Not Another Whitepaper...
For the ultimate mind bend – here’s a special report on whitepapers? Okay it’s called a “special report” but you and I know this is a whitepaper on whitepapers. Does this signify a cosmic event? The end of the universe as the comedian Louis Black would lead you to believe because there’s a Starbucks on all four corners of an intersection?
No, it reinforces the value of whitepapers and the need to write a good one in order to stand out in the sea of whitepapers. They are valuable content in the technology industry – particularly when a prospect is in decision making or buying stages. Here are three tips to help increase downloads, content, and pass along and separate your paper from the masses.
- A smart title. Keep it to the point (not funny or trite). Try testing whitepapers names to see which receives more downloads. Michael Stelzner author of the book “Writing Whitepapers: How to Capture Readers and Keep Them Engaged” and founder of www.whitepapersource.com suggests trying numbers in titles. For example, “Ten things you need to know about compliance”. The title is one of the most important factors on whether your paper is read, not an afterthought or something that should be left to a technical writer.
- Keep it short and relevant. While a short whitepaper sounds like a contradiction, we all know how hard it is to find the time to read a 25-page paper. Instead try 4-6 pages and make it’s direct and easy to scan online.
- Use key words. Using the right key words in your abstract/paper summary will help ensure your paper can be found via search engines and within your site. You wrote this great content – you want it to be easy to find and determine whether it’s relevant for them.
Keep in mind that whitepapers are a valuable marketing tool and should be given the same attention and care that a high profile ad campaign warrants.
