A well-written white paper is a powerful asset that both educates the audience and enhances your brand reputation, but opinions vary wildly on what the perfect draft entails, with conflicting preferences in style, purpose and level of detail. In the last month alone, we’ve created white papers ranging from two to 20 pages in length, spanning subjects from breast biopsy technologies to radioactive standards for nuclear instrument calibration. So, what’s the secret to mastering this key tool in scientific marketing? Let’s break it down…

 

What is a white paper?

A white paper is a research-based document that delivers balanced information on a certain topic or technology, often presenting a problem and providing solutions. A common misconception is that a white paper is a promotional piece. Ideally, it shouldn’t explicitly promote your company or its products, but rather showcase that you’re at the top of the game in your field. At its core, a white paper should be educational, technical and have a more formal tone. Although white papers are created for a promotional purpose, we ensure that our scientific hats are firmly fastened when we dive into them.

 

Types of white papers​

There are no set rules or established criteria to follow when writing a white paper. However, we generally come across three broad types of white papers.

 

• Technical – These provide in-depth explanations of a technology area, process or method. This kind of white paper isn’t to be confused with a technical note, which is usually much shorter and focusses on a specific development, technique or procedure – often showcasing a single product.
• Problem/solution – This type is fairly self-explanatory, tackling a known problem in the industry, and outlining how your company’s approach directly addresses it… without being overtly promotional. Subtlety is the key here.
• Thought leader – These explore a debate or hot topic within the chosen industry that resonates with your audience, making the author – and your company – look credible and authoritative.

 

Why publish white papers?

One of the first questions we ask our clients is ‘What do you want to achieve with the white paper?’. In the digital marketing landscape, this type of content serves several strategic purposes that depend on your goals, which can include:

Market positioning

As discussed above, a white paper can help to establish your company as an industry leader, demonstrating your expertise in a specific topic or technology, and building trust with your audience.

 

Lead generation

Gated white papers attract high-intent readers who are genuinely interested in the topic and your expertise. This means that they are more likely to give up valuable contact information, helping you to better understand your customer profile.

 

Educating stakeholders

White papers should always be educational, and help your customers – existing or potential – understand the latest trends in the industry, presenting common challenges and solutions.

 

kdm’s top tips for writing a white paper​

1. Define the purpose and your audience early

A vital first step – to any piece of content creation – is to define the key goals of the white paper, including the target audience. The intended audience will dictate the tone and style, as well as the level of technicality discussed. We are a curious bunch here at kdm, and we aren’t afraid to ask the right questions to ensure we know exactly what our clients are after, and how we can help them to achieve their marketing goals.

 

2. Structure it clearly

Once the scope of the white paper has been clearly established, the next step is to develop a clear structure to ensure that the information flows logically. Although the audience is usually expected to be somewhat savvy on the topic, it is easy to lose them early in the piece if the content isn’t both engaging and easy to follow. A big part of this is weaving in relevant tables, graphs, images and diagrams. This not only helps to break up the text – making it appear less daunting – it also provides key visual aids to make it more easily digestible. This is where skilled and experienced designers come into play, helping to ensure that the content in the initial draft will be approachable and visually appealing once in layout.

 

3. Focus on the data and evidence

The fun – yet often frustrating – part of writing a white paper is all the scientific rabbit holes we find ourselves heading down throughout the process. Our scientific writers at kdm certainly don’t mind digging up all the latest research on a topic, and this is crucial to create a factual white paper based on recent and compelling evidence.

 

4. Optimise it using keyword research

It wouldn’t be digital marketing without a pinch of SEO and, yes, this extends to white papers. This is less important for gated pieces – as search engine crawlers can’t access the content – but critical for open-access information. From long-tail keyword research to compelling copy, a white paper should be optimised to drive traffic and help reach a larger audience. However, while SEO is essential, it should never compromise the quality of the piece, as ‘strategies’ like keyword stuffing negatively affect both ranking and credibility.

 

 5. Seek professional support!

Does this sound like a lot of work? We’re not lying when we say that it is! A white paper takes time and a lot of nurturing to deliver a meaningful piece that adds value to your audience. Nobody understands your products and services more than you, but reaching out to a specialist company that balances the scientific/technical ability with marketing knowhow can help you to succeed in creating a white paper that is both technically robust and commercially insightful.

 

How kdm can help

Was that segue too obvious? Well, we’re proud of our ability to write some of the best white papers in the business. This is something that we’ve had plenty of practice at over the years, helping our clients worldwide to voice their authority through captivating content, elevating them above the mundane marketing noise that can plague the airwaves. It all starts with an email or call, so don’t hesitate to get in touch to discuss how we can help you with your next project.