8 Ways to Write an Effective Whitepaper

3 min readDec 1, 2021

What is a whitepaper? A Whitepaper is an authoritative report that explains something. It can be about anything from the financial markets to new technology, but it always provides some level of expertise or insight on what’s being talked about. This post will review four ways you can write an effective whitepaper for your business.

Good writing is critical, but if no one reads it then all of your hard work goes down the drain anyway, so make sure you get more eyes on your white paper by following these tips on how to effectively promote yours:

Add Images to Make Your Whitepaper Interesting and Engaging

Use imagery that relates to what is being said in the text and also helps people understand it better. They don’t have to be big or flashy images — just relevant ones that add a little bit extra into each page. A good image can go a long way in grabbing someone’s attention when they are skimming through looking for something specific.

Build Trust with Data

Studies show people believe statistics over personal opinions so sprinkle some credible figures in your copy to make readers feel safe while reading the document.

Include Call-To-Actions

Call-to-actions don’t need to be big and flashy. If you can put one on every page of your document, that would be best — but if not, just try to incorporate it as much as possible. Even a little “Contact Us for More Information” button at the end will go a long way in drawing more traffic toward what you are offering.

Make it easy to read by breaking down complex information into bite-size chunks

Make sure you divide your document into logical sections so readers can easily find their way around without any confusion.

Include Testimonials from Customers

Who has already used what you are selling to give your white paper a boost of authenticity and trustworthiness? Not only does this help people feel like they know who is writing about something (and therefore why their opinion may matter), but it also gives them some relevant information from someone else who has already bought or used the product or service you are offering. This will make your whitepaper more relatable and give people a reason to trust it.

Emphasize results, not features

Instead of writing about the product’s specifications and how they come up with those numbers; focus more on benefits that a customer can get from using your product.

Build a Community around your White Paper by Connecting with Other Influencers

When someone sees that others have already been talking about what is written in your white paper, they will feel as though there must be something good about it if so many other industry insiders see value in reading it too. It also allows them to click through and read those influencers’ work for themselves.

Final Thoughts

Whitepapers are used in different kinds of businesses and they serve many purposes. It can be a guide, offering valuable information for customers or it can also be promotional like case studies, product descriptions, etc. However, one thing that makes them stand out from other forms of content marketing is their huge value proposition because whitepapers contain more numbers than words which makes them hard-hitting.