A white paper is what makes your business stand out from the rest. A white paper will help you, the entrepreneur or small business owner, stay ahead of your competition by effectively communicating with potential customers through creating a high-level document that gives information on how to solve their problems economically.
What’s a white paper? And why should you create one? Here are the top 10 reasons why:
Reason #1: White paper marketing helps you develop credibility and trust with your audience.
A white paper can be a great introduction to your company’s personality, showcasing who you are and what makes your business unique and exciting. When done correctly, this document will also offer some level of proof that you understand what you’re talking about — even if it only gives the reader more confidence in their decision to contact you for further information.
Reason #2: White paper writing helps you rank higher in search results.
Including relevant keywords and phrases throughout a white paper can improve your business’s ranking when potential customers perform a web search to learn more about the services you offer. Once they find your website or landing page, this document can convince them to stay and provide their contact information in exchange for more information on how your product or service can solve their specific problem.
Reason #3: Whitepaper attracts links from other websites, which helps with SEO Results (SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization).
A link is just what it sounds like — a connection between two websites that allows each site to direct traffic towards the other. The sites linked together don’t have to be directly related; as long as both sites help solve a problem, they can be connected by a link. That’s why you need to include links throughout your white paper; other areas will be more likely to mention the document on their websites if they think it contains valuable information that their readers will find helpful.
Reason #4: It creates social media buzz and helps with online marketing campaigns.
HTML5 is the markup language used in web pages and documents published on the internet today — what we know as “the internet” — while PDF refers to Adobe Acrobat Portable Data Format files (files you typically download and read). Think of HTML5 files like movies: The same movie file can be accessed from multiple sources but looks different depending on which device is being used to view it. The HTML5 version looks great in a browser, while the PDF version is more printer-friendly.
Reason #5: White papers also give your business a chance to reach a new audience.
Suppose potential customers are looking specifically for white papers when doing their own research rather than reaching out to you directly. In that case, it can be valuable to publish one relevant to the topic at hand and then submit it to websites that host white papers, libraries or databases online.
Reason #6: It can provide helpful information to people who are new to your industry.
Even if you’re only writing a white paper, you want to create some buzz around your business. It can’t hurt to include some additional content that provides basic information about the market you operate in and what makes your company unique within it. This kind of “beginner’s guide” isn’t essential but could be an excellent way of communicating with potential customers who need more time or information before they feel comfortable doing business with you.
Reason #7: It can help you identify your customers' pain points and show how your product or service solves those problems.
To turn your customers into raving fans, you need to emphasize what makes them unique and different from other companies that offer similar services or products. By recognizing their pain points and explaining how your company can solve those problems, you can show potential clients exactly why they should work with you.
Reason #8: White papers typically include a call to action, giving people a reason to take the next step forward in the sales process.
White paper writing is an excellent exercise for working out which communication methods resonate best with your target audience. It requires clear, concise communication about what your business does, as well as an explanation of why those insights are valuable to readers now or might be helpful in the future. Use a poster maker or infographic maker to make your white paper more visual. Once you’ve completed this document, you can figure out which communication methods work best and use them in your other marketing efforts.
Reason #9: Find your white paper meaning and get early feedback on new ideas for products or services.
Not only is white paper writing an excellent way to ensure that all of the relevant information about your company has been shared with prospective customers. However, it also allows you to see how they respond to different elements of what you’re offering before moving forward with development on a particular product or feature.
Reason #10: People are more likely to read a white paper if it's more than five pages long since each page needs to be filled with valuable content.
It sounds counterintuitive, but too much information can actually turn potential clients off from making a purchase. A white paper helps people understand what kind of value they can get from your company if you’ve included all the relevant information. However, it’s still less than five pages. Research suggests that this could be the best length for attracting attention and maintaining interest in your business.
Designing A White Paper That Actually Works
White papers can be used as a foundation for other marketing tactics, such as blog posts and email promotions. Once you have this document written, you can use it as a base to create additional content that’s more specific for your audience.
With Venngage, creating your own custom white paper couldn’t be easier! Venngage lets you upload your own data visualizations, which you can then use to create a professional-looking white paper that’s perfect for sharing with potential customers or partners.
