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How to Write a White Paper That Builds Consumer Trust

Learn how to write the perfect white paper. Include this strategic document in your content marketing strategy and increase your leads.

How to Write a White Paper That Builds Consumer Trust
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A white paper can be a great marketing tool for educating consumers about your services or industry and gaining their trust. If you’ve never done this before, though, writing a white paper can be daunting. 

In this article, we’ll tell you what a white paper is, tell you how to write a white paper, explain why writing one for your business is a good idea, share key white paper considerations, review several kinds of white papers, and provide information on getting help to create a custom white paper.

You can use the jump links below to skip between sections.

What is a white paper?

A white paper is an educational form that a company publishes. The document investigates a specific topic within an industry. A good white paper demonstrates a company’s knowledge about a particular industry-specific issue, trend, or process.

The purpose of a white paper is to share in-depth knowledge. White papers usually present an array of facts and statistics from reliable sources and have an authoritative tone. Many white papers also have visual aids, such as graphs and charts, to help the audience understand information.

While white papers can be used to generate leads, they’re different from copy material. White papers lay out facts in a straightforward way instead of trying to be flashy and attractive. Companies attract readers to their white papers through marketing materials including blog posts, paid ads, podcasts, and other communications. 

White papers have long been a popular tool for nonprofits to describe community issues and public policies. Now, white papers are often used by private companies and business-to-business (B2B) enterprises to explain technological issues to clients. 

Cisco is one of the largest providers of networking hardware and software products in the world. The Cisco Edge Whitepaper is a great example of an effective and well-researched white paper. The document maintains an authoritative tone throughout and backs up every claim with relevant facts and stats.

For example, one of the claims the white paper makes is that slow or out-of-date internet technology can cause businesses to lose clients. It backs up this claim with attention-grabbing statistics from industry research, like “40% of people abandon a website if a page takes more than three seconds to load.”  

How to write a white paper

Now that you know what a white paper is, it’s time to start planning yours. In this section, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how to write your own white paper. Be sure to read the later sections for more background, justification, and organizational information about white papers.

Step 1: Choose your topic

Choose a topic that will be interesting to your intended readers. Consider checking industry websites to see which topics are trending. You can also use Google or other search engines to see which keywords your ideal consumers are looking for. 

Step 2: Conduct research 

White papers are full of information and require that you do a considerable amount of sound research. You need to know your subject inside and out. You may end up spending weeks researching your topic before you even start writing your paper. 

Be sure to vet information thoroughly. Use only trustworthy sources of information such as government websites, academic databases, and pieces from respected experts in your industry. Make sure any research you do is current. If an article is more than a few years old, its information may no longer be relevant. 

Step 3: Create an outline

After you’ve researched all of your information, organizing it is key. One of the best ways to map out your information and the direction of your white paper is to create an outline. 

An outline can help you see how your data best fits together and show you how it appeals to your target audience. Using a white paper template, like one of the choices offered by Adobe Creative Cloud Express, may make it easier to organize your information. You can search for white paper templates online to help get started.

Step 4: Write a captivating introduction

Your introduction should be attention-grabbing. It serves as a sort of sales pitch for the rest of your paper and introduces the most exciting information you’ll be covering. Use your introduction to tell your reader why your paper will be valuable to them. 

Step 5: Provide an attention-grabbing title

A great title needs to be interesting and needs to let readers know what to expect from your white paper. Often, your title will include the word “white paper,” but it’s not always necessary. For some audiences, the white paper moniker can make your paper seem more professional, but for others, it may make your paper seem daunting and less appealing.

Step 6: Format your content 

White papers generally have four main parts: 

  • An introduction that explains what your white paper is about and builds excitement for the rest of your content. The introduction should include an abstract or summary of the main points of your paper.
  • A detailed description of the industry problem or issue you’re addressing. The problem statement should include plenty of background information to help the reader understand it. 
  • The solution to the problem. The solution segment should provide research, expert testimony, and other arguments to explain why it’s the answer to the problem. 
  • Conclusions and advice. The white paper should present a recap of its takeaways and provide advice to the reader based on them. This section may also include a call to action (CTA) telling the reader what to do next.

Depending on who you’re writing a white paper for, you might need to include other elements, as well. For example, if you’re writing a white paper to secure funding, you should include a single-page executive summary (i.e., an overview of your paper) so investors can quickly skim your basic ideas. 

You might also need to include a list of references or a table of contents. Your reference page should follow MLA or APA citation rules. If you are able to embed your links into your content, you may not need to include a list of citations. 

Some businesses offer white papers in PDF format, but PDFs can be difficult to read on mobile screens. A landing page for your white papers can improve accessibility for users on the go.

Step 7: Create supporting assets

A quality white paper is just one part of an overall content marketing strategy. If you want to get the most out of your marketing, you should be consistently creating various pieces of content. Blog posts, videos, press releases, case studies, paid ads, and ebooks can all be effective assets in a marketing campaign. 

Supporting assets in the white paper itself might include corporate photography, stock photos, and infographics. Just make sure, though, that the imagery you use is relevant to the white paper topic. 

Step 8: Choose a user-friendly design

Design your white paper with your readers’ convenience in mind. One of the top goals of a white paper design is to make the content more readable. All your information should be presented in a way that’s easily digestible for readers. 

Use a consistent, easy-to-see, professional text style such as Helvetica and stick to a few basic colors in your white paper. Break up huge blocks of text into smaller paragraphs. Use images, charts, and diagrams to clearly demonstrate your points. 

Upwork can help you find quality graphic designers to make your content pop. 

Step 9: Proofread

Proofread and revise the first draft of your white paper several times to make sure it’s clear and free of mistakes. It’s also a good idea to have other people in your business or even writing and editing experts take a look. The more you peruse your white paper, the more you’re bound to find sections that can be improved or explained better. 

Glaring grammatical errors in a professional white paper are completely unacceptable and can make your company look amateurish. Tools such as ProWritingAid and Grammarly can help you catch and correct any flaws in your writing.

Why publish a white paper?

You might write a white paper for your company for several reasons. In the next sections, we’ll introduce three primary reasons that companies write white papers and explain how they might relate to your business. 

Generate leads

Companies use white papers to generate leads by offering them as gated content. This means that the white paper becomes available to a potential customer only after that consumer fills out a lead capture form with their email address and other personal information. 

When someone actively seeks out information about your product or service, you know they have an interest in your business.

Build trust

White papers offer helpful information and solutions about a variety of topics and issues. They can help consumers see your company as a knowledgeable leader in your industry. If customers can rely on you for useful data and solutions, they’ll be more likely to buy from you. 

Increase sales

White papers help nudge customers down the sales funnel and thus can increase your conversions. They’re targeted toward the ideal consumers for the business and they use reliable data to show how a company’s products or services can solve a consumer’s problems. 

Must-know white paper considerations

A good deal of planning and preparation goes into writing a white paper. In the next few sections, we’ll go over some of the main elements you should consider when writing a white paper that will best represent your business.

Topic

The right topic for your white paper should be interesting to those in your industry. For example, if you manage a software development team, you might write a white paper about how a development team with remote staff can increase its productivity by adopting a new methodology.

One of the best ways to get ideas for good white paper topics is by looking at white paper examples from businesses similar to yours. They’ll show the subject matter and issues your ideal consumers are drawn to. You can also gather inspiration from blog posts, customer conversations, and social media. 

Of course, your particular topic also needs to be unique to stand out from your competitors. Try to find knowledge gaps in your industry that you can fill. 

Budget

You can save money by writing and marketing your white paper yourself, though it might be worthwhile to hire a marketing expert to make sure your white paper is as effective as possible. 

White paper costs may vary depending on the page length, how much research is required, and the experience of the writer. You may have to hire someone to write the paper and pay for distribution, advertising, and other expenses related to your paper. 

If you’re having trouble finding someone to work on creation and distribution, Upwork can connect you to the best independent business writing and marketing professionals to write your white paper.

Distribution channel

To promote brand awareness, your white paper needs to attract the right audience. Think about where your intended audience searches for information as you create a white paper distribution strategy. 

The sheer amount of content on the internet can make it hard for your document to get attention. Figure out which channels your target audience uses. Do they spend their time on Facebook or LinkedIn or are they constantly searching for answers on Google?

You may want to use communities or social media groups to reach targeted audiences. For example, if your company has an investing app, you might advertise your white paper on a Facebook group for new investors. Try using things like hashtags and trending subjects on Twitter, YouTube, and other sites to help promote your content.

You can also approach experts in your industry or influencers on Instagram and similar platforms to help spread your white paper. Before you ask for any favors, though, start by commenting on and liking their content or just sending a message to say hello.

Email marketing can be just as effective as social media marketing. Clients on your email list have already shown an interest in your business. You can use Mailchimp, Moosend, or similar tools to manage email lists and send targeted messages. 

Purpose

The overall purpose of your white paper is to convey information about your business in a professional manner. The goal is to demonstrate authority in your industry by helping educate consumers about important topics within it. 

However, you might be writing a white paper for lead generation, to increase sales, or for some other reason. The specific goal you’ve chosen affects what information you should add to the paper and how you should address your audience. 

For example, if the purpose of your white paper is to gain new leads, your audience might not be very educated about your industry. In that case, you might want to gear your information toward beginners. 

If the purpose of your white paper is to increase conversions for your B2B business, however, you can typically assume your audience is very knowledgeable about your industry and well-versed in its technical lingo. 

Format

Because white papers are educational or technical, they can be pretty dense to read through if they’re not formatted creatively. Everything from the color scheme of your white paper to the text to the graphics you use should make your paper attractive and easy to follow. 

Remember that many members of your audience will be reading your white paper on mobile devices. That’s why your paper must be easily viewable on a small screen. Your developers can use several methods to create webpages that work well on mobile devices.

In responsive design, every aspect of a website occupies a proportional amount of space no matter what size the screen is. In an adaptive design, developers create a few different versions of a webpage that correspond to different screen sizes. A mechanism in the code detects the screen size and presents the correct version of the webpage. 

A simple color scheme and varying text sizes can help guide a reader’s eyes to the information you want them to read. Also, space out information and infographics in your white paper to make them easier to see. 

Style

White papers are information documents. They’re designed to make your company appear to be a leader in your industry. Make sure your tone isn’t too casual. Slang and other improper language can make your content seem less professional. Use an authoritative and professional tone that demonstrates mastery of your topic. 

Share all of your information and include plenty of facts and statistics to support your arguments. White papers should be as thorough as possible. 

Length

Because they contain so much information, white papers are generally long documents. They’re usually at least five pages but can be well over 20 pages depending on what they cover. 

Types of white papers

Different types of white papers are better for specific businesses and situations. Here are three types of white papers that could be beneficial to your business; however, you can produce many other different types depending on your industry. 

How-to white paper

How-to white papers educate readers on how to complete a task or process. This type of white paper is great for inbound marketing. Consumers can find how-to pieces when they’re searching for answers to their issues online. 

The content of a how-to white paper can show consumers how to use your products, show businesses how to complete business processes, and explain new technology in your industry.

These types of white papers need to be very easy to read because they serve as guides for consumers. Bullet points, diagrams, and illustrations can help readers understand the content. 

Upwork’s white paper, “Your Guide to Nailing Worker Classification,” is an easy-to-follow how-to white paper. It uses lists, diagrams, and simple language to clearly lay out its information. 

The document dedicates an entire page to explaining the difference between independent workers and employees. The differences are formatted into a numbered list with large text that’s easy to see. 

Every example on the list is short and to the point. For instance, the paper says that independent contractors “do not receive skills or training,” while employees “may be trained and instructed.” 

Thought leadership white paper

Thought leadership white papers frame your business as being visionary within your industry. This type of white paper usually discusses issues, pain points, or debates within your industry and explains your company’s unique or innovative perspective on these topics. 

It’s best to have actual experts and thought leaders write these papers. Experts have the experience to really portray their views in convincing and authoritative ways to encourage readers to consider new perspectives. 

The white paper from HSBC Global Asset Management, “Are equities overvalued? Taking an active approach to asset relocation,” is densely packed with information. It uses expert opinions, diagrams, and statistics to explain why equities aren’t overvalued.

For example, the document features a line graph that illustrates the historical growth of dividends in the United States and various other countries. The company uses the graph to support its predictions about how investment payout rates will fare in the near future.   

Annual report white paper 

The annual report white paper is not a financial report. Instead these marketing white papers provide status reports for a company’s performance over the year. They’re great for actions such as improving your organization’s public relations or keeping stakeholders informed about new developments. 

This type of white paper includes a lot of facts and figures. Graphics and charts can help make the information clear and more appealing. Some annual report white papers are purely informational while others are used to support particular arguments.

The “2020 Annual Impact Report: Building Back Better” white paper from Upwork uses copious amounts of images, graphs, and metrics to demonstrate Upwork’s achievements throughout 2020. 

For example, the paper mentions that Upwork has dedicated $200,000 to organizations that support racial justice. The announcement is followed by a powerful image of people from various racial backgrounds performing different tasks. The people in the graphic form a circle, symbolizing that we’re all attached.   

Get a custom white paper

Researching, organizing, and distributing your own white paper can take a lot of time and effort. As a small business owner, you may be too busy to take on the new project yourself. 

With Project Catalog™, you can browse a list of professionals who specialize in relevant tasks including social media design, video editing, and writing white papers. Once you hire an independent professional to complete your project, they’ll receive a list of your requirements and begin work to meet your needs. You’ll get to review their work before accepting it. 

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How to Write a White Paper That Builds Consumer Trust
The Upwork Team

Upwork is the world’s work marketplace that connects businesses with independent talent from across the globe. We serve everyone from one-person startups to large, Fortune 100 enterprises with a powerful, trust-driven platform that enables companies and talent to work together in new ways that unlock their potential.

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