A white paper is an informational document issued by a company or not-for-profit organization to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product, or service that it offers or plans to offer.
White papers are also utilized for presenting government policies and legislation, as well as gauging public opinion.
Key Takeaways
- A white paper promotes a certain product, service, or methodology to influence current and prospective customer or investor decisions.
- Three main types of white papers include backgrounders, numbered lists, and problem/solution white papers.
- A white paper provides persuasive and factual evidence that a particular offering is a superior product or method of solving a problem.
- White papers are commonly designed for business-to-business (B2B) marketing purposes between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer.
Illuminating the Purpose of a White Paper
White papers serve as sales and marketing documents used to entice or persuade potential customers to learn more about a particular product, service, technology, or methodology.
White papers are commonly designed for B2B marketing purposes between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer. These documents provide an in-depth report or guide about a specific product or topic and are meant to educate their readers.
The facts presented in white papers are often backed by research and statistics from reliable sources and can include charts, graphs, tables, and other ways of visualizing data. A white paper can communicate an organization’s philosophy or present research findings related to an industry.
Diverse Types of White Papers Explained
A startup, large corporation, or government agency will use white papers differently. There are three main types of white papers: backgrounders, numbered lists, and problem/solution white papers.
Backgrounders detail the technical features of a new product or service. Designed to simplify complicated technical information, they are used to:
- Support a technical evaluation
- Launch a product
- Promote a product or industry leader
Numbered lists highlight the key takeaways of a new product or service, often formatted with headings and bullet points such as:
- 3 Questions to Ask
- 5 Things You Need to Know
- 10 Tips
Problem/solution papers identify specific problems faced by potential customers and offer a data-driven argument about how a featured product or service provides a solution to:
- Generate new sales
- Educate salespeople on product characteristics
- Build industry interest
Crafting an Effective White Paper
White papers differ from other marketing materials, such as brochures, which might be flashy and obvious. A white paper is intended to provide persuasive and factual evidence that addresses a problem or challenge. White papers are commonly at least 2,500 words in length and written in an academic style.
A white paper should deliver well-researched information that is not easily found through a simple internet search and have a compelling narrative to keep the reader engaged. The author of a white paper should:
- Research and fully define the topic
- Create an accurate outline of information
- Write an attention-grabbing introduction
- Format the paper for easy reading
- Revise and proofread
Inspiring Examples of White Papers
All of the documents listed below, publicly available on Microsoft’s website, focus on aspects of the company’s suite of cloud services. Unlike brochures, these white papers are devoid of clear sales pitches. Instead, they dive into relevant topics such as cloud security, hybrid clouds, and the economic benefits of adopting cloud computing.
- An AI-First Infrastructure and Toolchain for Any Scale
- Moving your Mission Critical Mainframe Data to Azure
- Mesh and hub-and-spoke networks on Azure
- Backup and recovery overview for Azure users
- Backup and recovery overview for users new to Azure
The Influence of New Industries on White Papers
Cryptocurrencies frequently use white papers during initial coin offerings (ICOs) to woo users and investors toward their respective projects.
Bitcoin famously launched a few months after the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto issued its cornerstone white paper online in October 2008.
Unraveling the Origin of the Term ‘White Paper’
White papers might have originated from the use of “Blue Papers” in 19th century Britain, where Parliament would cover its reports with blue bindings. For less serious topics, the blue cover was discarded and published with white covers—these reports were called White Papers. In the U.S., government white papers often serve as background reports or guidance on specific issues.
The Bottom Line
A white paper is an informational document issued by a company, government agency, or not-for-profit organization to promote the features of a solution, product, or service that it offers or plans to offer. The facts presented in white papers are often backed by research and statistics from reliable sources and commonly written in one of three formats: backgrounders, numbered lists, and problem/solution papers.
Related Terms: technical evaluation, product promotion, market research, academic style writing.
References
- Copy Engineer, via Internet Archive Wayback Machine. “The 3 Types of White Papers and When to Use Each One”.
- MasterClass. “White Paper Guide: How to Write a White Paper”.
- Microsoft Azure. “White Papers on the Cloud and Azure”.
