image credit: DwaFotografy/shutterstock.com
Getting the most out of white papers takes focus and persistence. Keeping your white paper style consistent and attention-grabbing is a good practice to start with, but what else can you do to attract viewers? Here are some additional strategies to find success from your white paper marketing.
Understand that some readers view your white papers differently
There are often two types of readers you will encounter for your content. An engaged reader will read the white paper cover to cover, while a scanner will simply skim through the content. They want to get a perfect understanding of your written content before they decide to share or quote it. Scanners are readers who skim through your writing, only paying attention to sections of interest.
You can be strategic in how you organize your white papers, drawing focus to key areas with the use of headlines and subheads. If a reader is going to skim your work, you should accommodate with enough content that instantly jumps out.
Organization and design keep your readers engaged
When creating a white paper, even something as simple as the type of font you use or the spacing can be important in maintaining reader interest. Split your writing into sections so you don’t overwhelm the reader. Engaged readers will appreciate the organization of your white paper, while scanning readers get to points of interest swiftly.
Keep your lines consistent with around 50 to 60 characters per line; the less compacted text, the easier it will be to digest the content of the white paper. You can introduce each section with the key topic mentioned right away. Plan ahead with a draft to get an idea of the style and layout you want the white paper to look. The style needs to be consistent so it won’t be too jarring when you introduce new sections.
Too much gated content means less readers, and less shares
If you gate too much content around a subscription or paywall, you’re limiting the number of readers that will view your whitepaper. This means there are less readers to share and quote your content. Gating content may help generate quality leads, but it can also increase bounce rates if a visitor isn’t expecting to subscribe to your content.
Some websites allow for third-party sign-in, such as logging in through a previously made social media account. This can be an effective way to keep visitors involved without them feeling pressured by a subscription or sign-up. Remember, your white papers are an important asset to help generate leads and help readers with potential concerns. Your white papers should be structured neatly and provide helpful content to your audience.
Thinkdm2 is a New Jersey digital branding agency, we have a passion for content marketing and would love to assist you in your marketing efforts. For more b2b marketing and branding advice, you can find additional content at Thinkdm2’s blog.
