{"id":18694,"date":"2019-01-22T16:06:57","date_gmt":"2019-01-22T21:06:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crowdcontent.com\/blog\/?p=18694"},"modified":"2019-02-06T15:06:32","modified_gmt":"2019-02-06T20:06:32","slug":"the-3-types-of-white-papers-and-why-you-should-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crowdcontent.com\/blog\/content-marketing\/the-3-types-of-white-papers-and-why-you-should-care\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3 Types of White Papers &#8211; And Why You Should Care"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some marketers are a bit like cats &#8212; they love chasing after laser beams and shiny objects, but they\u2019re frequently left with little to show for their efforts. That\u2019s because innovation often comes at the expense of efficacy. What\u2019s new and different isn\u2019t necessarily what works the best, and that\u2019s why CEOs using Snapchat filters will never get you as many qualified leads as a <a href=\"\/services\/white-papers\/\">professionally written white paper<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I get it. White papers seem boring. They\u2019re dry and full of data, and they\u2019re almost never the right place to shoehorn in a sweet cat joke. Or at least that\u2019s what people seem to think. In reality, white papers can be as formal or as funny as you like, and even when they\u2019re light on the cool factor, they more than make up for it in ROI:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.demandgenreport.com\/resources\/research\/the-2017-content-preferences-survey-report\">76% of buyers<\/a> said they\u2019re willing to share their personal information in exchange for a white paper<\/li>\n<li>One poll found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbesagencycouncil\/2017\/06\/27\/the-most-effective-content-marketing-tool-your-strategy-may-be-missing\/#1c9007597758\">79% of B2B buyers<\/a> felt white papers were the type of content they were most likely be share with coworkers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>White papers give the reader confidence in whatever product or service you\u2019re selling, and that can mean the difference between a casual would-be consumer and a loyal customer.<\/p>\n<p>Author Gordon Graham is known as \u201cThe White Paper Guy\u201d &#8212; which makes sense, seeing as he literally <a href=\"https:\/\/thatwhitepaperguy.com\/white-papers-for-dummies-reviews\/\">wrote the book<\/a> on the subject. Graham may not have been the first to identify the three main types of white papers, but his names for these powerful marketing tools are now widely used, even if most people don\u2019t realize where those names originated.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Backgrounder<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Brands looking to disrupt the industry with a new piece of technology or innovative service often struggle connecting to audiences. It\u2019s hard for people to wrap their heads around the unfamiliar, and it\u2019s even harder to get consumers to spend their hard-earned money on something that feels confusing.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cbackgrounder\u201d white paper includes educational content summing up the most important features and benefits of whatever it is you\u2019re marketing &#8212; think of it as your <em>what<\/em> and your <em>why.<\/em> While a <a href=\"\/blog\/2018\/04\/06\/examples-of-great-product-descriptions\/\">product description<\/a> grabs attention, it barely scratches the surface in comparison to a white paper filled with technical details.<\/p>\n<p>Use your backgrounder to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>List study data to support science-backed claims<\/li>\n<li>Explain how a product works and why it\u2019s a game changer<\/li>\n<li>Establish your brand as an industry leader based on performance, innovation or some other documentable characteristic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can use this type of white paper in several places in your sales funnel. It works near the beginning as a strong introduction for B2C customers or educational tool for journalists (think stating your case to a <em>Consumer Reports<\/em> contributor, for example), but it can also help turn a warm lead into a completed sale.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Numbered List<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Numbered lists mimic one of the most popular blog post formats seen these days, and for that reason they\u2019re regarded as an accessible way to convey information to varying demographics. Light on the tech speak and created with readability in mind, numbered list white papers answer common questions about a product or service while presenting your brand in a positive light.<\/p>\n<p>Titles like \u201c5 Life-Changing Benefits of Programmable Refrigerators\u201d or \u201c10 Ways to Revolutionizing Your Digital Marketing Strategy\u201d help reframe information in a way that\u2019s less intimidating and, if you\u2019re up for it, fairly entertaining.<\/p>\n<p>In fact, numbered list white papers can be as provocative or tame as you wish. If you want to push the envelope and challenge your competition, you can do that here. If you want to infuse a bit of humor or even fear (\u201c3 Things That Prove Cold-Brew Coffee is Your Real Boo\u201d or \u201c6 Reasons Why You Can\u2019t Afford to Miss the Blockchain Train,\u201d for example), you can do that too. That kind of flexibility makes listicle white papers suitable for almost <a href=\"\/blog\/2017\/12\/05\/8-companies-that-have-great-content-for-every-stage-of-the-funnel\/\">any stage of your sales funnel<\/a> and almost any audience.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Problem\/Solution<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Problem\/solution white papers are serious docs for serious people making serious decisions. Often viewed as the most logical and overtly persuasive white paper, the P\/S identifies a business problem common to the target audience and clearly and convincingly shows why your solution is the best one available. Business-to-business marketers often use this format to bolster their case when speaking to potential partners or clients, which in itself is a compelling reason to commission one ASAP, and the fact that P\/S white papers have a long shelf life means your investment is more likely to keep paying dividends.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re looking to change public opinion, build a following, enhance your sales and marketing plan, generate new leads or carve out a place in your industry, a problem\/solution white paper could be exactly what you need to shake up the status quo and establish your authority.<\/p>\n<p>If you need to inform and persuade your audience &#8212; and really, who doesn\u2019t &#8212; you need a white paper. Understanding which type of white paper you need and how it\u2019ll fit into your <a href=\"\/blog\/2017\/05\/30\/5-tips-revitalize-lagging-content-marketing-strategy\/\">content marketing strategy<\/a> may take some time and the input of a specialist, but the potential for attention-getting thought leadership is worth the effort.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some marketers are a bit like cats &#8212; they love chasing after laser beams and shiny objects, but they\u2019re frequently left with little to show for their efforts. That\u2019s because innovation often comes at the expense of efficacy. What\u2019s new and different isn\u2019t necessarily what works the best, and that\u2019s why CEOs using Snapchat filters [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":283,"featured_media":20284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_stopmodifiedupdate":false,"_modified_date":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The 3 Types of White Papers - And Why You Should Care - Crowd Content - Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Challenge your idea of what a white paper can do with this look at the different types of white papers and why these powerhouse docs still matter. 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