How to Create White Papers that Build Authority, Traffic & Leads

How to Create
White Papers
That Build
Authority,
Traffic & Leads
We hope you enjoy this presentation!
WestebbeMarketing.com

Contents
This presentation discusses the following topics:
How to Create White Papers that Build Authority, Traffic & Leads
• What a white paper is (and what it’s not)
• Why white papers are valuable
• Homing in on your audience
• Choosing a topic
• Preparation steps
[Executive Summary | Research | Outline]
• Writing the white paper
[Process | Buy-In | Editing | Review]
• Other success factors
[Images | Gating | Promotion]
This Presentation Is For:
Writers, bloggers and marketers who
wants concrete guidance on writing
engaging, effective blog articles.

White Papers Are a Big Project
If you know how to create white papers, you know it's
a big job. It can even be daunting for the experienced
B2B copywriter. So, you might wonder if it's worth it.
Among B2B content assets, it's certain among the
most impressive. But, as a B2B marketer, you might
ask if an easier-to-create ebook or infographic will
help you reach your objectives just as well. This blog
article should help you answer this question.

Is it Time for You to Create
White Papers?
The most common sectors for white papers are finance,
government, consulting, and technology sectors. If you’re a
marketer in these areas, you may have a general idea on how
to produce a white paper, but you may not have created one
yourself.
If you’re in a field where white papers aren’t typical, but
there is little information about complicated industry topics,
it’s worth knowing more about them. The question remains,
is writing a white paper a good marketing investment?
If you’re familiar with
the term white paper,
but don’t really know
what one is, let’s learn
more!.

What is a White Paper?
White papers are “deep dive”
reports or guides that educate
readers on a very specific topic,
related challenges, and solutions.
This type of long-form content
often takes a particular position
that guides the reader to a
desired conclusion—for example,
that a product like yours (but not
necessarily yours) will be the
most beneficial for them.
White papers are mort technical
than a comprehensive ebook,
have greater depth, and are
backed by credible research.
Read here to learn about long-form versus short-form content.

What is a White Paper? (continued)
The White Paper as a Lead Generation Tool
Many B2B marketers write white papers as a pre-sales
tool to prospect, identify leads, and nurture quality leads.
According to a survey by DemandGen, 71% of B2B
buyers had used white papers in the previous 12 months
to research purchasing decisions.
TIP: When learning how to create white paper,
remember that the can influence sales, but they
should not be written as promotional pieces
focused on your own brand or product.

Creating White Papers
that Build Trust
While it’s true that white papers aren’t promotional in the
typical sense, that doesn’t mean they don’t support the
goals of both marketing and sales.
Among all the reasons to create a white paper, the most
common is to build a perception of thought leadership and
expertise on a topic of interest. The more you position
yourself as a trusted advisor and expert, the sooner your
prospects will build familiarity and positive rapport with
your brand.

Creating White Papers that Build Trust (continued)
While pricing and ROI are important, many
B2B companies place more value on
stable, reliable relationships with
companies that will conduct their business
fairly. When you publish an authoritative,
problem-solving white paper, it helps
reinforce the association of those qualities
with your brand.
According to LinkedIn’s State of Sales
2017 report, respondents reported
trust as the number-one factor when
closing a deal. "
This? This?OR

Further,white papers don’t just educate and build trust; they
also persuade—without the perception of selling. 83 percent of
respondents in Eccolo Media’s B2B Technology Content
Survey reported they found white papers to be moderate to
extremely influential in their purchasing decisions.
Create White Papers that
Persuade, Not Sell
The number one most persuasive and unique form of white paper is one that publishes the
results of original research. These white papers can cut through the noise, increase your
perceived authority, and give you an edge over your competitors—as long as they are high-quality
and relevant to your audience.

Get More Leads and Data for Sales Support (Continued)
White papers are truly the stars of
content marketing in another sense.
Even beyond more leads and better leads, you can get more
data about these high-quality leads. A lead might give you
their email address to download an infographic or ebook—
but typically not much more.
However, you can potentially collect much more data—such
as name, title, company, and phone number—from a white
paper that promises greater value. This is especially true if
you are already a known and respected brand. This data is a
bonanza for your sales force.

Decision-Making Support Throughout the Funnel
Studies show that marketers
think that white papers are
very effective at moving
prospects through the
marketing funnel. They
support decision-makers as
they go through the
purchasing-decision process.
The graphic below shows the
perceived performance of
white papers as compared to
other types of content assets.

Top of the Funnel
Readers will often read a white
paper at the “top of the marketing
funnel,” or the awareness stage,
when they are beginning their
research into a solution to their
business problem. When a potential
customer reads your white paper
early on, they will be more receptive
to your content and messages
throughout the purchase cycle—
through the sales decision (as long as
your white paper is high-quality).
Middle of the Funnel
76% of respondents had read a white
paper to help them evaluate a
technology purchase in the six
months prior to the survey (Source:
Eccolo Media). At this stage in
decision-making, white papers can
influence readers as they choose a
product category, compare products
within a category, and evaluate
product options. Salespeople can
also use white papers to further
engage potential customers.
Decision-Making Support Throughout the Funnel (Continued)

Preparation is Essential
This preparation is not only vital to developing
an effective paper, but it will also make your job
a lot easier in the long run. The potential power
of a white paper only becomes reality when it
delivers value to the reader.
This preparation is not only vital to developing
an effective paper, but it will also make your job
a lot easier in the long run. The potential power
of a white paper only becomes reality when it
delivers value to the reader.
The key element of providing value
is to know your audience and then
to answer a pressing question that
they have.

Audience: Know Who You Are Writing For
White papers should be addressed to
narrow audiences who are highly
motivated to read about your topic. You
will need to focus on discussion points
and data they find interesting, relevant,
and persuasive.
If you don’t understand what makes
your audience tick, that's the first step in
how to create white papers. It's how
you'll be able to determine how to what
elements are important—and your
white paper is likely going to sink.
• Provide more background information for people
with less knowledge of your topic.
• Focus on bottom-line results for a decision-making
executive who may not be a technical expert.
• Concentrate on proof of technical excellence and
innovation for a subject matter expert.
• Discuss resolutions to different pain points,
depending on what information will help make
your desired reader successful.
Knowing your audience in greater depth will
impact every aspect of how a writer develops a
white paper. For example, you would:

Know Who You Are Writing For
If your understanding of the audience is vague, it might be
helpful to create a buyer persona, which represents your ideal
customer and the target audience you want to reach.
In addition to establishing your “voice,” defining your audience
will narrow the scope of your research, guide you toward
relevant proof points, and determine the angle you want to
take. For digital consumption, it will help your strategy on how
to optimize, distribute, and promote your white paper.
Here's more information about audience personas, plus a template.

The Topic:
Find Out What They Want to Know
If your understanding of the audience is vague, it
might be helpful to create a buyer persona, which
represents your ideal customer and the target
audience you want to reach.
In addition to establishing your “voice,” defining
your audience will narrow the scope of your
research, guide you toward relevant proof points,
and determine the best angle. For digital content, it
will help your strategy on how to optimize,
distribute, and promote your white paper.

The Topic (Continued)
You will get the most readership if you can fill a gap
in available content and provide unique information,
such as original research. In addition to sharing your
expertise and filling a knowledge gap, you will align
the topic with your brand, products, and services. In
this way, you’ll create a white paper that serves both
your audience and your marketing objectives.
• What are their top and most pressing challenges?
• What solutions does my company offer to help
them address their key business issues?
• What areas of perceived expertise do we want to
build or reinforce?
In choosing your topic, areas to consider include:

The Steps to Creating
a White Paper
You’ve done some good preparation
for developing the essence of your
white paper. You’ve drilled down on
who your audience is and you’ve
selected a topic in which your brand
has expertise and solutions. Now it’s
time to start the writing process.

The Steps to Creating a White Paper (continued)
Write Your Executive Summary
An executive summary is similar to a
movie trailer. It provides a taste of the
paper, is easy to digest, and entices the
reader to continue reading. It should
clearly state the paper’s purpose, what
the reader should expect to learn, and
why they should care.
Executive summaries are important. As
you study how to write white papers,
pay special attention--don't throw away
your executive summary.
It can run anywhere from one to four pages. While
most marketers do the executive summary after the
paper is written, I like to draft it at the start—then
edit it later. This helps me clarify the topic, the proper
angle to take, and the supporting data I’ll need.
Your white papers can be
as short several hundred
words but, depending on
the length, nature of the
paper, and the audience,

Conduct Initial Research
You can also use insights from your
own company data. You can gather
basic data at this pre-writing stage, and
then conduct more research later if you
need more data to make your point.
A strong white paper is based on facts
and research—not opinions that lack
proof. At the least, do a Google search
and get data from highly reputable
sources, such as a government agency,
an industry association, or a consulting
group like Forrester or Gartner.
The most authoritative research of all is original
research or survey—in partnership with a credible
research group. This can be time-consuming and
costly. However, it’s the best way to establish your
thought-leadership, authority and a source for future
information they may need.
It’s also one of the top ways to get social shares.

As with any type of long-form
content, you want to stay tightly
focused on your topic. Creating
a well-developed outline will
help you in all stages of
developing your paper—
research, preparation, writing,
and editing. This multi-step
process front-loads your effort,
helps you stay on track, and
saves you time in the long run.
1. Headline
• Establish a clear benefit that indicates why they should care.
• Include a number or statistic.
• Use a strong action verb.
• Take a professional tone.
• Set realistic expectations about what the paper includes.
Stay Focused with a Well-Developed Outline

2. Subheadings
Subheads make your paper easier to
read, scan, and guide the reader toward
the information that’s important to
them. At this point they don’t need to
be final, but they should provide a clear
idea of what your paper will include.
Under each subhead, include bullet
points about what will be in each
section—making sure that each bullet
point is highly focused and relates to
what that section covers.
Like the executive summary,
the intro should entice your
reader to dive deeper into
your paper. Specifically, it
should summarize the main
points the paper covers, what
they can expect to learn, why
it matters, and how they will
benefit from the information
presented.
3. Intro
The Steps to Creating a White Paper / Outline (continued)

4. Conclusion/Outro
Summarize the key takeaways in an objective but
persuasive manner. Here’s where you connect the paper’s
content with your “ask.” Determine your call-to-action—
what you want your audience to feel, think, or do as a
result of reading your paper.
Your paper's goal may be to create brand awareness and
the perception of your brand's authority. Or, you may want
them to call you, click on a link for more resources, or go to
a product page. Your paper should avoid self-promotion,
but your outro can mention relevant product offerings and
how to obtain them—without the hard-sell.
5. Images:
Will you have data or ideas that
would be best presented visually?
It’s often helpful to determine this
early on, especially if you’ll need a
designer’s help creating them.
The Steps to Creating a White Paper / Outline (continued)

Write Your White Paper
You’ve already done a lot of the heavy
lifting. You have gotten to know your
audience, chosen a topic, completed your
initial research, and fleshed out a focused
outline. Finally, it’s time to present your
information.

Writing the White Paper
Make it Engaging
Yes, white papers should be
unbiased and based on factual
information. But that doesn’t mean
they have to be boring--in can be
engaging. Like all good writing, it
should tell a story in a way that is
relevant and meaningful. Here are
some helpful tips for writing a top-
notch story:
• Narrative: Provide a narrative that keeps readers
engaged and compels them to keep reading.
• Problem Set-Up: Set up your problem, then elaborate
on the pros and cons of various solutions.
• Descriptive: Show how they can apply data to the real
world.
• Show Examples: Provide mini-case studies and success
stories (and possibly some horror stories).
• Design: Use design elements to create visual interest
and highlight key points.
• Resources: Point your readers to additional, especially
ones that you can provide to them.

Establish a Clear Process
White papers can be a nightmare without a clear
process, especially in larger organizations. If your
process is fuzzy, I can virtually guarantee that you will
be spending a huge chunk of time rewriting and
editing—and getting more and more frustrated.
Writing a white paper is already challenging.
A definitive process will help it go more smoothly. It
will also help you get better results.

Get Stakeholder Buy-In
White papers are often group effort that may
include sales, key decision-makers, and other
functional areas. This probably differs from
the process you use for other content assets.
The group process can lead to difficulties
getting everyone’s buy-in, making process
decisions, sticking to schedules, and getting
approvals at various points in the process—
especially getting final approval.
Such complexities are decreased by being
organized at every stage.
Key process issues:
• Do all stakeholders agree on the
marketing objective?
• Are tasks clearly assigned?
• Does your schedule have clear deadlines?
• Who needs to have input on the content?
• What is the review and approval process?
• Who is the final decision maker?

Edit, then Edit Some More
Having a clear process for your white paper will cut
down on potential confusion and obstacles. Still, you can
expect a beefy white paper to go through at least
several rounds of editing. Make sure to build this into
your schedule.
Editing goes well beyond making sure your spelling and punctuation are correct. When
reviewing your first draft, you’ll undoubtedly find holes and inconsistencies, and there
will be areas that need to be added, cut, shortened, re-organized, or fact-checked.
However, if you faithfully followed the previous steps, you will spend less time editing
than if you hadn’t prepared.

Edit, then Edit Some More (continued)
• Have you provided a comprehensive answer to
the anticipated questions a reader might have?
• Are you missing any vital information?
• Have you double-checked facts, statistics, and sources for accuracy?
• Is your paper easy for your target audience to read and understand?
• Is your paper free from bias and hype, with the proper professional
tone and language?
• Is your paper a high-quality asset that will drive traffic, conversion,
and high-quality leads?
As you review the paper, ask
yourself the following questions:

Other Success Factors
While high-quality copy is necessary to achieve the
marketing goals you have set for your white paper,
other factors will go a long way toward its success.
Three of these factors include design, gating, and
promotion.

People Are Visual
The quality of your writing is
paramount, but it’s not the only
thing that drives the success of a
white paper. If you have overall
responsibility for your white
paper, you also need to be
concerned about the design
element—which is significant to
the readability and performance
of your white paper.
Questions to Ask
• Does the design elevate the reader’s experience?
• Is the information easy to read, scan, and digest?
• Will the typography, colors, and other visual elements?
enhance readability and visual appeal?
• Is the white paper appropriately branded?
• Does the visual information emphasize key points?
• Is factual data back up by graphs, charts, or evidence?
• Does it have responsive design that adapts to the mobile
devices that now represent 50% of all internet traffic?
Learn more about how to make your content more successful).
Other Success Factors (Continued)

To Gate or Not to Gate
How accessible should
your content be to the
public. You can fully
gate your content, semi-
gate your content, or
leave it open (ungated).
It depends on your
marketing objectives:
Other Success Factors (Continued)
]• Lead Generation
• Thought Leadership
• Maximum Distribution

Other Success Factors – Gating (Continued)
• The lead provides information in
exchange for white paper access
• Doesn’t contribute to SEO
• Delivers highly qualified leads.
Fully Gated Content
Ungated Content
Bottom Line: Gating supports content that is perceived as highly valuable, if you have
high engagement on ungated material, or are a well-respected brand.
Bottom Line: Consider keeping content ungated if your brand is not well known or
audience is skeptical of how their information will be used.
• Open access; no contact information required
• Gives insight into priorities of
different audience segments
• Helps segment your audience
based on levels of engagement

Other Success Factors – Gating (Continued)
This technique starts by repurposing
your white paper into multiple types of
ungated content—perhaps blog articles,
infographics, or a short ebook.
Semi-Gated
You can promote your gated white
paper on your ungated content with a
“download your white paper” CTA.
Bottom Line: These materials serve to
build up your audience's awareness and
trust in your brand.

Promotion
Congratulations:
Your white paper is completed!
Plus, you’ve decided what type of access will
best meet your marketing objectives. Now you
need to let people know about your awesome
new content!
Promoting content is an enormous subject, so I will briefly say that if you don’t properly
promote your white paper, you squander the opportunity to leverage it for brand
awareness, thought-leadership, and leads.

Promotion (continued)
Some basic ways to promote your
white paper include:
• “Earned Media,” such as producing press releases
• Getting visibility, in media/publications that your
audience follows
• Generating interest among influencers who can
amplify content
• Introducing it to forums and groups on LinkedIn and other social platforms
• Announcing its availability to existing contacts through an email or newsletter
• Generating buzz through social media

Powerful Content Marketing
If content is king, a high-quality
white paper is the king of content.
All businesses need a variety of content for multiple
audiences at all stages of the purchase journey. Your
white paper can be a powerful tool in generating
awareness, authority, and leads—but only if it's a high-
quality asset that delivers value.

• Websites
• Blogs
• Inbound Campaigns
• Marketing Collateral
Creative Content for Strategic Marketers
Amy Westebbe, Principal
Amy@WestebbeMarketing.com | (617) 699-4462
We Hope You Found This Useful!
If you need help writing a clearly written, well-
researched, and high-performing white paper,
contact us today
Need support for other copywriting and
content marketing needs?
Call on Boston-based Westebbe Marketing

Your opinion matters to us.
We welcome your feedback and questions!
Email: Amy@WestebbeMarketing.com
Call: (617) 699-4462
Visit: www.westebbemarketing.com
Thank You!
Creative Content for Strategic Marketers
Amy Westebbe, Principal
Westebbe Marketing
Contact Us on our Website

How to Create White Papers that Build Authority, Traffic & Leads

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