timestamps.

That stated many content creators have opted towards updating and lengthening their original content over the course of time while adding updated or last modified timestamps for each update — alerting search engines content has been refreshed in hopes of sustained or increased search ranking position.

As easy as it sounds to add and display updated or last modified timestamps for content, many content creators struggle through writing code, functions, and workarounds — oftentimes giving up altogether on displaying updated or last modified timestamps.

But no need to throw in the towel just yet! I’ve discovered an easy-to-use WordPress plugin, Last Modified Timestamp, that allows for displaying updated or last modified timestamps for content to readers and provides a fully integrated admin interface that’s easy to use too!

I invite you to watch this easy step-by-step video tutorial and learn how to install, configure, and use shortcode to produce a last modified timestamp for your content via a simple WordPress plugin.

Let me know if you have questions or comments.

That’s all for now!