Regular blog posts are the most common type of content used by small and medium businesses. They are easy to create and effective, but you can take your online marketing campaign to the next level by using different types of content. One of them is the white paper, which keeps the users engaged, combining visual and written content. It also provides thought leadership, which makes it one of the most valuable types of written content.
What is a white paper
When you check the analytics data from your website you can see how different types of content return different results, as your consumers act differently towards them. White papers are complex articles which add more value to your website, raising brand awareness.
These articles are a complete analysis of a specific topic, including influencer’s predictions and news on the said topic. Their word count is between 1k and 10k, but they are as long as the writer needs them to be, in order to provide a complete insight of the topic.
Most of the times white papers address industry trends, product guides and business challenges, but they are not limited to these.
White papers are often used in email campaigns, as the user is asked to provide their email in order to download it. This means you can monitor their conversion rate closely, as you can create a different landing page for your white paper and check its performance in the analytics tool.
The difference between white papers and regular blogs
A white paper can address any topic and it gets a lot more detailed than a blog post. Another basic difference between these two types of content is that blogs are not gated, as opposed to white papers. This is why the latter make excellent tools for gathering leads.
White papers also offer more flexibility than ebooks. An ebook is limited to specific characters and structure, as they include graphic elements. White papers don’t require specific elements and they can have visual components to enhance their message.
From a blog to a white paper
Picking the right topic for a white paper is not an easy task, but you can turn a blog post into a white paper. For a white paper you need interesting, detailed information on the topic, opinions from influencers in the industry and a complete overview of the topic you want to cover.
To make sure your audience is interested in the white paper you are about to create, use your alternative analytics tool to find the most popular blog of the past six or twelve months. This will be your starting point for your white paper.
You now take something good, which is already well-received by your audience and make it even better. Start from the blog and gather news on the topic or address similar topics. Develop the information, include surveys, predictions made by authoritative voices in the industry.
White papers are powerful tools for your brand, as they show your readers that you are a reliable, trustful thought leader.
