I’ve just finished Part 2: What To Do When Your White Paper Is Too Short of my 3-part article on The Ideal Length of the White Paper: Solving the Long and Short of It. The article explores what makes white papers too short and how to fix them. Included are discussions on aligning your white paper to the right stage of the buying cycle and using white papers to position yourself as a thought leader. Download it at https://www.highermindfulness.com/free-stuff/
Ideal White Paper Length: Problems With the Move to Short White Papers
What is the ideal length of a white paper to be an effective tool of communication? Companies are often told to keep their content marketing short because the Internet has filed down people’s attention spans. The Internet has changed the way people make purchases; however, they still need good information in order to be able to make decisions.
Prior to the Internet, companies got much of their decision-making information from sales people. Research suggests today people turn to the Internet and conduct research independently and with peers in order to make business decisions and purchases. One of the types of content frequently consumed – particularly for complex decisions – is white papers.
White papers are specific pieces of content marketing designed to provide a certain depth of information to the reader. When a company puts out white papers that are too short, they fail to deliver on this unspoken promise of the white paper. In addition, they fall short in using the tool of the white paper to its full advantage in positioning their company. Basically, a white paper that is too short does not function well as a communication tool.
This article helps you explore ideas of what to examine if you think your white papers may be lacking effectiveness due to a lack of depth and alignment with larger goals. Included are discussions on aligning your white paper to the right stage of the buying cycle and using white papers to position yourself as a thought leader.
Download the article, free and ungated, at https://www.highermindfulness.com/free-stuff/
What to Do When Your White Paper Is Too Short is part two of a three-part article discussing white paper length.
Part 1: The Length Question looked at how long white papers should be to be effective. In exploring the question of white paper length, readers improve their writing and conceptual skills to help them make empowered decisions concerning their white paper communications.
Part 2: What to Do When Your White Paper Is Too Short examines how to fix white papers that are too short. Included are discussions on aligning your white paper to the right stage of the buying cycle and using white papers to position yourself as a thought leader.
Part 3: What to Do When Your White Paper Is Too Long – Coming soon.