ILLUMINATION
The Purpose of a White Paper
What Marketers Need to Know
When I wrote The Ultimate Guide to White Papers, I gave you an overview of everything you need to know about the king of content.
In this article, I will show you the purpose of a white paper and how it can be the most valuable marketing tool for businesses that wants to reach out to other businesses (B2B).
Let’s recap, what is a white paper? A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body’s philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or decide.
Now that we know what a white paper is, let’s talk about the purposes of a white paper:
Generate Leads
A white paper’s first and most common purpose is to generate leads. A white paper can help you capture the attention of potential customers looking for solutions to their problems. By providing valuable information in your white paper, you can encourage readers to contact you for more information or even request a consultation.
To generate leads with your white paper, you must include a call-to-action (CTA) that asks readers to contact you. The CTA can be as simple as a phone number or email address, or you can ask readers to fill out a form on your website.
If you are using your white paper to generate leads for your business, include a CTA that is relevant to your company and easy for readers to follow.
Build Trust and Credibility
In addition to generating leads and educating your audience, a white paper can also help you build your brand while creating trust and credibility.
By creating a well-written and informative white paper, you can establish yourself as an expert in your industry. A white paper can also help you differentiate your business from your competition.
If you are using your white paper to build your brand, include information relevant to your business that will help readers understand what makes your business unique. It would help if you also considered including a logo or other branding elements in your white paper.
Educate Potential Customers
Another common purpose of a white paper is to educate your audience and potential customers about a particular topic. You can use white papers to teach readers about a new product or service, technology, or process.
By providing valuable information in your white paper, you can help your readers understand a complex issue and make informed decisions about their businesses.
If you are using your white paper to educate your audience, include information that is easy to understand and well-organized. It would help if you also considered including an overview of the topic, background information, and detailed instructions.
Get Feedback From Your Customers
You can also use white papers to get feedback from your customers. By surveying your customers and asking them for their thoughts on a particular issue, you can gain valuable insights that can help you improve your products or services. You can also use a white paper to solicit feedback from potential customers who are not yet familiar with your business.
If you are using your white paper to get customer feedback, include a survey or questionnaire that is easy for readers to complete. It would help if you also considered offering an incentive for respondents, such as a discount on their next purchase.
“But Aaron, What About White Papers for Thought Leadership?”
First, let’s look at what thought leadership is in marketing. In general, thought leadership in marketing is about sharing your company’s unique insights and expertise on a particular topic or issue with your target audience. The goal is to position your company as a trusted resource and thought leader in your industry. The problem is that this can’t be measured very easily, if at all.
Successful marketing is measured by the ability to connect with the target audience, engage them in a meaningful way, and ultimately convert them into paying customers. A white paper solely written for increasing thought leadership doesn’t make sense.
With that said, well-written white papers will naturally build thought leadership as a side effect. So, all well-written white papers can and will build thought leadership for your company and brand.
Final Thoughts
Keep these in mind if you’re thinking about using white papers as part of your content marketing strategy. White papers can be a valuable tool for businesses that want to generate leads, build trust and credibility, and educate potential customers. When done correctly, white papers can help you achieve these goals.
I hope this article was helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. I would love to hear from you, Thanks for reading!
Aaron Meaders is a content marketer and white paper writer. Aaron’s experience in writing shines through in his collections of articles on leadership and mental health.
Aaron is certified through HubSpot Academy in Content Marketing, Social Media Marketing, and Search Engine Optimization. He studies Gordon “That White Paper Guy” Graham’s strategies of writing white papers and is in the process of completing various programs through the American Writers & Artists Institute.
Aaron lives and works out of his home in the “Richest Hill on Earth”, Butte Montana. He spends most of his free time with his son and fiancé. Aaron is a lifelong Science Fiction nerd and a devoted hobbyist of subjects such as history, government, and politics. He also roasts his own coffee and is a fountain pen connoisseur.
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