Every content marketing distribution strategy requires balance. If you spend all of your time and resources on social media, you’ll miss your audience that prefers emails. Similarly, the formats of your content require balance. The casual formula for writing a blog may be easier and less time-consuming than creating a video, but you may miss segments of your audience if you only produce blogs.
One format that is often overlooked because of the time and effort required to produce them is white papers. White papers hold a unique position in your content marketing distribution strategy because they have the potential to demonstrate the depth of your expertise on a topic in your industry.
When your potential buyers research their options, they will appreciate having a detailed guide that tells them how to solve a particularly challenging problem. When it’s time to make a purchase, your company’s expertise will push them to call you first.
The role of white papers in your marketing strategy: A quality white paper takes an in-depth look at a common problem in your industry and then offers practical advice for a solution. The recommendations should result in a measurable improvement for the company and offer valuable solutions that improve their business outcomes.
What a white paper does not do: A white paper is never written as a sales pitch for your company. A member of your audience that is familiar with white papers will immediately dismiss yours if there’s any hint of self-promotion included in the content. A good white paper offers the opportunity to distinguish yourself as an expert voice in your industry.
It’s a good idea to balance your production of white papers with other types of content where you can be more free to recommend your products. While informative content is always better, there are opportunities at the end of a blog or a social media post to include a call to action, a step that isn’t included in a white paper.
Don’t miss out on the value of white papers as a part of a comprehensive marketing strategy. If your competitors are publishing white papers, they will have an edge on you if you aren’t putting out informative, expertly-written white papers. Don’t allow this to happen simply because white papers take more investment and time. Balance out your content marketing distribution with a solid library of a few well-written white papers.
If you’re concerned that you might be missing opportunities by not producing white papers, there’s more to learn about the topic. Dive into SimpliContent’s white paper entitled, “Survey Reveals Missed Sales Opportunities Through White Paper Distribution.”