How to Write a High-Converting White Paper – the Complete Guide

Did you know that white papers were the top form of content used to make buying decisions in 2016? That’s right, in a survey conducted by Demand Gen Report, 82% of respondents said that white papers were their main driver. So, what do you need in order to write a high-converting white paper?

First off, let’s go over the basics.

What’s the Difference between a Blog Post and a White Paper?

This is a question I get from Idunn’s copywriting clients quite often: why write a white paper instead of a couple of blog posts? Even if you write a long-form, killer blog post, it is still no match for a high-converting white paper.

Let’s take a look at the main differences:

• Length: a blog posts rarely goes beyond 3,500 words, while a white paper is ideally 3,000-5,000 words.
• Form: blog posts are hosted on a web page, while white papers are typically downloadable PDFs.
• Focus: a blog post usually covers the opinion of a single person on a given topic; white papers, on the other hand, provide new solutions to existing problems.
• Visuals: yes, blog posts should also have photos, videos, and/or graphics. But they most often don’t have more than 2-3 visual elements. A good, high-converting white paper is jam-packed with graphs, infographics and photos.
• Research: a good blog post has 1-2 links to credible sources. A good white paper has every statement backed by through research.
• Uses: blog posts engage readers and attempt to convert them into leads. White papers give you qualified leads that are very far on their buyer journey.

A few more Awesome Stuff about White Papers

• They literally generate sales (see the stats above).
• White papers establish you and your business as thought leaders.
• They can easily go viral.
• They have a very long life span: a good, well-written white paper can be used as is for 1-2 years. You can then update it and keep using it.
• White papers fuel ideas for other forms of content – you can use the ideas in it for 3-4 blog posts, a webinar and even for landing pages.

Ready to see what it takes to write a high-converting white paper?

Plan Carefully

No great white paper was ever born without careful planning and research.

Why? It’s quite simple: a high-converting white paper is visionary first and foremost.

So, before you get to writing or hire copywriters to do it for you, do your homework. Start with these question:

• What is one of your customers’ main pain point?
• How can you solve it?
• Why is your solution innovative?
• How many people could actually use it?

Most importantly: Where does the white paper fit in your marketing strategy? Will you use it to establish yourself as a thought leader? Or, perhaps, you are already there and want to nurture leads, convert leads and attract new leads?

Be very honest in answering all of these questions. Overestimating the value of a white paper won’t bring you any ROI. If you feel like your solution isn’t that innovative, it’s probably not fit for a high-converting white paper.

Go In-Depth with Your Research

The best white papers are based on surveys and thorough market research. Ask your customers about their wants and needs and come up with the solution; then write the white paper.

Your research should not only focus on a pain point. You should also know all about your industry and your competitors before you set to write. Does anyone else offer this solution? How is yours different/better than what the market already has to offer?

Conducting thorough research on both the target audience and the market is, perhaps, the best way to start writing a high-converting white paper. It won’t just help you produce an engaging piece of content; it will also give you an insight on whom to target and how to do it.

Great Copywriting Is Essential

It’s true that the people who download the white paper will have already given you their email addresses before reading it, but you don’t want to write a click bait, disappointing paper, do you?

High-converting white papers are those built with incredible attention to every detail. And I think it’s fair to say that copywriting is more than a detail.

Let’s start at the beginning:

Write Inspiring, Actionable Headlines

This is the first thing your audience sees before deciding whether to hit download or not. Great headlines are essential for any type of quality content, and especially for white papers.

There are two rules of thumb for epic headlines:

• Focus on benefits: why should your audience read your white paper? What do they get from it? Describe its main benefit in a short, catchy headline and you will manage to get it downloaded thousands of times.
• Give it some energy: “save”, “boost”, “earn”, “learn”, “win”, “improve”, “master”, “get”, “choose”, “enjoy” are just a few of the verbs that inspire people to action.

Let’s see them in action:

“Learn how to double your revenue using social media marketing like a pro”

“Save time and boost your ROI with the right social media management tool”

“Capture more leads in less time with less effort”

Be careful, though: your white paper should deliver on the promise you make in the headline!

Write an Enticing Executive Summary

Odds are that Google will index your executive summary, so you’ve got one more reason (plus some keyword-related added pressure) to do it right.

An executive summary follows up on the headline’s mission: to get the audience to read the white paper. The whole thing, this time.

It may seem easy to write a compelling executive summary, but this is, in fact, where most copywriters have problems.

Here are some guidelines:

• Keep it short – no longer than a page.
• Start with the pain point – the reason you set out to write this white paper.
• Describe the benefit – again, answer the question “why should people go through the whole thing?”
• Offer an overview – a sort of lengthier table of contents.
• It is easier to write the executive summary after you’re done with the rest of the white paper. This way, you’ll have a comprehensive overview and it will be easier to highlight its benefits and strong points.

General Copywriting Guidelines

While there’s no substitute for excellent penmanship for writing a high-converting white paper, there are a few things you can do to make it a pleasant read.

• Use subheadings and subtitles as often as needed – they break the information into easily digestible bits.
• ALWAYS back your statements with research and add all the sources in footnotes.
• Think about who you write for. Is your audience made of C-level execs, department heads or specialists in a field? Then use the same tone of voice you would in a meeting with them.
• Highlight quotes, stats and use as many infographics and charts as needed.

When you’re done with your first draft, start proofreading and editing. Make sure that all the sections follow each other naturally and that the white paper has a good flow. With all the information you have to juggle, it’s sometimes easy to miss the main point in the copy.

Conclusion and Call-to-Action

After providing a comprehensive overview of the pain point and the current state of the market, it’s time to introduce your solution. Make sure to describe in detail how exactly it can solve your readers’ problems. A few ideas you could use here are:

• Describe how you helped other clients.
• Tell your audience how many people already benefitted from your solution and how exactly this helped their business grow.
• Describe what makes it innovative.
• Explain how you came up with this solution (R&D efforts, research efforts and so on).
• Describe what makes your solution unique. Refrain from criticizing the competition and especially don’t name any of your competitors.
• Avoid being too advertorial. Words like “the greatest”, “the best”, or “the ultimate” have no business being here. Try to maintain your objective tone as much as possible even in this section. Remember: you are talking to qualified buyers who typically don’t fall for regular ads.

Lastly, your CTA should also be brief and to the point. You can think about it as a rephrasing of the headline. Focus once again on the benefits and emphasize any limited or special offers you currently have running. Always keep in mind that your primary focus here is showing how you can be of help. Phrase your CTA using “your benefit” instead of “our amazing solution”.

Key Takeaway

A high-converting white paper is one that offers value. If you spend 1-2 hours crafting a blog post, expect to spend at least 20 crafting a white paper (and that’s not including research and graphic design). If you can equate a blog with a newspaper column, a white paper is a scientific work, the most complex one typical companies usually publish.

Even if it’s not extremely lengthy, its complexity is given by the research put into it and the time spent carefully crafting each word and especially the headlines and the CTAs.

It might seem like a lot of work, but nothing worth having comes without great effort.

Need help creating a high-converting white paper? We have more than 8 years of experience in helping brands generate leads and boost revenue through masterfully created white papers. Drop us a line and we’ll get right back to you with information on how we can help you boost your revenue.