How To Write a White Paper: The Definitive Guide

In this blog post, you’ll learn how to write a white paper had whether you ultimately want to outsource it or write it yourself.

We’ve done some exhaustive research on how to write a white paper which we want to share with you in this blog post.

White papers are a type of content marketing material that companies, governments, and organizations use to share their in-depth knowledge about a subject relating to their industry.

These papers are never promotional; instead, they aim to educate the target audience on an industry-specific subject.

They can also be used by businesses to establish topical authority, generate leads, and promote thought leadership.

White papers are often confused for ebooks or business reports, but they have distinctive differences.

One is that they use a more formal tone than ebooks, and another is the fact that white papers are more detailed or in-depth than business reports.

The effectiveness of these marketing materials depends on how well you understand the basics, including its key elements and how it differs from other forms of marketing content.

Additionally, the process of writing a White Paper is a complex one that requires you to follow clear guidelines to ensure it engages and educates your readers.

What is a White Paper?

A white paper is a data-centric report or guide that combines research and expert knowledge to help readers understand an industry-specific issue, find solutions to certain problems, or influence decision making.

The papers are not only used to record industry expertise, but businesses can also leverage them as a valuable marketing tool.

For example, they can argue that certain products or technology are superior for solving specific problems.

For instance, white papers are an excellent lead generation tool as they are offered in the form of PDF documents that businesses offer in exchange for at least an email address.

Sometimes, you may ask for more information from the readers, like company size, location, and job role.

White papers can also be printed for trade shows, press kits, and sales calls.

Besides, a well-written business paper can also increase business opportunities by presenting persuasive information and research about a company’s products and services and contributing to the progress of your industry.

The typical structure of a white paper is text-heavy because it contains vast amounts of research and data.

The authoritative documents feature a formal tone and share original research, data, and insights obtained from verified sources.

They also use graphs, tables, and charts to visualize data.

There are no firm standards for white papers; thus, anybody can call anything a white paper.

However, the best whitepapers ever produced share some conventions:

• Structure: White papers start with an introduction that gives an overview of the document, followed by a problem statement that educates readers about the problem. Then comes an information section that discusses the product or service and all its features, a solution section discusses how the product or service will help the reader. And it closes with a conclusion that summarizes the entire paper.
• Length: Typically 6-8 pages and can be up to 50 pages depending on the complexity of a subject
• Density: White papers are in-depth, text-heavy, and not easy to skim through, unlike ebooks and blog posts. However, the dense and complex text can be broken up using charts, graphs, and illustrations.
• Style: They are professional, formal, well-researched, perfectly written, and expertly edited. We emphasize careful editing because the writing needs to be trustworthy and authoritative and poor sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation are things readers don’t expect from subject matter experts.
• Format: PDF document set in portrait orientation.

Who Uses White Papers and How Do They Use Them?

The most common narrative is that white papers originated from government papers that were colour-coded for distribution; white papers were designated for public access.

An early example is the Churchill White Paper drafted in 1922 that addresses the British policy statement about Palestine.

Today, white papers are used in business, especially B2B sectors, finance, and consulting, as an essential sales and marketing tool.

Governments, governmental agencies, consultancies, non-profits, and financial institutions also leverage white papers to present research findings, educate audiences, and help their readers to make decisions.

White papers are written before a sale and are thus addressed to audiences outside the business.

The papers are addressed to the general public and multiple companies that seek reliable solutions for their needs or problems.

Additionally, they are not sales pitches, so they cannot be used to bid for business.

Besides, tech companies can rely on white papers to discuss the potential use of new products and how customers can help increase process efficiency.

Therefore, they are increasingly versatile and, can be used by any business or organization that engages in content marketing.

Decision-makers in organizations prefer white papers to other forms of content because they can absorb lots of information in a limited time frame.

There are two main use cases for white papers.

White Paper Case Study

A case study is a success story about how a business overcame a problem with the help of a company’s product.

Companies can use white papers for marketing lengthy case studies that contain technical or very detailed information.

Documenting case studies as white pacers enables potential customers to picture their success after using a company’s products or services, which helps drive business and establish them as a leader in the industry.

Case study-based white papers involve lots of research and measure the customer’s success against certain metrics.

White Paper Reference Guides

White papers often contain supplementary information that customers don’t know they need.

This information could serve as a helpful reference guide that helps the companies improve their business or craft.

The better they get at what they do, the more qualified they become to work with their credible source.

Why Should You Write a White Paper?

As we’ve mentioned severally already, white papers are effective lead magnets, build mindshare, and engage current and potential customers.

The key is not only to write white papers but also to use them effectively to gauge client interest and capture contact information.

Then help customers make informed purchasing decisions by helping them understand an issue and solve problems.

To achieve these goals, you need to focus on the needs of your audience and address these problems instead of your interests.

They are persuasive because they combine the influence of articles with the detailed product information of a brochure.

Here are other reasons to write white papers:

• To educate without selling
• Build trust with your audience and show them that you are a reliable expert in a given field
• To boost sales

The Different Types of White Papers

According to Gordon Graham; “The White Paper Guy,” there are three main types of white papers in a B2B setting.

Each type of white paper is suited to a specific challenge and set of objectives.

Depending on their strengths and weaknesses, they can be used by readers to solve different problems.

• The numbered list
• The backgrounder
• Problem/solution

The Numbered List White Paper

Listicle white papers are easy yet informative reads with factual information and opinions presented as bite-sized chunks that are easy to comprehend.

They are characterized by a light and lively set of points, tips, answers, or common questions about a specific product or service.

This type of white paper is created with readability in mind and is meant to paint your business in the best light.

The documents are addressed to different demographics.

Thus white papers can be as tame or as provocative as you desire.

Their flexibility even extends to the tone you use as they allow you to infuse humour or fear.

What a White Paper Entails

Unlike ordinary white paper titles, the headline of your numbered list on white paper contains a number and is less intimidating, and can be rather entertaining. Some examples look like this:

• 5 Questions to Ask About…
• 9 Hidden Reasons For…
• 7 Things You Need to Know About…

These kinds of white papers are about 5 to 7 pages inclusive of cover and discuss 3 to 9 numbered points.

Each of the points is discussed individually, and you need to back up your facts without going into as much detail as you would when writing a backgrounder or problem/solution white paper.

Additionally, they have a modular structure that’s simple and easy to scan and includes an introduction and a conclusion.

You may or may not include a call to action and an About the Company section.

When To Use a White Paper

Graham describes the following as the best times to use numbered lists:

• When looking to get attention by discussing proactive views
• When looking to nurture or keep leads warm in the middle of the sales funnel until they are ready to buy
• When you need to cast FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) on your competitors

The Backgrounder

The backgrounder, also known as the ‘technical white paper’ or product briefing, is a factual description of how a new tech product or innovative service works.

This type of paper is very technical and focused on educating B2B buyers on the features, benefits, and methodology of a product.

These are the oldest white papers initially used as internal documents that explain the basics of new, misunderstood, or unfamiliar technologies to technical audiences.

Today, the backgrounder is used as marketing collateral to help consumers understand unfamiliar products or services.

We could say it’s a deeper and more detailed version of a product description, which only highlights the main features and benefits of a product or service.

Backgrounder white papers are factual and straightforward in their descriptions and can be seen as a reliable tool you can use when introducing a new tool to the market.

What It Entails

Backgrounder white papers contain lots of technical information about the function or purpose of a product or service, how it works, and how its implemented.

It can include case studies to establish credibility and a few diagrams, tables, screenshots, or images to break the monotony of using text and simplify complex concepts.

These papers are typically 8 pages or more and feature an introduction and conclusion (with a call-to-action about the company.)

When To Write One

The backgrounder is most suitable for clinching sales prospects at the bottom of the sales funnel.

That’s because it provides sufficient in-depth information that reassures prospects your product or service is exactly what they need.

The information on this document can be used to provide sales staff, journalists, channel partners, analysts, and bloggers with in-depth product information to support a product launch.

You could also use the backgrounder to:

• To convince audiences why your product is a game-changer
• To support science-based claims
• Establish your business as an industry leader based on performance or innovation
• As a strong introduction for B2B customers at the top of the sales funnel
• To turn warm leads into complete sales

The Problem/Solution

The problem-solving white paper is a persuasive essay, also referred to as a special report, market overview, or executive briefing.

It contains facts and logic that provide readers with a specific solution to a common problem in their industry.

The essay examines the common problem reported by many companies in their industry and makes a persuasive argument that favors a particular solution, preferably a relatively new solution.

Moreover, they have a long shelf life, meaning your investment is more likely to keep paying dividends years after it’s been published.

What It Entails

The 8 to 12-page document includes an executive summary detailing an industry-wide problem, the existing solutions, and a new, improved solution. It also includes a buyer’s guide that directs the readers to the best solution and an optional case study.

You could include a call to action and a section that talks about the company if you wish.

Your innovative solution should be presented in such a way that shows readers exactly how to handle the problem at hand.

The tone you use needs to be authoritative and believable to help you establish credibility.

When To Write One

The problem/solution white papers are best used towards the end of a sales cycle, at which point the buyer is convinced they need a solution to their problems and are looking between alternatives.

Its goal is to subtly push customers to purchase your company’s products or services because they are best suited to solving their problems.

These white papers also provide you with an opportunity to showcase your company’s values, beliefs, and best process, thus positioning the company as a trusted industry leader.

In addition, it prompts customers to think outside the box and move towards uniquely tackling problems.

You can use this white paper to capture valuable lead information by placing it behind a registration form.

Other Types of White Papers

Business Benefits of White Papers

This type of white paper is meant for non-technical audiences and talks about the benefits of purchasing and using certain products or services.

A business benefits white paper is usable at any point of the sales cycle.

It can be offered as an email signature, a call-to-action at the end of a blog post, or as a signature blog commenting.

Hybrid White Papers

Hybrid white papers address business benefits with a high level of product and technical information.

These white papers meet the needs of the wider audience and can be offered with or without a registration form.

Thought Leadership White Papers

These white papers challenge the normal way of solving problems or a belief system with a unique and original concept.

It utilizes data and experiences to introduce a new, fresh, or unexpected approach to solving your reader’s problems through thought leadership.

Tips for Writing a White Paper

Tip #1: Choose A Topic

Choosing the best topic for your audience is not as easy as it may sound.

That’s because there are several things you must consider in order to hit the nail on the head and generate demand for your work.

For starters, your topic or subject matter must address your potential audience’s pain points and provide valuable solutions.

To achieve the best results, you must take into account what’s going on in their lives, the kind of information that would attract them, and how they can use this information.

Then go for a topic you know or understand well and has little content written so that you can fill a content gap; this way, your content is likely to rank highly on SERPs.

Ensure you have enough knowledge to share and have verified sources or proof to back your facts and opinions. However, be careful not to pick topics that don’t need lots of explanation or analysis.

In order to get noticed and gain traction, it’s important that you match your subject matter to the right stage of the sales conversion funnel.

Expert tip: Consider asking for topic suggestions from your audience to make the topic more relevant and create buzz around your content even before your launch.

Tip #2: Research Thoroughly

Once you have the perfect topic, it’s time to set the ball rolling by collecting valuable information and data that helps you deliver value to your readers. Remember, white papers need to be unique to you such that even competitors can’t replicate them.

As such, white paper research needs to be in-depth and involve gathering information from both internal and external sources.

Internal research involves gathering data and information by reviewing:

• Unpublished customer interviews
• Customer success stories
• Audience surveys
• Internal research study

External research involves a series of processes, such as:

Finding Credible Sources

The process of finding credible sources involves reading up on already published content to draw inspiration and picture your content from various angles. It’s even more important to ensure you only include statistics, facts, and opinions from only reliable and authoritative sources, such as government sites or survey organizations.

Reference books, journal articles, and publications are also excellent sources. Remember to maintain a record of all your sources and include them in your white paper as footnotes, quotes inside the content, or a list of references at the end of the document.

Connect With Experts In Your Industry.

Connecting with industry experts is great if you intend to take a personalized approach to writing your white paper.

It is not the easiest way to gather insights as it involves getting up close and personal with top-level personalities that you might not have heard of or interacted with before.

You must construct and deliver your angle convincingly by customizing your interviews to a format they are most comfortable with.

Say, set up a virtual meeting if they are not up to having the discussion over coffee or letting them answer your questions on a written questionnaire instead of face-to-face meetings.

Expert tip: Focus on asking open-ended questions that uncover new insights for your white paper

Fact-check Everything

Nothing costs your credibility more than half-truths or false statements and allegations.

Thus, it is in your best interest to ensure all the information you use in your white paper from interviews or publications is entirely true and reliable.

Tip #3: Create an Outline

An outline is essential when writing white papers because they are long-form and can easily be up to 10 pages.

A good content outline helps you to write faster and evade writer’s block.

Creating an outline involves mapping out your ideas in a logical order as you build a convincing argument.

The process can take any shape or form, but it typically includes:

A headline: This is a working title that does not need to be perfect as you can perfect it as you move along.

An executive summary: A brief description of what your white paper entails: the product, service, or problem you intend to solve.

A table of contents: It is essential for length content as it provides readers with an overview of the document and allows them to skip directly to their area of interest.

An introduction: This is your chance to grab your reader’s attention and convince them to stick around to the end of the paper. It includes an introduction of the topic, talks about why the discussion is important and highlights the contents and objectives of the white paper.

It may also include teaser upcoming sections and briefly mention the resources, experts, original research, and data used to compile the authoritative guide. Use this section to prove you have the answers the audience is looking for and

An overview or abstract: Details the parameters and variables used and defines the terms readers will come across. It aims to let the reader see why the document is relevant to their needs and why they should keep on reading.

Subheadings: These introduce different sections in the paper and must support the main topic or introduce a step if you are discussing a process.

Subheading content: Highlight the key points you’ll discuss, plus any supporting information you come across in your research. It is through these sections that you present your solutions, convince readers these are the best solutions and present supporting evidence and expertise.

Conclusion: Summarize the major findings, any action items, and the recommendations provided. You could also add a call to action. If you wish, you can also close your paper by including an About the Company paragraph, by citing your sources, or referencing.

Tip #4: Draft Your Format

A good white paper format helps you to organize information legibly and neatly. You can get a feel of the most appropriate writing style or format by reading up on other white papers and journal articles.

Most of the time, drafting your content format involves adding visual interest to your white paper to break up long text-heavy chunks of content.

The visuals also help to clarify and strengthen the key points and are to be used as a supplement and not a replacement to written content.

Before you begin writing, you need to create a skeleton of what you’d want your final document.

The skeleton included placeholders in place of visuals that you intend to add during the design phase.

Some of the common visuals to add sparingly to your articles include:

• Sidebars
• Charts
• Graphs
• Graphics
• Tables
• Text boxes
• Video slides
• Diagrams

Other elements that you can use to provide readers with visual relief include:

• Bullet points
• Pull quotes
• White space

Tip #5: Start Writing Your White Paper

With your research and draft ready, it’s now time to start clicking away.

It’s best to start writing when the ideas obtained from your research are still fresh in your mind.

At this point, focus on completing the first draft and ignore the editing because it’s easier to go through everything once the whole thing is complete.

Remember to keep things interesting despite having a formal and professional tone.

Writing a white paper essentially involves building a case, supporting your case, and expanding on the ideas in the outline.

Ensure each paragraph you write contributes to these goals and is relevant to the topic.

Tip #6: Proofread and Edit

It may take you several drafts to get the perfect white papers.

Once you are done with your first draft, go over it to identify what you can add or remove to make it read well and entice your audience to read to the end.

Editing your white papers involves looking out for grammar mistakes, overuse of the passive voice, run-on sentences, and strengthening the points you are making.

Additionally, you should ensure that the content fulfills its goal or promises, delivers expected value to readers, and the facts, statistics, and links provided are factually accurate.

Not forgetting you need to ensure your document is engaging and easy to understand for the target audience.

Here are a few tips to get the cleanest document:

• When editing, read aloud to catch awkward sentences and phrases easily
• Read over it after a few days of completing the final copy.
• Enlist friends and proofreaders as they could be instrumental in catching mistakes you missed or overlooked.

Tip #7: Repurpose White Paper Content

The white paper is a hardworking document that can be repurposed in various ways to deliver added value.

Repurposing involves using white paper content in various other mini-formats to attract an even bigger audience. You can repurpose your white paper in the following ways:

• Expand individual sections into individual sections that include insightful facts, statistics, and expert opinions.
• Use stats and quotes to create social media posts.
• Use your research for a panel discussion.
• Send your primary recommendations as individual newsletter editions.

Mistakes To Avoid When Writing A White Paper

Mistake #1: Sounding Like Advertisement

A fatal mistake you will make when writing your white paper is turning it into a sales pitch.

Why?

Because readers have been bombarded with advertisements left, right, and center and are now experts to ignoring “yet another ad.”

Focus on educating them or helping them solve their problems instead of selling to them.

If you launch your white paper by selling to them, they will most likely turn away and head on over to your competitors.

Mistake #2: Failure To Align Your Paper With The Buyer’s Journey

It’s important to align your white paper to your target audience and their stage on the buyer’s journey.

Failure to do so makes it unlikely for your well-written, researched, and edited white paper to convert leads.

Additionally, the misalignment of content to the phases of buyers on the sales cycle makes it difficult to address the target audience’s goal,s needs, and problems, meaning they might not read the paper.

On the other hand, producing content that’s relevant for each buyer’s journey ensures that you build strong connections with them, which is likely to drive more leads.

Mistake #3: Creating An Unresponsive Design For Mobile

Today, more than 50% of internet traffic is mobile.

Hence, it’s becoming increasingly crucial for companies using gated content, like white paper, to create content that features a responsive design.

Failure to make your white paper adopt a mobile design makes your content difficult to navigate and potentially unreadable.

This means fewer people can read and actually convert.

Mistake #4: Inadequate Research

Your white paper must present reliable, unbiased, and educational information that is valuable to your readers.

Inadequate research will have you presenting half-truths, and this will impact your white paper’s credibility.

To avoid this, conduct extensive research and aggregate quotes from subject matter experts or scholarly articles.

Do not forget to include data and statistics, especially when writing for a technical or analytic audience, as they will make your content more impactful and believable.

Mistake #5: Failure To Tell A Captivating Story

Stories are effective elements that keep your white papers engaging from beginning to end.

A success story for proving how the recommended solution helped a client will not only keep your audience hooked but also gently prompt them to buy your product or subscribe to your services.

You can also present your entire white paper as a story that identifies a problem, builds a case, and elaborately recommends a solution.

Some Amazing White Paper Examples

A 2018 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report, records that 71% of companies use white papers as one of the top 4 most effective types of marketing collateral.

This is enough reason to start using white papers to drive more leads, educate, inspire, and engage your audiences.

Below are 5 amazing white papers from different industries to inspire you to write, publish, and distribute your first white paper.

Cloud Security and Compliance White Paper – Google

The Google Cloud Security and Compliance White Paper is a 28-page text-heavy document that explains how the Google Workspace keeps your teams, data, and information safe and secure.

It illustrates how Google uses its own services and infrastructure to safeguard cloud operations than most traditional on-premise solutions.

The paper includes well-informed facts and opinions and is readable thanks to its simple style, which features simple language, imagery, subtle colours, and fonts.

The white paper includes various content formats suitable for different audiences and uses visual interest elements, like text boxes, white papers, infographics, and checklists.

Networking and Your Competitive Edge White Paper – CISCO

The 19-page Cisco Networking and Your Competitive Edge white paper elaborates on the importance of securing the network edge.

The paper uses a formal tone that’s far from persuasive to show readers how they can benefit from implementing a robust and state-of-the-art network edge.

The white paper carefully breaks up huge chunks of text using infographics on every page and includes multiple infographics and pullout quotes to make it more visually appealing and make it easier to skim through.

The goal “to drive digital transformation” is driven effectively using numerous statistics.

Not Another State of Marketing Report – Hubspot

“Not Another State of Marketing Report” is a white paper by Hubspot that aims to help marketers to align marketing to business growth and align it with business goals.

The white paper emphasizes the need to prioritize marketing strategies and commit to the entire customer experience.

The white paper is useful for marketers looking to learn about macro shifts in the industry.

The whitepaper delivers the content effectively with short editorial summaries, attractive graphs, 50+ statistics, and insights from leading people and partners.

The opinions and facts in the document are compiled from a survey of 1,500 marketers and 3 expert interviews.

Pathways to Digital Justice – World Economic Forum

The Pathway to Digital Justice white paper makes a case for a new policy framework that provides a working solution for rising cases of digital injustice.

It aims to guide the legal and judicial systems towards embracing a data ecosystem that protects individuals from digital injustice.

The white paper uses an accurate structure that includes a table of contents, an executive summary that briefly describes the two approaches governments can take to create a clear pathway to digital justice.

It also includes a problem statement and proceeds to recommend pathways to a digital just society and a conclusion.

Images, tables, and infographics have been used to break up the text-heavy white paper.

5 Steps to Rid Your Small Business of Payroll Stress – ADP

Automating Data Processing (ADP) is an industry-leading human resource and payroll management system provider Their 5 steps to rid your small business of payroll stress is a white paper created for decision-makers in small and medium-sized businesses.

It’s a well-researched paper that discusses how the target audience can avoid payroll stress affordably yet effectively.

The listicle white paper features a fair balance of words and graphics, including images, infographics, statistics, and pullout quotes.

Towards the end of the white paper, you will find a case study about a company that benefitted from using ADP’s payroll system.

It also includes a conclusion with a subtle call-to-action and an About the Company section.

Should I Hire a Ghostwriter to Write a Whitepaper?

The whitepaper is steadily becoming a staple for targeted marketing, but it’s also one of the most time-consuming and expensive content to produce.

Done right, it effectively generates leads across the different levels of the sales funnel.

But what if you don’t have the time or resources to write a whitepaper that’s truly impactful?

That’s where a ghostwriter comes in.

These guys are professionals who write content on behalf of someone else.

Contrary to popular notions, ghostwriters aren’t just for writing novels and autobiographies. Instead, they produce any content, i.e., eBooks, blogs, marketing, and even press releases.

A ghostwriter helps you develop your ideas, do research, and write a high-quality whitepaper for you.

But the real question is, will this help in building your brand? And more importantly, can you afford to have someone write a whitepaper?

If you’re fixated on producing your own whitepaper, this post won’t do you any good.

But if you’re still navigating your options, here’s why hiring a ghostwriter makes perfect sense:

Reason 1: You value time as much as money.

If you’re thinking about cutting corners, then preparing a whitepaper will never be an option for you.

The job takes anywhere from 40 to 80 hours of research and writing time alone, not to mention the editing process after that.

That’s a lot of time you could be spending on more important tasks – like closing deals.

The question here is whether spending at least $5 per hour on a ghostwriter is worth it for you?

Considering that a well-written whitepaper can generate thousands of leads, the answer is pretty clear.

Reason 2: You don’t have the resources to do it yourself.

This one’s pretty straightforward. Not everyone has the skill set to write a whitepaper, and if you’re short on staff, outsourcing this task is your best bet.

Ghostwriters have access to various resources that you might not have, such as paid databases and journals.

They can also help with fact-checking and sourcing reliable data for your whitepaper.

All of it makes the process a lot more efficient and cost-effective. From the business perspective, a ghostwriter is an investment that will pay off in the long run.

Reason 3: You don’t have the skills or knowledge.

Even if you have the time, there’s a good chance that you don’t have the skillset or knowledge to write a high-quality whitepaper.

On the other hand, ghostwriters don’t need to know everything about your product or company to write something useful for your marketing campaign – they have the experience and expertise to develop your ideas into a well-written document.

Whitepapers target a specialized audience, which means they must follow specific formats and structures.

If you don’t have any experience preparing whitepapers, we suggest working with a ghostwriter to help you.

This way, you can focus on compiling important information about your product and company while the writer takes care of the writing process.

Reason 4: You want to focus on other areas of your business.

Writing a whitepaper takes a lot of time and effort, which can be quite distracting for you and your team if they’re already juggling other tasks.

As a result, most companies outsource whitepaper writing to professional writers because there are more important things they need to focus on instead.

It’s a simple as that really – by hiring ghostwriters, companies prioritize their time better and access the benefits of well-written marketing content without having to hire a full-time writer.

In-house writers can be as good as ghosts, but if you don’t need them to produce content daily, it’s a waste of resources.

Ghostwriters offer the perfect balance of quality, affordability, and time efficiency – all you need to do is provide them with a solid brief.

Reason 5: Ghostwriters are versatile enough to incorporate your specific marketing goals.

The best ghostwriters are versatile enough to write about any topic or industry, and they can also adapt their tone and style to fit your brand.

In addition, they know how to take your ideas and turn them into a well-written document that’s tailored to your target audience.

When you hire a ghostwriter, you’re not just getting someone who can write – you’re getting someone who can help you achieve your specific marketing goals through high-quality whitepaper production.

Reason 6: You want someone with an objective approach in writing a whitepaper.

It’s easy for a business owner to be biased about their product or company.

Unfortunately, this can often lead to content that isn’t objective and doesn’t provide any real value to the reader.

Ghostwriters, on the other hand, are unbiased and will produce a high-quality whitepaper that is relevant to your target audience.

This is one of the most important perimeters companies look for when hiring ghostwriters.

Objective whitepapers are more effective even if they’re less enthusiastic because they provide useful information without any form of promotion.

Reason 7: You need a writer who knows how to balance an argument and a sales pitch.

An excellent whitepaper provides value to readers without being pushy.

Unfortunately, this document is often hard to produce because it requires you to emphasize your argument without coming off too strong.

Ghostwriters know how to tone down sales pitches and develop effective arguments that convince an audience to buy your product or service – the difference is that they do this for a living.

If you don’t know how to write an effective whitepaper, it doesn’t always mean that your in-house writer can help you with it.

However, it takes years of experience and training to learn the art of writing marketing content for different industries, so rely on ghostwriters if you want something that’ll help you make more sales.

How to Write a Whitepaper For My Crypto Company

Like all other types of business or investment, your crypto company wants to stand out from the rest of the crowd by offering a distinctive selling proposition.

To do this, you need the right material to showcase to your would-be customers how your business is unique and what they get in return for partnering with you.

The most efficient way to do this is through a whitepaper.

It’s essential material containing pertinent information about your cryptocurrency service or development project that’s important enough that someone would want to read it before signing up with you.

A good whitepaper is usually all you need to convince your customers to sign on and start using your service.

But the challenge arises in writing an excellent whitepaper that’s informative and captivating enough to keep people interested.

You wish you could write a one-line summary of what you do so easily, but not everyone in the crypto industry is gifted with the ability to do so.

Writing a whitepaper for your cryptocurrency company can be difficult for people who aren’t born storytellers or marketers, especially when you’re working on it all by yourself.

That’s why several companies offer their services in whitepaper preparation for cryptocurrency start-ups to help them stand out.

But if you’re motivated to do it yourself, this guide offers you all the things you need to know to get things started.

But before we go on with that, you must first fully comprehend why there’s a need to write a whitepaper.

A whitepaper is a foundation upon which your cryptocurrency company will stand. While not always, it’s usually a key component of the sales funnel that brings in investors and users alike.

There are several uses for these documents, such as serving as an explainer for what your company does or an educational guide to introduce people to the fundamentals of blockchain technology.

A well-written whitepaper conveys exactly what you promise it will and nothing else.

There are subjective elements in writing that need careful consideration before proceeding with the actual activity.

There are several steps involved but, here are the basics of how to write a whitepaper for your crypto company:

What Makes Your Crypto Company Unique?

This is where you talk about what’s unique about your cryptocurrency project and why people should join you.

First, write down what makes you different from the rest in the industry. Don’t copy anything verbatim from another project because that would be tantamount to plagiarism.

If you have no reason for existing in the first place, then no one will buy what you’re offering.

Instead, use this to demonstrate your creativity and originality.

To keep things interesting, be clear on how it’s different from other projects within the crypto space.

What’s the Format?

There are different formats for writing a whitepaper, depending on the cryptocurrency service or project you want it to represent.

But to keep things practical, PDF is the most common format.

This way, all the information you want to convey can be presented in one uniform look free of distractions.

How Long Should  Be?

Typically, a whitepaper should be at least 20 pages.

This may seem like a lot of information to pack into a document, but if you want to make an impression, there’s no way around it.

You can’t expect people to read something that’s less than ten pages because they’ll lose interest after the first few paragraphs.

Don’t present people who are genuinely interested in your whitepaper with less than ten pages because they’ll feel like the whole material is too congested.

Style and Tone

How you write is as important as what you say. The writing style should be clear and concise, with explicit explanations about topics your readers want to know more about.

Stick to a professional and formal tone rather than imitate how people talk in the real world.

People who don’t know anything about cryptocurrency and blockchain technology will find it difficult to comprehend overly common or colloquial terms.

You may impress other members of the crypto community, but you’ll leave everyone else out in the cold.

Be concise and straightforward when writing about technical matters like blockchain algorithms.

There’s no need to use vague language because this is your opportunity to present yourself as an expert.

When putting together the whitepaper, combine elements of an academic paper and a business plan.

This lets you indulge your technical side while not forgetting the practical aspect of the document.

The Content

Now here’s where you put all your knowledge into play. Your crypto company must be presented in a way that makes everyone feel like it’s the future of finance, especially since both crypto and blockchain technology is still new to most people.

• Brief Explanation of the Project – The first few pages should be dedicated to a concise explanation of the cryptocurrency project. If you use many complicated terms and words, there’s a chance that most readers will lose interest halfway through an abstract. So, keep your introduction short and direct to stay relevant throughout the entire document.
• Company History – There must be a section dedicated to the history of your company. Let readers know why you set up shop in this space as well as how it got off the ground. What led to its current position as a cryptocurrency service?
• Conceptualizing the Project – This is where you explain what your crypto project does and how it works. Like any other project, you must convince readers that it’s necessary if not important. Mention how your crypto company disrupts the industry and gives consumers a better way of doing business.
• Diagrams and Infographics – Aside from traditional text, use visual representations of key components of your project. Use the right mix of text and diagrams to help people understand what you’re trying to say so they can follow along.
• Problems Your Company or Project Solves – This is important because it lets readers know why they need your crypto company. Consumers will only purchase a product or service if they know it can solve their problems. They want to know that they’re making the right investment because you’re offering a unique solution.
• Roadmap – This part of your document shows how your project moves forward over time. It should be presented in an easy-to-understand manner, so readers don’t have to go through too much information before getting the gist of what your company is trying to do.
• Targets and Objectives – You have to be specific with how you plan to achieve your goals. Let your readers know about your roadmap milestones to get a sense of when they can get something out of this document.
• Team Members – Don’t forget that people want to know who’s behind the project. Don’t just give out names and positions without some background information.

Review and Rewrite

Remember that a whitepaper isn’t a set-and-forget document.

You have to edit it at least twice before calling your project done.

Give your work to people who aren’t involved in the company or project to provide fresh perspectives and ideas.

When you’re finally ready with your finished product, make sure it clearly states how this document benefits readers and your industry.

Give people reasons to buy into your crypto company so they can help you achieve what you want in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Writing a white paper may not be the easiest task, but a reliable guide can help you nail it on your first attempt.

The most important things to understand before you can start writing include what is a white paper, the purpose, the uses, and the various types.

It’s also essential to define and understand your audience before you begin writing and select a topic relevant to this audience.

Still on the topic, ensure that you understand or have an interest in the topic to deliver the most value to the readers.

Remember to create an outline and define the format you will use when writing before you start typing away.

Again, proofread, proofread, and proofread again before you publish your white paper.

And with that, you shouldn’t have any problem finding a reliable ghostwriter to write a whitepaper for your marketing campaign.

What’s more is that they can write anything you need for your product or company, not just whitepapers.

Now that you know why hiring ghostwriters makes sense, it’s time to find a good one.

Search for writers on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer and hire them depending on their skillset and experience.

Further Reading

10 Marketing Tips For Solo Consultants

How To Use Storytelling In Your Marketing 

20 Blog KPIs You Should Use To Track Success

Should I Hire A Ghostwriter For LinkedIn