Seasonal Keywords vs. Evergreen Keywords: How to Use Both for Maximum SEO Impact

Seasonal Keywords vs. Evergreen Keywords: How to Use Both for Maximum SEO Impact

Keywords are the backbone of SEO, helping search engines connect user queries with relevant content. Using them strategically on your website improves visibility and boosts rankings. But not all keywords perform the same way year-round. Some experience sudden spikes in popularity—think holiday sales or trending topics—while others maintain a steady search volume regardless of the season. This is the key difference when comparing seasonal keywords vs evergreen keywords.

Understanding how to leverage both is crucial for a well-rounded SEO strategy. Seasonal keywords help capture timely traffic, while evergreen keywords ensure long-term visibility. Today, I’ll break down what these keyword types are, their impact on SEO, and the best ways to use them together for sustained success.

What are Seasonal Keywords?

Just like any business experiencing fluctuations in popularity of their products or services, there are keywords or search terms that will experience sudden or periodic spikes in demand depending on events, holidays or trends, and even weather patterns. These seasonal keywords can be characterized by their inconsistent search volume throughout the year and usually increases in popularity in the most relevant timeframe.

Take for example the search term “noche buena”, a term used in the Philippines. This is used to refer to a “Christmas Eve Feast”, and sees little to no search queries throughout the year–but sees a sudden increase during the ber months and peaks at December.

Another example would be “flowers.” This search term is usually searched for throughout the year for a variety of reasons. However, it’s during February that we see a spike in search queries, a trend driven by Valentines day.

Based on the samples above, we can clearly see that seasonal keywords tend to follow a predictable pattern. This provides businesses an opportunity to create SEO campaigns ahead of time and gain website traffic.

Since seasonal keywords follow predictable trends, businesses can plan and optimize content in advance to capture peak traffic. It’s during the period of time where we see a natural spike in interest that businesses can take the opportunity to capture user traffic and maximize conversions when the keywords are actively being searched for.

Benefits of Targeting Seasonal Keywords

Some websites focus on year-round SEO strategies, but they often overlook the power of seasonal keywords. Seasonal keywords offer several advantages when used strategically:

• Visibility: Boosts brand awareness and reaches new customers.
• Conversion Rates: Drives more leads and sales during peak periods.
• Customer Engagement: Shows your brand stays relevant to seasonal trends.
• Content Freshness: Targeting seasonal trends encourages regular content posting, which signals to search engines that your site is active and relevant.

Downsides of Targeting Seasonal Keywords

Due to their short lifespans, seasonal keywords come with challenges that websites should also consider before using them:

• Lifespan: Relevance and traffic decline once the season is over.
• Unpredictable Trends: Some seasonal topics may not perform as expected, leading to wasted effort.
• Content Maintenance: Requires frequent blog post updates to stay relevant.
• Timing: Needs to be published in advance for search engines to index.

What Are Evergreen Keywords?

Just like evergreen trees that stay lush year-round, evergreen keywords maintain steady search interest, providing consistent traffic over time. Likewise, evergreen keywords are keywords that are considered sustainable and long lasting. These keywords are search terms that stay relevant and consistently gain traffic over time and remain relevant all year round.

In comparison to the seasonal keyword “noche buena”, the evergreen keyword “healthy recipes” is often searched throughout the year.  Unlike seasonal keywords, evergreen keywords tend to be information or content that provide continued value to users no matter the season. Looking at the sample below, It’s often characterized by consistent and stable demand over a long period of time.

Benefits of Targeting Evergreen Keywords

Evergreen keywords, being virtually without expiration, hold significant long-term SEO value precisely because of their relevance year-round. It’s able to provide the following advantages for your website:

• Consistent Traffic Drivers: Continues to attract visitors regardless of the season.
• Higher Search Rankings: Helps maintain long-term visibility in search results.
• Cost-Effective SEO: Generates ongoing traffic without requiring constant investment.
• Brand Authority: Establishes credibility and trust by providing lasting, informative content.

Downsides of Targeting Evergreen Keywords

Evergreen keywords are a powerful tool for long-term SEO success, but they come with challenges that businesses must address. The challenges of evergreen keywords include:

• High Competition: Can be difficult to rank for, especially for new or low-authority websites.
• Content Fatigue: Can feel repetitive or overdone if not approached creatively.
• Topic Limitations: Niche businesses may struggle to continuously generate fresh ideas for evergreen topics.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Requires periodic updates to remain accurate and aligned with SEO best practices.

Seasonal Keywords vs Evergreen Keywords: Which Works Best for my Website?

The smartest content strategy is to leverage both seasonal and evergreen keywords, as each plays a vital role in your website’s success.

Evergreen content builds long-term trust, strengthens SEO, and provides steady traffic. It allows businesses to create lasting value while maintaining a strong search presence. On the other hand, seasonal content captures short-term spikes in interest, helping brands stay relevant, engage audiences with timely trends, and drive immediate conversions.

Most marketers aim for a balanced mix, with some experts suggesting a 1:4 ratio—one seasonal piece for every four evergreen ones. However, the ideal approach depends on your goals, audience, and industry trends. A well-rounded content plan demonstrates expertise, meets user needs year-round, and attracts diverse readers to your business.

By combining evergreen and seasonal content, you maximize visibility, engagement, and conversions—ensuring your brand remains relevant today and well-positioned for the future.

How to Use Seasonal and Evergreen Keywords Together

To maximize your SEO strategy, you need the right balance between seasonal keywords vs. evergreen keywords. Here’s how to effectively integrate both:

1. Build a Balanced SEO Strategy with Both Keyword Types
2. Time Seasonal Content for Maximum Impact
3. Repurposing & Refreshing Seasonal Content for SEO Longevity
4. Using Internal Links to Boost SEO for Seasonal & Evergreen Pages

1. Build a Balanced SEO Strategy with Both Keyword Types

Creating a strong and well rounded SEO campaign includes a mix of both evergreen content for steady traffic and seasonal content for periodic boosts.

Does your business heavily rely on seasonal trends, or does buyer interest only spike occasionally? If seasonal trends drive most of your traffic, prioritizing timely, trend-based content will yield better results. On the other hand, if demand remains steady year-round with occasional peaks, focusing on evergreen content should be your main content strategy.

As for timing, it also depends on when seasonal trends would be most relevant to write and post about. For example, a cooking website might focus on evergreen keywords such as “healthy recipes” in other parts of the year, but create seasonal content like “healthy christmas recipes ” before December to attract seasonal interest.

2. Time Seasonal Content for Maximum Impact

Timing is key when using seasonal keywords. To get the most out of seasonal content:

• Publish early: Allow search engines time to index your content before peak periods.
• Analyze trends: Use tools like Google Trends to spot rising interest.
• Update past content: Refresh seasonal pages yearly instead of creating new ones

3. Repurposing & Refreshing Seasonal Content for SEO Longevity

Instead of creating new pages every year, re-use and refresh existing seasonal content to maintain its value. For example:

• Update dates in the title (“Best Noche Buena Ideas for 2024” → “Best Noche Buena Ideas for 2025”).
• Add new keywords and relevant updates to keep the content useful.
• Repurpose seasonal content into evergreen formats (e.g., turning “Best Halloween Costumes 2024” into “Timeless Halloween Costume Ideas”).

4. Using Internal Links to Boost SEO for Seasonal & Evergreen Pages

Internal links help build topical authority, and help search engines and users navigate between related content.

Use them to connect seasonal pages to evergreen ones, such as linking a Christmas gift guide to an evergreen gift-buying tips article, connecting a summer travel deals page to an evergreen travel budgeting guide, or adding links from evergreen content to seasonal pages when relevant to boost visibility.

By doing all this you’ll be able to utilize both seasonal keywords and evergreen keywords effectively.

Types of Seasonal Content to Write

Seasonal content comes in many forms, from holidays and events to breaking news and trending topics. Common examples include:

• Holidays – Christmas, Ramadan, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving
• Seasonal Events – Playoff season, summer vacations, general elections
• Limited-Time Events – Festivals, concerts, movie premieres, product launches
• Current Events & Trends – Celebrity news, viral stories, industry shifts
• Breaking News – Political, economic, and social updates

Industry-specific seasonal content is also valuable. A florist or photographer might focus on “Wedding Season” in May and June, while accountants can capitalize on “Tax Season.” Brands can also create content around niche industry trends or annual reports, though statistical content may become outdated over time. For example, data from 2023 may lose credibility by 2025.

Types of Evergreen Content to Write

Evergreen content provides lasting value by staying relevant over time. Common formats include:

• How-To Guides – Step-by-step tutorials that remain useful year-round
• Whitepapers & Case Studies – In-depth reports showcasing expertise and success stories
• Industry Analyses – Data-driven insights and long-term trends
• Product or Service Reviews – Timeless evaluations that help consumers make informed decisions
• Infographics & Presentations – Shareable visual content that educates and informs

Not sure if your content idea is evergreen? Ask yourself:

• Will this information still be relevant a year from now?
• Will readers find value in it anytime during the year?

If the answer is yes, it’s evergreen—offering long-term SEO benefits and sustained audience engagement.

Author’s Note: Need more help with your content strategy? Check out my complete content checklist to boost your SEO results.

Key Takeaway

When it comes to seasonal keywords vs evergreen keywords, the smartest SEO strategy isn’t choosing one over the other—it’s using both. Evergreen keywords are the backbone of any SEO-friendly website, keeping traffic steady over time. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore seasonal keywords. Timely, trending topics create short-term spikes in engagement and help you stay relevant.

Ultimately, a mix of both help your website maintain consistent search visibility throughout the year, while also capitalizing on any trends and events, bringing in even more traffic when it matters most.