What is a Whitepaper?
A whitepaper is a report or guide that provides the reader with insight into a specific topic or problem, thereby helping the reader to solve a problem on their own, complete tasks more effectively, make decisions, or otherwise create value for the reader.
Whitepapers exist across almost all industries and areas, and in several different formats: ranging from step-by-step guides to lists of tips, data, and much more.
Likewise, the length of a whitepaper varies. Typically, a whitepaper is between 8 and 40 pages long.
What is the difference between a whitepaper and an e-book?
Whitepaper and e-book are two terms that are often used interchangeably. But they are not quite the same thing.
A whitepaper explores and goes in depth on a very specific topic, whereas an e-book teaches the reader something new and provides a "how to" guide on the subject in general.
In addition, an e-book is typically slightly longer than a whitepaper.
Why create a Whitepaper? 5 concrete benefits
In recent years, whitepapers have become increasingly popular — both to consume and to publish, for example by companies and organisations.
Especially within B2B marketing, the whitepaper is widely used as a form of lead magnet as part of a content marketing strategy. That is, the whitepaper is distributed with relevant and valuable content to the target audience, who must provide some form of personal information in order to receive it, and who then appear as leads that the company can attempt to convert into customers.
And for good reason — we continue to see more and more whitepapers in connection with B2B marketing. This is due to several factors, including the fact that the customer journey is often complex and lengthy, the decision-making process is longer and more complex, and likewise the CAC (cost of acquiring a new customer) is often higher than in the B2C market.
5 benefits of creating whitepapers:
- Increases your company's authority and credibility.
- Increases your company's brand awareness and preference.
- Attracts new leads and creates customers.
- Retains your existing customers.
- Can create a top-of-mind position with your target audience.
How do you create a Whitepaper? 6 steps, step-by-step
Creating a whitepaper is in itself relatively straightforward. It is "simply" a matter of allocating time and resources to producing text and visuals in a document format such as PDF, Word, or similar. It is the quality of the material, and to a large extent the work before and after, that ultimately determines whether you succeed with your whitepaper.
Below, you will find 6 broad steps for creating and succeeding with a Whitepaper.
6 steps: How to create a whitepaper
- Define the goal of the whitepaper and how it aligns with your current digital strategy.
- Have a 100% clear understanding of your target audience.
- Analyse the market with regard to choice of format, type, and angle.
- Develop a relevant and valuable whitepaper for your target audience.
- Promote your content through relevant channels.
- IMPORTANT: Work with the leads you receive, getting the most out of them and converting as many as possible into customers through email marketing, marketing automation, your digital strategy in general, sales, and more.
Don't hesitate to contact us on tel. 30 12 42 72 if you would like a no-obligation conversation about your content marketing strategy or your digital strategy in general.
