What Is a White Paper in Marketing

The white paper is a very effective marketing tool. For this reason, it is worth considering incorporating it into your content strategy.

White Paper in Marketing

The white paper, also called e-book, is a guide based on the traditional model of paper guides (introduction, chapters, references, conclusion).

It deals with a specific theme in a more or less exhaustive way depending on the objective.

Companies implementing an inbound marketing strategy use it almost systematically.

Designing a white paper has many advantages for a business.

Why Write a White Paper?

The white paper or e-book is a conversion marketing tool with two fundamental objectives, which are: to inform and to generate leads.

One does not go without the other, be careful not to fall into the trap of approximation when it comes to writing the content of your white paper .

If your main goal is to collect email addresses with an attractive ebook offer , remember that to keep qualitative leads, you will need to bring real added value.

Writing a quality ebook, which will testify to your expertise and make you gain notoriety, requires some care.

White Paper Structure: Steps to Create a White Paper

Creating a white paper requires some skill.

Here’s how to create a white paper and increase your revenue.

1) Preparation of your guide

The stage of preparing your white paper is essential in order to be able to organize your ideas and be able to design a reference work in your field.

You will have to:

  • Identify for whom you are writing this book,
  • Define what you’re going to talk about. Highlight the issues of your audience, around several central questions, which you will answer,
  • Determine how the subject will be approached. Go for popularization with quality content, neither too simple nor too complex; use precise and adapted terms,
  • Decide how the different parts of your book will be organized.

It is only after this that the drafting work can begin.

2) Write your white paper

For this phase, you will be able to work alone, in collaboration with experts or to call on an external service provider: the freelance writer.

Each section of your book will focus on a specific point and the writing of your thematic guide can be broken down as follows:

  • An introduction: its purpose is to arouse interest; it will contain a catchphrase and open reading to the discovery of the contents.
  • Several thematic chapters: each will provide a presentation of the subject addressed and possible solutions to remedy it. A brief summary of the key concepts will be offered at the end of each chapter.
  • A conclusion. Here, you will get the reader to contact you, thanks to a quick presentation of your offer in relation to the issues raised.
  • The availability of documentary sources (bibliography, links to institutional sites or articles, etc.).

Once this work is done, you will have an effort at the layout. Software such as InDesign is highly recommended for truly professional rendering.

Now you’re ready to publish your white paper online!

Create a dedicated landing page and don’t forget to take care of the presentation of the form to encourage your prospects to complete it and be able to collect valuable information.

To distribute your white paper, integrate redirection buttons, or call-to-action, at various strategic places on your website (which will also allow you to retrieve the contact information of your leads).

Also, promote it in your newsletter and on your social networks.

Similar Posts