How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read (Free Template)

How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read (Free Template) What’s the first thing that enters your mind when you hear â€Å"white paper†? If you’ve never written one before (or work at Dunder Mifflin), you might think plain printer paper.   And that’s †¦ well, technically, that’s accurate. The white papers we’ll be talking about today are different. These research-based reports (typically longer than a blog post but shorter than an ebook) are a staple content format for marketers. When they’re well-written, they’re powerful tools for solving problems, establishing authority, and generating leads. However, they’ve developed a poor reputation in some marketing circles. That’s because too many white papers are thoughtlessly churned out with an assembly-line mentality. Ever download something called a â€Å"white paper† that was actually a thin and poorly-disguised sales brochure? A lot of us have. In this post, youll learn how to write white papers that don’t suck. Instead of cranking out crap to meet ill-conceived content quotas, it will walk through how to plan, write, format, and promote quality white papers. Ones that actually get read, smash your business objectives, and make you a star for your organization. Plus, its based 100% on first-hand experience. How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read Table of Contents So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? Examples of Real-Life White Papers The White Paper Template Getting Started Writing Your White Paper Outline Research How to Write Your White Paper How to Format White Papers the Best Way Edit. Edit. Edit. Handing Off For Design Promotion So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? A white paper is a document that argues a specific position or solves a problem for its audience. They first originated as a type of official government document. According to Purdue Owl: Typically, the purpose of a white paper is to advocate that a certain position is the best way to go or that a certain solution is best for a particular problem. When it is used for commercial purposes, it could influence the decision-making processes of current and prospective customers. 7 Examples of Actual White Papers That explains that much. But, what does a white paper usually look like? Generally, they’re formatted as PDFs and look somewhat similar to an ebook or typical research report. Here are some samples: How to Win at Local SEO (Sundog Interactive you might recognize the author) LinkedIn Marketing Resources (a library of white papers) Citation Cleanup: Assessing the Damage, Estimating Your Project Timeline (Moz) Microsoft AI Platform: Build Intelligent Software (Microsoft) Google Security White Paper (Google) Coffee in America (Experian) Apple ProRes (Apple) Straight-forward stuff so far. DID YOU KNOW: You can manage marketing projects (including white paper development), plan deadlines, and schedule social promotion all on one marketing calendar with ? See how it works. This White Paper Template + Blog Post = Your Success In this post, well dig into the nuts and bolts of writing effective white papers. But first, be sure to grab your free white paper template (Word format). Then, use it to put all the advice in this post into practice.So, You’re Going to Write a White Paper. How Do You Get Started? Before you jump into writing, you have some planning to do. Sure, this takes time off from actually producing the work. It’s necessary though to ensure what you write is purposeful and effective. First Things First: White Paper Ideation Let’s figure out what you’re going to write about. This involves several steps. Figure Out Who You’re Writing For Who’s going to read your white paper? Ideally, your organization or agency should have an idea who your target audiences and customers are. If not, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that might help. Identify Problems You Can Solve For Them Once you’ve identified your audience, think about what kinds of information they need from you. Secondarily, you might also tie that back into your own products or services. That sets you up at the solution to that problem. Generate Ideas When you know what problems to solve, you’ve got a purpose for your white paper. The next challenge, then, is to decide which ones to write about, and from which angle. A simple brainstorming session can help with this. Or, start by asking a few questions: Which problems are top priority?  Consider starting with ones that are most pressing or timely. Which problems can I tie back into my business?  Say your organization wants to be known as an authority on an area you’re new to. Or, maybe you have a new product or service offering coming out, and want to position yourself as the best option. Find ideas that align your goals with your audience’s. What are we experts on? If you have deep knowledge or expertise on an area you’re known for, a white paper can help reinforce that perception. Recommended Reading: The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process Determine If A White Paper Is Really the Best Content Format Before you get too far along, you might decide a different format would work better to reach your audience and achieve your goals. Follow this graphic to help decide if writing a white paper is the best approach: Next, Write Your Outline White papers are usually fairly long. The same outlining process you’d use for a shorter piece, like a blog post, will work here. You might need to make it a bit longer or more detailed, though, to avoid getting lost in your thoughts partway through. An effective white paper outline should include: Headline or working title: You don’t have to settle on a headline or title right away, but start with a working version that describes your topic. Our Headline Analyzer  can help. An executive summary: This is essentially a brief (200 words or so) description of what your white paper will be about. Think of it like a short pitch for why someone should write what you’re about to write. Your introduction: Which points will you touch on in your intro? These are what you’ll expand on in the body of your white paper. Section sub-headings: Like your headline, these don’t need to be final yet. But, you should have a clear idea of what you’ll discuss in each section. If your headline is the core problem you’ll solve, consider each sub-heading a sub-point or step toward resolving it. Beneath each sub-heading, include further bullet points clarifying exactly what you’ll write about. This is all about knowing what you want to say before you try to say it. Sidebars: White papers often include sidebars or breakout boxes with additional information or data tables, like what you’d find in a magazine. In each section, list any possible sidebar ideas you might have. This could include any research or data you’ll need to find (more on this in a bit). Conclusion: Summarize your key takeaways. If it’s appropriate, you might consider adding a call-to-action here, too. Recommended Reading: How to Write a Call to Action In a Template With 6 Examples Here’s what a hypothetical outline might look like: Do Your Research Good white papers are fact-based and research-driven. You’re not here to throw your opinions out to the world without data to back them up. Depending on what you’re covering, you might get by with nothing more than Google and your company’s own insights. If you want to take things to the next level, though, you’ll need to do deeper research. Let’s take a dive. Dig Into Research Reports Industry research reports can provide an excellent data-backed foundation for your content. Seek out research groups (such as Forrester) or professional organizations that produce original research. Then, cite relevant stats and findings where appropriate. Check Out Wolfram Alpha Wolfram Alpha  calls itself a â€Å"computational knowledge engine.† What does that mean? It’s a search engine for facts and data with calculation functionality built in. It’s an extremely robust and powerful tool for research. Check out some of these top-level categories for things it can do: While we can’t go too far in-depth on how to use Wolfram Alpha here, they have plenty of help guides and resources  to get you on your way. Make Use of Government Websites Depending on your industry, there are several government websites that might be helpful. Here’s a handful to consider: U.S. Small Business Administration American Fact Finder Bureau of Labor Statistics Do Your Own Original Research This is the most difficult option, but it can provide the most valuable results. If you have access to publically-available information, so does your competition. Original research you produced yourself, however, is uniquely powerful. Here are just a few benefits to original research: It establishes you and your organization as an authoritative source. Wouldn’t it be awesome if your white paper became a highly-linked source of information for others? It gives you something no one else has. And that would make your white paper much more valuable than something anyone could have slapped together spending an afternoon with Google. You’ll learn more about your audience and industry. Last year, we did a survey of our blog audience. We were then able to turn our findings into a 5,000+ word blog post. That’s long enough that it could have been a white paper, had we decided to publish it as one. It taught us a lot about our audience, too, including things we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. If you have the time and resources to do your own research study, Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media Studios has a fantastic guide to get you started. Recommended Listening: How to Boost Your Results With Original Research As A Marketing Tactic With Andy Crestodina From Orbit Media Studios [015] Now You're Ready to Format and Write This White Paper We’ve done a lot of things so far. Some of it even involved a little bit of writing. Mostly, though, we’ve spent our time getting ready to write. Writing a white paper isn’t easy. You’re now staring down an intense and involved project. If you’re writing in an industry where you’re not a subject matter expert, then your preparation (outlining, researching, and working with internal or client SMEs) is going to be even more important. You’ve got this, though. Flex those fingers, tap into your inner Hemingway, and let’s knock this thing out. Tap into your inner Hemingway and knock out an awesome white paper.How Do White Papers Differ From Writing Other Types of Content? We’ve touched on this a little earlier, but it’s worth repeating here. While there are some similarities, writing a white paper isn’t quite like writing a blog post, case study, research report, grocery list, or †¦ well, you get the point. It’s decidedly it’s own animal and should be treated as such. White papers should be: Professional in tone: This is formal, almost academic-style writing. Narrowly-focused: Pick one topic and explore it thoroughly. Fact-based:  Unverified claims don’t belong here. Data-backed: You don’t have to like math, but you have to love what numbers can do to make your writing stronger. Writing Your Title Or Headline Your headline is the first thing that will sell your white paper to your audience. You want to write something that conveys clear value up front and gets them to click. However, you also want to avoid anything that could be perceived as click bait, or overly casual. So, your headline should hit each of the following checkboxes: Establish a clear benefit to your reader: Why should they care? What’s in it for them to read past your title page? Including interesting stats or a strong action verb can help. Sound professional: Even if your blog or social media content is fun and light-hearted, a white paper should strike a professional tone. It doesn’t need to be sterile and lifeless, per se, but use your best judgment here. Set realistic expectations for your reader: If your headline reads, â€Å"Ten Ways Shipping Companies Can Deliver Faster Shipments,† you better go into detail on all ten tactics. You’d be surprised how many â€Å"white papers† throw a paragraph of text surrounded by images onto a page and call it good. If you’re going to create crap, just say up front you’re creating crap. Or better yet, don’t write your white paper at all. Commit to quality or stay home. Commit to quality or stay home.Let’s take a look at five hypothetical headline examples you can follow: How SaaS Companies Can Onboard 53% More Customers In 2017 Why Are Content Calendars Important For Marketing Teams 7 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete With Enterprise Corporations Why Companies Should Use Agile Project Management How Nonprofits Can Do Better Fundraising These examples aren’t wildly creative, but they all include at least one of the following: A clear benefit A stat or action verb A professional tone Writing Your Introduction Your intro should quickly hook your audience while covering the main points the rest of your document will cover. Here’s everything it should cover: State the problem your white paper intends to solve. To create added urgency, it should also touch on the consequences for not taking action.   Summarize the key areas your white paper will cover. Give a high-level overview of what readers can expect from start to finish.   Explain the benefits of reading your white paper. What will your reader be equipped to do after reading what you have to say? Writing Each Subsection Once you’ve hooked a reader’s attention with your intro, you’ll want to keep it. So, make sure each section delivers on the promises you made in your introduction. When you’re writing an (extremely) long-form piece, it can be easy to get lost. That’s why sticking to an outline is so important (and we do hope you spent some time putting one together). With thorough research and a strong outline in hand, you can make the actual writing exponentially easier. Let’s look at a hypothetical outline: How to Select a Veterinarian Find options in your area Research each one Make a call If we were to write this section, we’d start with a paragraph about the importance of selecting a good veterinarian. We’d then dedicate a paragraph or two (or more) to each sub-point. Following this order will ensure your writing flows well from one point to the next in a logical order. When writing each section, consider using bulleted lists to make text easy to skim. For example: This is an insightful point about your topic. Here’s another interesting piece of data. Finally, here is a third important takeaway. Continue until you’ve worked through each portion of your outline. How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read (Free Template) What’s the first thing that enters your mind when you hear â€Å"white paper†? If you’ve never written one before (or work at Dunder Mifflin), you might think plain printer paper.   And that’s †¦ well, technically, that’s accurate. The white papers we’ll be talking about today are different. These research-based reports (typically longer than a blog post but shorter than an ebook) are a staple content format for marketers. When they’re well-written, they’re powerful tools for solving problems, establishing authority, and generating leads. However, they’ve developed a poor reputation in some marketing circles. That’s because too many white papers are thoughtlessly churned out with an assembly-line mentality. Ever download something called a â€Å"white paper† that was actually a thin and poorly-disguised sales brochure? A lot of us have. In this post, youll learn how to write white papers that don’t suck. Instead of cranking out crap to meet ill-conceived content quotas, it will walk through how to plan, write, format, and promote quality white papers. Ones that actually get read, smash your business objectives, and make you a star for your organization. Plus, its based 100% on first-hand experience. How to Write White Papers People Actually Want to Read Table of Contents So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? Examples of Real-Life White Papers The White Paper Template Getting Started Writing Your White Paper Outline Research How to Write Your White Paper How to Format White Papers the Best Way Edit. Edit. Edit. Handing Off For Design Promotion So, What Are White Papers, Exactly? A white paper is a document that argues a specific position or solves a problem for its audience. They first originated as a type of official government document. According to Purdue Owl: Typically, the purpose of a white paper is to advocate that a certain position is the best way to go or that a certain solution is best for a particular problem. When it is used for commercial purposes, it could influence the decision-making processes of current and prospective customers. 7 Examples of Actual White Papers That explains that much. But, what does a white paper usually look like? Generally, they’re formatted as PDFs and look somewhat similar to an ebook or typical research report. Here are some samples: How to Win at Local SEO (Sundog Interactive you might recognize the author) LinkedIn Marketing Resources (a library of white papers) Citation Cleanup: Assessing the Damage, Estimating Your Project Timeline (Moz) Microsoft AI Platform: Build Intelligent Software (Microsoft) Google Security White Paper (Google) Coffee in America (Experian) Apple ProRes (Apple) Straight-forward stuff so far. DID YOU KNOW: You can manage marketing projects (including white paper development), plan deadlines, and schedule social promotion all on one marketing calendar with ? See how it works. This White Paper Template + Blog Post = Your Success In this post, well dig into the nuts and bolts of writing effective white papers. But first, be sure to grab your free white paper template (Word format). Then, use it to put all the advice in this post into practice.So, You’re Going to Write a White Paper. How Do You Get Started? Before you jump into writing, you have some planning to do. Sure, this takes time off from actually producing the work. It’s necessary though to ensure what you write is purposeful and effective. First Things First: White Paper Ideation Let’s figure out what you’re going to write about. This involves several steps. Figure Out Who You’re Writing For Who’s going to read your white paper? Ideally, your organization or agency should have an idea who your target audiences and customers are. If not, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that might help. Identify Problems You Can Solve For Them Once you’ve identified your audience, think about what kinds of information they need from you. Secondarily, you might also tie that back into your own products or services. That sets you up at the solution to that problem. Generate Ideas When you know what problems to solve, you’ve got a purpose for your white paper. The next challenge, then, is to decide which ones to write about, and from which angle. A simple brainstorming session can help with this. Or, start by asking a few questions: Which problems are top priority?  Consider starting with ones that are most pressing or timely. Which problems can I tie back into my business?  Say your organization wants to be known as an authority on an area you’re new to. Or, maybe you have a new product or service offering coming out, and want to position yourself as the best option. Find ideas that align your goals with your audience’s. What are we experts on? If you have deep knowledge or expertise on an area you’re known for, a white paper can help reinforce that perception. Recommended Reading: The Best 30-Minute Content Marketing Brainstorming Process Determine If A White Paper Is Really the Best Content Format Before you get too far along, you might decide a different format would work better to reach your audience and achieve your goals. Follow this graphic to help decide if writing a white paper is the best approach: Next, Write Your Outline White papers are usually fairly long. The same outlining process you’d use for a shorter piece, like a blog post, will work here. You might need to make it a bit longer or more detailed, though, to avoid getting lost in your thoughts partway through. An effective white paper outline should include: Headline or working title: You don’t have to settle on a headline or title right away, but start with a working version that describes your topic. Our Headline Analyzer  can help. An executive summary: This is essentially a brief (200 words or so) description of what your white paper will be about. Think of it like a short pitch for why someone should write what you’re about to write. Your introduction: Which points will you touch on in your intro? These are what you’ll expand on in the body of your white paper. Section sub-headings: Like your headline, these don’t need to be final yet. But, you should have a clear idea of what you’ll discuss in each section. If your headline is the core problem you’ll solve, consider each sub-heading a sub-point or step toward resolving it. Beneath each sub-heading, include further bullet points clarifying exactly what you’ll write about. This is all about knowing what you want to say before you try to say it. Sidebars: White papers often include sidebars or breakout boxes with additional information or data tables, like what you’d find in a magazine. In each section, list any possible sidebar ideas you might have. This could include any research or data you’ll need to find (more on this in a bit). Conclusion: Summarize your key takeaways. If it’s appropriate, you might consider adding a call-to-action here, too. Recommended Reading: How to Write a Call to Action In a Template With 6 Examples Here’s what a hypothetical outline might look like: Do Your Research Good white papers are fact-based and research-driven. You’re not here to throw your opinions out to the world without data to back them up. Depending on what you’re covering, you might get by with nothing more than Google and your company’s own insights. If you want to take things to the next level, though, you’ll need to do deeper research. Let’s take a dive. Dig Into Research Reports Industry research reports can provide an excellent data-backed foundation for your content. Seek out research groups (such as Forrester) or professional organizations that produce original research. Then, cite relevant stats and findings where appropriate. Check Out Wolfram Alpha Wolfram Alpha  calls itself a â€Å"computational knowledge engine.† What does that mean? It’s a search engine for facts and data with calculation functionality built in. It’s an extremely robust and powerful tool for research. Check out some of these top-level categories for things it can do: While we can’t go too far in-depth on how to use Wolfram Alpha here, they have plenty of help guides and resources  to get you on your way. Make Use of Government Websites Depending on your industry, there are several government websites that might be helpful. Here’s a handful to consider: U.S. Small Business Administration American Fact Finder Bureau of Labor Statistics Do Your Own Original Research This is the most difficult option, but it can provide the most valuable results. If you have access to publically-available information, so does your competition. Original research you produced yourself, however, is uniquely powerful. Here are just a few benefits to original research: It establishes you and your organization as an authoritative source. Wouldn’t it be awesome if your white paper became a highly-linked source of information for others? It gives you something no one else has. And that would make your white paper much more valuable than something anyone could have slapped together spending an afternoon with Google. You’ll learn more about your audience and industry. Last year, we did a survey of our blog audience. We were then able to turn our findings into a 5,000+ word blog post. That’s long enough that it could have been a white paper, had we decided to publish it as one. It taught us a lot about our audience, too, including things we wouldn’t have learned otherwise. If you have the time and resources to do your own research study, Andy Crestodina of Orbit Media Studios has a fantastic guide to get you started. Recommended Listening: How to Boost Your Results With Original Research As A Marketing Tactic With Andy Crestodina From Orbit Media Studios [015] Now You're Ready to Format and Write This White Paper We’ve done a lot of things so far. Some of it even involved a little bit of writing. Mostly, though, we’ve spent our time getting ready to write. Writing a white paper isn’t easy. You’re now staring down an intense and involved project. If you’re writing in an industry where you’re not a subject matter expert, then your preparation (outlining, researching, and working with internal or client SMEs) is going to be even more important. You’ve got this, though. Flex those fingers, tap into your inner Hemingway, and let’s knock this thing out. Tap into your inner Hemingway and knock out an awesome white paper.How Do White Papers Differ From Writing Other Types of Content? We’ve touched on this a little earlier, but it’s worth repeating here. While there are some similarities, writing a white paper isn’t quite like writing a blog post, case study, research report, grocery list, or †¦ well, you get the point. It’s decidedly it’s own animal and should be treated as such. White papers should be: Professional in tone: This is formal, almost academic-style writing. Narrowly-focused: Pick one topic and explore it thoroughly. Fact-based:  Unverified claims don’t belong here. Data-backed: You don’t have to like math, but you have to love what numbers can do to make your writing stronger. Writing Your Title Or Headline Your headline is the first thing that will sell your white paper to your audience. You want to write something that conveys clear value up front and gets them to click. However, you also want to avoid anything that could be perceived as click bait, or overly casual. So, your headline should hit each of the following checkboxes: Establish a clear benefit to your reader: Why should they care? What’s in it for them to read past your title page? Including interesting stats or a strong action verb can help. Sound professional: Even if your blog or social media content is fun and light-hearted, a white paper should strike a professional tone. It doesn’t need to be sterile and lifeless, per se, but use your best judgment here. Set realistic expectations for your reader: If your headline reads, â€Å"Ten Ways Shipping Companies Can Deliver Faster Shipments,† you better go into detail on all ten tactics. You’d be surprised how many â€Å"white papers† throw a paragraph of text surrounded by images onto a page and call it good. If you’re going to create crap, just say up front you’re creating crap. Or better yet, don’t write your white paper at all. Commit to quality or stay home. Commit to quality or stay home.Let’s take a look at five hypothetical headline examples you can follow: How SaaS Companies Can Onboard 53% More Customers In 2017 Why Are Content Calendars Important For Marketing Teams 7 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete With Enterprise Corporations Why Companies Should Use Agile Project Management How Nonprofits Can Do Better Fundraising These examples aren’t wildly creative, but they all include at least one of the following: A clear benefit A stat or action verb A professional tone Writing Your Introduction Your intro should quickly hook your audience while covering the main points the rest of your document will cover. Here’s everything it should cover: State the problem your white paper intends to solve. To create added urgency, it should also touch on the consequences for not taking action.   Summarize the key areas your white paper will cover. Give a high-level overview of what readers can expect from start to finish.   Explain the benefits of reading your white paper. What will your reader be equipped to do after reading what you have to say? Writing Each Subsection Once you’ve hooked a reader’s attention with your intro, you’ll want to keep it. So, make sure each section delivers on the promises you made in your introduction. When you’re writing an (extremely) long-form piece, it can be easy to get lost. That’s why sticking to an outline is so important (and we do hope you spent some time putting one together). With thorough research and a strong outline in hand, you can make the actual writing exponentially easier. Let’s look at a hypothetical outline: How to Select a Veterinarian Find options in your area Research each one Make a call If we were to write this section, we’d start with a paragraph about the importance of selecting a good veterinarian. We’d then dedicate a paragraph or two (or more) to each sub-point. Following this order will ensure your writing flows well from one point to the next in a logical order. When writing each section, consider using bulleted lists to make text easy to skim. For example: This is an insightful point about your topic. Here’s another interesting piece of data. Finally, here is a third important takeaway. Continue until you’ve worked through each portion of your outline.