Need Leads? Write a White Paper

White papers get a bad rap for being stuffy and academic. But in a market where information overwhelm is the norm, you need a way to demonstrate in no unclear terms that you’re a true thought leader in your space.

White papers are in-depth reports that show you really know your stuff. It takes a little elbow grease to write a great white paper, but this is your secret weapon to forging an authoritative brand that draws in potential customers.

Whether you’re founding a startup that’s making waves or you’re running a well-established brand, writing a white paper can be your secret weapon for lead generation, credibility, and authority.

It’s time for your work to make an impact. Learn why white papers are so beneficial and how to write a white paper that sets your brand apart.

The Benefits of Writing White Papers

If you’ve ever read a white paper before, you know just how detailed they are. It might feel daunting to write an informational document like this, but you’ve got what it takes.

Instead of churning out yet another TikTok that gets so-so engagement, focus your efforts on writing an eye-catching white paper that:

Brings in leads: Who doesn’t want more customers? White papers are a great lead generation or marketing tool. Simply gate the content and ask potential customers to share their email to download the report. Not all leads will be interested in becoming customers, but some will be so impressed by your white paper that they’ll at least hear you out.
Showcases your best work: The best white papers include case studies and research findings in your field. It’s the best way to not-so-humblebrag about how you solve clients’ specific problems and put your work in front of decision-making leads.
Makes you an authority: White papers are very, very granular. These are deep dives into a specific topic that only an industry expert could write about. Not only do you provide value to the folks reading this white paper, but you promote your expertise in the process. Implemented as part of your overall thought leadership campaign, this is a great way to steadily boost subject matter expertise in your industry.

5 Hacks for Creating an Authority-Boosting White Paper

White papers put your business on the fast track to trust and credibility. However, the quality of the white paper matters. Careful planning and strategy are a must for crafting a compelling white paper that your target audience loves. Follow these tips to write white papers for maximum impact.

1. Choose a Relevant, Timely Subject

Nobody wants to read a white paper that rehashes a well-known topic in your niche. Your paper needs to be so interesting and novel that prospects will have no qualms about exchanging their email for your report.

The purpose of a white paper is to offer a data-driven report on current industry trends. Your best bet is to pick a hot, new issue that you have a strong take on. Only you can decide what topic will work best for your audience, but here are a few tips for spotting promising white paper ideas:

Use Google autocorrect to find trending searches. Type a generic topic idea into Google, and the search engine’s autocomplete feature will help you identify trending niche search queries that are perfect white paper topics.
Check social media chats, like Twitter threads or Facebook Group discussions, in your niche to spot up-and-coming trends.
Plug an industry keyword into Google News.
Revisit your customer persona pain points.

2. Conduct Thorough Research

One of the most important parts of any white paper is sharing your research findings. No white paper is complete without a lot of meaningful data, so dive deep into the research to build your white paper’s credibility.

Qualitative data like interviews and testimonials can add texture and color to the white paper, but quantitative data is the star here. Check sources like Google Scholar for established research papers. You don’t have to conduct your own research, but it’s the best way to earn credibility — and backlinks to your white paper.

Industry surveys are the easiest way to do research. Create a request on Connectively (formerly known as Help A Reporter Out) asking folks in your industry to participate in a survey. If possible, gather 100 responses to find statistically significant trends.

Credit these participants in the final white paper. Most professionals are more than happy to reshare the finished product if it mentions their company, which is a great way to boost your reach.

3. Be Organized and Clear

Sure, white papers are supposed to be professional. But that doesn’t mean you have to write this long-form content like a boring academic paper. Real human beings are reading this, so you still need to organize the white paper in a way that’s clear and enjoyable to read.

Not everyone will read the white paper all the way through, and formatting makes the copy much more skimmable for casual readers. Structure your white paper design with plenty of headings, numbered lists, and bolded key takeaways. Sans serif fonts are also easier on the eyes.

Technical information and jargon get in the way of true understanding. Keep your sentences short, use simple language where possible, and write clearly. Tools like Grammarly can help you write at a seventh-grade reading level, which is the sweet spot for a white paper.

Every business benefits from cranking out white papers, but not all business owners are writers or marketers. When you want the benefits of a white paper without the hassle of actually writing one, go with Growth Machine. Our team of marketing content writers produces expert-vetted white paper copy guaranteed to make waves in your industry.

Growth Machine’s blog copy can help you get more traffic, too. For example, our SEO experts increased a client’s blog traffic by 303% in just four months by optimizing their blog content.

4. Support Your Arguments With Data and Visuals

Quantitative data is where it’s at, but you shouldn’t hide your impressive findings in paragraph texts or tables. White papers still need to be eye-catching, so work with a graphic designer to format your data in graphs, infographics, and other data visualizations.

These visuals make your white paper more digestible and skimmable. Plus, they also make great fodder for social media posts or ranking on Google image search.

5. Maximize Your Reach and Impact With Distribution

You’ve done the hard work of creating a white paper. Congratulations! You have a report chock-full of helpful content — now you need people to read it.

Work with your marketing team to create a multichannel distribution campaign for the white paper. That might mean:

Promoting it on social media like LinkedIn
Creating a unique landing page for downloading the white paper
Tagging survey respondents and asking them to reshare the paper
Emailing a copy of the white paper to subscribers
Driving traffic to the landing page with paid ads on social media or Google
Promoting the white paper through website popups
Adding a line to your email signature saying, “Download our latest white paper on [Topic]”
Sending a copy to journalists in your industry

Go Beyond Sales Pitches With Optimized White Paper Copy

White papers are a great addition to any content marketing strategy. They give you space to share cutting-edge research on topics your audience cares about. Since this report is so detailed, most leads are happy to share their contact information in exchange for your insights, making white papers an excellent way to add more prospective customers to your pipeline.

But there’s just one little problem: It takes a lot of work to create a solid white paper. You’re busy running a company and don’t have the hours required to conduct research, format everything, write the white paper, and distribute it — but we do.

Growth Machine’s professional marketing content writing crew writes well-researched reports in your tone of voice, helping you reap all the benefits of white papers without the headaches of writing them. Contact Growth Machine today to get a jumpstart on your next white paper.