A white paper is an in-depth form of content that showcases a company’s leadership and expertise in a particular field. It presents research findings and analysis on a point of interest to a firm’s target market.
While white papers can be labour-intensive and costly to produce, they can also be a powerful sales and marketing tool. Here are some dos and don’ts for publishing a successful white paper:
Do your research
White papers present research and analysis to provide their readers insight and understanding. Sometimes this might be curated research, but often it is original quantitative or qualitative findings that may take many months to gather and collate.
Publishing authoritative white papers can differentiate your company as an expert in your industry. Many people will hand over their email address and other key information to access quality content. Therefore, doing your research is imperative; your white paper needs to be original, insightful and add real value.
Do tell a story
A common pitfall for white papers is to become very lengthy and dull to read. Storytelling can be an effective way of mitigating this and engaging an audience. For example, a case study approach can work well, presenting a problem, a solution, and the success story achieved. Introducing real people can also bring colour and interest to a piece. Verbatim quotes add new voices to the content and bring characters to life.
While white papers are information rich, they should not be text heavy. The adage a picture is worth a thousand words is very apt; graphs, diagrams, interactive media and quality graphic design can drive key messages home visually and powerfully.
Do consider how to present your white paper
How will your white paper be distributed? Will it sit on your website and be read online? Is it likely to be accessed via mobile devices? You may, for instance, need to engage a graphic designer and/or a web designer to create a mobile-friendly, interactive and visually appealing experience. Likewise, a copywriter or editor is also a worthwhile investment to ensure your messages come across loud and clear.
Your white paper will need supporting content to publicise it. This may take the form of a landing page, blog articles, customer emails, newsletters, social media posts and more. It’s worth considering how these channels will interact with, and promote, the white paper.
Don’t write without a clear purpose
A white paper is often a significant investment in time and effort; both in collecting data and in writing and designing the piece. Therefore, you need to be very intentional about what you’re writing about. It’s important to target a knowledge and content gap, rather than writing on a topic that has been written about many times before. The content’s primary purpose is to add value for your customers and prospects.
While white papers should not be overt sales pitches, many businesses may choose to indirectly make the case for their products, services or methodologies by exploring a problem that is common in their industry. A well-written introduction or executive summary should clearly present what the white paper is about (its purpose), and the benefit that the reader will get from engaging with it.
Don’t criticise the competition
The tone of your white paper should be neutral and authoritative. You will lose credibility – and look a bit desperate – if you take an opportunity to criticise your competition. The intent of the white paper should be to help the reader make informed decisions, rather than to self-promote; this approach builds trust and positive brand sentiment. From clear, confident communication comes understanding, leading to trust, engagement and ultimately to sales.
For help writing and editing your white papers, contact Caroline Roberts on 0404 960 908 or caroline@luminous-copy.com
Luminous Copy 