5 Reasons Your Business Should Use White Papers as Part of Your Content Marketing Efforts

Why would I want to create a 25-page PDF when I could write an 800-word blog post?

You wouldn’t pull out your putter on the first tee, would you? Various insights merit sharing in a longer format, whether because of their data intensivity, their nuance, or their breadth. In some cases, 800 words just won’t do, and while attention spans are short, sometimes context is not only valuable but essential to properly conveying a message and demonstrating the credibility of your findings.

But beyond how conducive your content might be to the format (and here are some cues to help you make that determination), there are several other reasons to consider using white papers as part of your content marketing efforts. Pull out the driver and take a big swing.

  1. White papers are effective lead magnets.

    When you provide something of value, it’s easier to ask for something in return. Whether your white paper offers valuable insight on an industry or a solution to an acutely felt or widespread problem, the relevant audience will be eager to read it. And chances are that the relevant audience for a white paper you’ve written shares significant - if not perfect - overlap with the audience you’d like to sell to.

    So you give away this amazing resource for free, with just one small ask in return before the reader downloads the paper: an e-mail address or some other information of your choosing.

    Suddenly, your white paper is not just a PDF but a lead-generating machine, allowing you to move precisely the customers you’re seeking into the top of your funnel.

  2. White papers command greater credibility than other mediums.

    If we were to state the above informally, we would say this: white papers hit different. Cringe if you must (and we understand that you must), but it rings true nonetheless.

    The internet is a vast horizon of millions of blog posts. And while there are no doubt plenty of PDFs available for download, the ratio of white papers to blog posts is likely analogous to to the ratio of blue lobsters to red ones (about 1:2,000,000, for what it's worth). Similar comparisons could be made with emails or social media posts. The rarity alone commands greater attention from prospective readers.

    More than that, though, the use of a white paper signals that the author has mounted a rigorous effort to deliver highly valuable information in a sophisticated format. It demands that you not confuse it with the legions of lookalike blog posts that fall short of breaking new ground. This will be original material, delivered credibly.

    In a sea of red lobsters, be a blue one.

  3. Longer form content offers more opportunities for promotion.

    In shorter-form blog or social content, promotional calls to action or marketing copy can read heavy-handed. But you’re sharing something of value, and your work is extensive enough to utilize a longer-form medium capably. Because of the length of the material, it’s easier to subtly sprinkle in the occasional case study, testimonial, or plug for one of your services without detracting materially from the value of the content and dissuading readers.

    Tread carefully: every other page should not read like an advertisement.

    However, done tactfully and tastefully, white papers can be excellent vehicles to deliver messaging around your value proposition.

  4. White paper content is easily repurposed.

    Because you’ve shared abundant insight in your white paper, there are often myriad significant takeaways for readers to absorb. While each of these takeaways perhaps functions better thematically within the context of the white paper, you can still repurpose the content into smaller chunks for distribution via other mediums.

    A section can become a blog post. An infographic can become a social media post. A timely module can become an email newsletter.

    It’s hard to say the same of the reverse. Yes, you can expand a striking blog, social media post, or email into a white paper. But that still means doing all the work of expanding. By starting with the heavy lifting, you’ve provided yourself with a wealth of content you can leverage across platforms in different ways for months on end with minimal added effort.

  5. White papers are great vehicles for collaboration and cobranding.

    Perhaps you work closely or would like to work closely with another business that offers a highly complementary service. A white paper offers an impactful opportunity to collaborate, with each party leveraging unique insights from its respective field - or one side might have unique data and the other might have feedback from a diverse set of clients. By collaborating, both sides borrow some credibility from the other, mutually strengthening perceptions of their respective brands.

    Moreover, the association between the two companies in the white paper paves the way for customers to associate their services, buying from one to complement the other. Worth noting: the announcement of a new partnership can present a timely occasion to deliver a white paper nodding to its benefits.


Ready to get started on your next industry-changing white paper? ThoughtLede works with you to transform your unique insights into leading white papers, so you can benefit in many of the same ways we just discussed. Get in touch today to get started.

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