White Papers

Writing a White Paper

When writing a white paper, focus on the needs and interests of your audience, for example, address and propose solutions for specific problems they may commonly encounter. Begin with a summary of your content, then use clear and specific headings so readers can easily scan the material and understand your main points. Your summary should provide both general background information and evidence that you, as the expert, know what you’re talking about. You want to instill confidence in your readers!

Continue by outlining problems and possible solutions and mention the products or services you are representing last, after they have read the entire white paper. Finish the white paper with a conclusion that concisely summarizes your main points. If you use outside sources, list them at the end of the white paper. Be sure to include links to other relevant web sites, either in the body of the white paper or at the end in a Resources section.

Checklist

I. Analysis

• • Why is the white paper being written?

  • What is the paper's focus?

  • What problems are you addressing?

  • Who is the target audience?

II. Evaluation

Content

• • • Is the topic of interest to your target readers?

    • Have you addressed the needs of your target audience?

    • When you describe potential problems your readers might encounter, have you also provided solutions to every problem you have discussed?

    • If you used other sources to write your white paper, have you credited those sources?

    • Have you included images and links to other posts or websites with related content?

    • Have you checked any links for accuracy?

Style

• • • Is your content’s style compatible with that of your company’s website or publication?

    • Have you used a professional tone throughout the white paper?

    • Have you used technical terms or acronyms only when necessary?

Appearance

• • • Have you used font types, sizes and colors that are compatible with that of your host’s website or publication?

    • Are links to related websites and other resources clearly accessible?

    • Have you proofread your work for grammar and spelling errors?