Web Content Marketing: The What and Why of White Papers
Your web content marketing plan must contain different elements to allow you to reach your target audience effectively. The elements you choose to use must all work together to reach your audience and provide them with the information they need. One of the elements that many companies are using is white papers. If you have never used them before, it can be useful to learn what they are and why businesses should hire a content writing company to help them create these pieces.
Why Should You Publish White Papers?
White papers written by a content writer typically fulfill one of three purposes, including:
- To generate leads.
- To nurture your prospects.
- To close sales.
These are not the only reasons why businesses choose to include white papers in their web content marketing. Some companies find these pieces are effective for attracting attention to their business or redefining their market space. Others use it as a way to establish themselves as a leader in their industry. With all these reasons, white papers are a versatile option that can provide you with many benefits. As you determine the success of your white paper, you must track the number of leads it generates and how many sales you close.
The use of white papers for web content marketing can serve many purposes for your business, depending on the topics on which they are written. They can educate, influence buyers, build credibility and help you stay competitive in your industry. Because of this versatility, it can be advantageous to consider white papers in your marketing plan.
Why Do People Read White Papers?
Now that you know why you should hire a content writing company to write white papers for you, it is time to explore why people would read these same pieces. White papers offer a large amount of information that is relevant to your business. Individuals often come to your website looking for information before they make a purchase. A white paper should solve a problem, help your readers understand a specific issue or help them make a decision. As they read the information you include, they will feel as if you are a good fit for fulfilling their needs. Some of the primary reasons why individuals read white papers include:
- To follow the latest trends.
- To compare products or services.
- To find qualified vendors.
- To gather information.
- To justify buying decisions.
All these reasons are valid reasons for you to start looking for a content writer who can help you write white papers that will effectively give your readers what they want.
Why Do Content Writers Write White Papers?
White papers can often be tedious to write and require more research than other types of content writing. This can leave you wondering why a content writing company would want to offer this service to their clients. In general, these services write white papers for three primary reasons:
- Customer Satisfaction – A good content writing company wants to give their customers everything they need in one place. This includes white papers. When you work with one company that can give you everything you need, you can count on a seamless transition between the various types of content to assist with your branding efforts.
- A Change of Pace – Writers are creative individuals. While they can easily create the same type of content repeatedly with no issues, their creativity often dictates the desire for a change of pace. When your content writer writes white papers, it gives them a chance to flex their writing muscles and change things up, keeping their writing fresh.
- The Challenge – Writing white papers is much different than other types of content writing. A white paper requires writers to portray the features and benefits a company can offer to their own customers. This often requires extensive research on the company itself and the industry. Many writers enjoy this type of challenge.
As you consider adding white papers to your web content marketing plan, it is important to know what purpose they serve and how they work. In many cases, it is best to hire a content writing company to assist with this task to avoid spending too much time that could be better spent on other aspects of your business.
If you want to add white papers to your website, contact us to create a plan that will help you establish yourself as a leader your customers can count on.
