We have been talking about how it is important to deliver customized content in order to increase engagement and improve conversion online. While it is true that bite-sized chunks of interesting and unique online content work very well, one cannot undermine the value of more detailed, intense copywriting seen in pieces such as white papers, e-books and presentations.
In the B2B content marketing world, whitepapers are seen as particularly useful. The reason is simple; they provide the necessary factors of thought leadership, trust and consultation that feed the B2B lead nurturing and buying process. In fact, the B2B Content Marketing: 2013 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report by Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs in partnership with Brightcove showed that 61% of content marketers use white papers. That statistic will only rise; it’s a given.
10 Questions to Ask Before You Publish A Digital White Paper
Before you commission a white paper for your organization, consider the following:
- Have you nailed the right subject and verified that your target audience is interested in knowing more about it?
- Do you have in-depth knowledge to create a compelling document that genuinely offers NEW, RELEVANT and ACCURATE information?
- Will your white paper present tips, best practices, practical advice and solutions to help solve critical problems your audience is challenged with?
- Does your copywriter / content writing team know how to effectively organize and develop a white paper that takes the reader step-by-step through a logical thought process?
- Are you convinced that your white paper can deliver value to your organization without directly selling products/services within your copy?
- Can your audience benefit from at least 3-5 key takeaways by reading your whitepaper?
- Do you know how to effectively promote and position your digital white paper online?
- Will your audience feel inclined to share your white paper with others?
- How often can you create and publish a white paper? Or is this only a one-time activity?
- Have you identified the outcome you want to achieve from publishing this white paper? Do you have metrics in place to measure your return on investment?
Did you answer “no” to any of the above questions? And you haven’t even begun writing the white paper yet! Whether you choose to do it in-house or hire a professional copywriter, it makes sense to define your goals, devise a proven strategy and then embark on a white paper creation exercise.
When it comes to online content creation for B2B marketing, contact the professional writers at MintCopy, Inc. Our copywriting team has created several digital white papers on a variety of subjects for a diverse range of industries.
Call 888-646-8003 or send us an email.