What to Write in Your Litepaper

The internet is a place where everything has to be quick. Visual stimuli flood newsfeeds and timelines, each one competing for space. The ICO space is an even more cut-throat battleground for attention. Investors have to scour through a lot of projects on a daily basis — all of them promising to be the next big thing.

In the cryptocurrency world, white papers are the bible for every project; this is where interested parties can find out specific details about the company. However, while white papers are an absolute necessity for those launching an ICO or blockchain project, the nature of white papers clash with how attention works in the digital age. The problem is, white papers are usually several pages long.

Unsurprisingly, in an industry where traders hawk-eye values so that they can switch between cryptocurrencies for profit, a document of sixty or so pages will go unread. Apart from this, some just don’t have the time to read an entire technical paper.

Enter the litepaper; a lighter version of the white paper. It’s usually only a few pages long; a litepaper doesn’t have as many details as the full white paper, but it should have enough information to get someone interested — and fast.

So what should be in the litepaper?

1. An introduction to your project

The introduction is a few sentences summarizing what you do, worded as simply as possible. It’s like a very well-crafted elevator pitch, the objective of which is to entice the reader to move through the next parts of the document and hopefully to your token sale (if you’re launching one).

2. The Problem you’re solving

The litepaper should clearly and concisely outline the problem or problems that the project intends to address. This section should be able to communicate the problem through situations somehow relatable to the reader; this can be achieved by citing examples of situations that occur in daily life and should give a hint about how big the market is.

3. Value proposition/solution

This is where you explain succinctly how you intend to solve the problem you just stated. How does your solution work, and what’s nifty about it; this section should give the reader an idea of how big the market is and how much bigger it can get.

4. Quick market figures

Concrete numbers — because hints are just not enough. The litepaper should have the relevant statistics that back up why you think — and why everyone should think — that your solution is a viable one.

5. The Token

Do not forget to include details on the token you’re selling, such as how it will be used in the system, supply cap, and important dates for the token sale.

6. Team, Vision, Roadmap

One of the main things investors look at when checking out start-ups is the team behind the project. Apart from a healthy mix of specializations, each founder should be someone who has an established online presence. A lack of verifiable online history and background is enough to make people think twice about the legitimacy of your project. And you can’t blame them — nowadays, it’s very easy for scammers to put up a website, collect token sale money, and disappear off the face of the web.

Include a roadmap outlining what your future expansion plans are. It’s important to paint a long-term future of your project to gain interest from investors.

7. Website and contact details

Make sure, people know your team is accessible not just through your website, but through social media channels as well. It’s better to embed links, so viewers don’t need to copy and paste the text or type it in manually.

Communities are a vital part of any blockchain company. Make sure to link to all your available channels such as Telegram, Slack, Discord, Reddit, Facebook, Twitter, and anything else.

8. Software and Downloads, if any

If your project requires users to download a wallet or any other client, then make sure to link to those, too. Those who come across your litepaper may want to test it out, so it would be handy to have the details on that software right there. Linking also helps prevent users from accidentally downloading the wrong software — which can be dangerous if they happen to get a malicious one.