What’s a white paper, anyway?

Someone asked me recently: “What exactly is a white paper?”

They’d come across a few at work, but from their description, most were essentially two-page product fact sheets. There’s absolutely a place for those, but they’re not white papers.

The problem is that white paper has become something of a catch-all term for almost any document that’s longer than a blog post and comes as a PDF.

But a genuine white paper in business is something quite different. And producing a good one involves a lot more than simply sitting down and writing.

What is a white paper in business?

At its heart, a white paper is a substantial, research-led piece of content built around a central thesis or argument. It should contribute something meaningful to a wider industry conversation, whether that’s original research, a fresh interpretation of existing evidence, expert insight or a well-supported point of view.

It also needs a clear purpose and a defined audience. What issue are you exploring? Why does it matter? What do you want readers to understand, question or think differently about by the time they’ve finished?

Importantly, it needs to be backed by credible evidence. You can’t simply make a series of claims, dress them up in authoritative language and expect readers to take your word for it.

This is what distinguishes a genuine white paper in business from a product brochure. While both have their place, a white paper should demonstrate your organisation’s expertise by contributing to a conversation, rather than simply promoting its products or services.

And that’s also what makes a good white paper such a valuable piece of thought leadership. Done well, it gives your audience something worth reading while building your organisation’s authority and credibility.

The writing is only part of the job

One of the more interesting aspects of white paper writing is how much work can happen before anyone starts drafting.

Clients sometimes come to me with a broad topic, a collection of research or a general sense that they should be producing thought leadership. But they don’t necessarily have a clear argument or the evidence to support one.

And while I’d love to be able to whip up a white paper from thin air, that’s not quite how it works.

Instead, we need to work out what the story actually is.

Perhaps there’s valuable data sitting inside the business that nobody has thought to use. Maybe the organisation’s subject matter experts have interesting perspectives that haven’t yet been drawn out. Or perhaps there’s an emerging industry issue that warrants further investigation.

Sometimes additional research like a survey is needed. Other times, it’s about looking at existing material differently, identifying connections or asking questions that nobody has thought to ask.

This is where having someone with strong editorial experience can make a real difference.

A good white paper writer shouldn’t simply take a brief and produce the required number of words. They should be able to interrogate the material, identify the strongest angle, challenge assumptions and work out how to develop a compelling, evidence-based argument.

In many respects, the process is much closer to producing a substantial piece of journalism than writing traditional marketing content.

And it requires someone to direct the process, bringing together the research, expert input and business objectives into a coherent narrative.

Complex ideas need simple writing

There’s another important aspect of white paper writing that I think is often overlooked.

Because white papers frequently deal with specialist or technical subjects, there’s sometimes an assumption that the language itself needs to be complicated.

But technical complexity and complexity of language aren’t the same thing.

I recently edited a particularly technical report where the client was understandably concerned that too much editing could strip out important detail or inadvertently change the meaning. The material had been developed with extensive input from subject matter experts, and precision was critical.

But making technical writing more accessible doesn’t mean simplifying the underlying content.

Sometimes it’s as straightforward as changing the order in which information is presented, adding context to help readers understand why something matters, or simply tweaking a sentence so the meaning is clearer.

The technical detail, precision and nuance all remain intact. The reader simply has a clearer path through the material.

And arguably, the more complex the subject, the more important that becomes.

A good white paper should be authoritative and intellectually rigorous, but it should also be engaging and accessible to its intended audience. After all, there’s little value in producing a beautifully researched document if nobody wants to read it.

Making the most of a white paper for your business

Of course, the work shouldn’t necessarily end when the white paper is published.

A substantial piece of research-led thought leadership can provide the foundation for months of content, from executive opinion pieces and industry articles to presentations, LinkedIn posts and other communications.

It can also help position senior leaders as experts, open conversations with prospective clients and give your business a credible voice on the issues affecting your industry.

But those opportunities are much easier to identify when the white paper has been developed with a clear strategy and strong editorial direction from the beginning.

Which brings me back to the original question: what is a white paper?

It’s not simply a long blog or a more sophisticated name for a product brochure. It’s an opportunity to bring your organisation’s knowledge, research and expertise together to say something genuinely worthwhile.

And that takes more than throwing a few words on a page.

Need help developing a white paper?

I bring more than 20 years of journalism, writing and editorial experience to helping businesses turn complex expertise into compelling thought leadership. Whether you have a fully developed brief or just the beginnings of an idea, I can help with everything from finding the story and developing the argument to research, writing, editing and distribution.

Find out more about my white paper writing services.