Originally published April 7, 2022 , updated on January 17, 2023

Many businesses think that a white paper is a marketing tool reserved only for large corporations. We’re here to tell you otherwise. This is an exceptional format of content marketing that any business, big or small, can use. 

White papers are longer-length marketing documents that organisations distribute to potential customers. These documents are written in a very factual way and are informative. They showcase a business solution, product, or service in depth. Their ultimate goal is to drive a purchasing decision and are packed with facts and statistics. They use persuasive language and technical evidence. These documents are among the top 3 requested marketing documents by B2B buyers and are essential to driving purchases.

If you’re a small or medium-sized business, you can level the playing field against corporations with this content. But how can you ensure you do this correctly? Your best bet is to make use of white paper writing services. 

A content writing company will help you create leads. They will also drive sales by following the best practices for this format. This article will discuss some of the important dos and don’t of white paper creation. It will also show the benefits of using this powerful marketing device. 

White Paper Writing Services Dos and Don’ts

A content writing company understands that consumers want to feel empowered in making their purchasing decisions. White papers aim to build trust so that they can move the consumer through the purchase cycle. Content marketing professionals will follow these rules to get the best from your document so you can drive sales. 

Important Practices to Include in White Paper Marketing

Set the Right Tone and Know the Correct Style

White papers are formal, academic documents and need to be written as such. The typical tone of this content needs to be professional yet conversational. An agency will always ensure that the copy is written in the third person. This ensures it doesn’t sound like a sales pitch and is more educational. 

Other essential style elements are necessary for this formal format. An engaging headline and sub-headings are a must. The reader’s eye always skims information first, so these headlines need to be catchy and entice them to read more within the document. 

You should avoid long paragraphs. The use of too much text often puts off a consumer. Keeping the copy shorter and in digestible pieces is better. A content writing company will always aim to say more in fewer words, or they will know how to space content so that it entices the reader to engage. They will do this with well-placed lists in bullet point format, text boxes, and other tools that are useful for catching the eye of your next client.

Even though this document may be educating your audience about the technicalities of your brand, it’s best not to include technical jargon. The copy should be kept simple yet educational and engaging. 

Offer Clear Solutions and Answers 

You’ve probably read a couple of brochures in your lifetime. They’re always product-focused and sales-oriented by nature. A white paper, on the other hand, is quite different. Instead of trying to sell the product, it needs to educate the reader on a solution that the product solves. 

To do this, your content marketing agency will do research into your audience’s needs. It will discover the questions they are asking and the problems they face. The document will address these questions and problems by offering a clear path forward. The ideal solution for both you and your reader would be to engage with your product or service, which is exactly how an agency will do it.

White paper writers also follow the practice of adding an “about your company” section at the end of the paper. This is good practice to help consumers associate the information and solution with your brand. Another great approach is to include a copyright on your knowledge and contact details on the footer of every page. It helps you remain top of mind. 

Boost Your Credibility With Research

Facts from external sources and referenced sources will do a lot to make your content look credible. Do independent research to back up your claims and solutions in the piece. It will be best to cite your sources too. If consumers can see that the content doesn’t all come from one in-house source, they are more likely to trust the material. By extension, they’ll be more likely to trust your brand.

Use white paper writing services to ensure your facts are properly referenced. You’ll benefit from content development that places you as an industry authority. 

Add Designs to Make It Eye-Catching

Most people are instantly bored when they see long pieces of text. Too much text can be very daunting for your readers, and it’s likely they won’t read it at all. Make your white paper stand out with expert graphic designs. A designer can use pictures, colours, different sized fonts, and more to break up text and catch your reader’s eye. 

We recommend incorporating infographics, charts, and graphs for maximum impact. These work well to convey statistics and facts. You can make data more understandable with easy-to-read graphs that can engage your readers.

The best part about using a content writing company is that it offers writers and editors to expertly craft your text. Plus, it offers a team of skilled designers that can make your white paper look incredible.

Use White Papers as a Tool to Promote Lead Generation

Your white paper is a valuable piece of information for customers. Because your prospects are expecting to receive something of high value, you can ask for information in return. Use your content to entice readers to enter their contact information into a short form. This way, you can legally capture their data as a lead for future prospecting. 

White paper writing services can promote your document on your website with a good call to action strategy. For example, your landing page might include a small blurb on the content with a button that says, “sign up now to receive your free guide”. This is a great prompt to generate leads and offer consumers useful content. 

Find out more reasons why your business needs white papers to succeed. If you’re looking for a professional content marketing service to generate this useful document for your brand, you need Goodman Lantern. With our team of writers, editors and designers, we can create white papers for your business that set you apart from your competitors.

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