Image source
White Paper Copywriting: Benefits Of Outsourcing White Paper Copywriting To An Agency
What are the benefits of outsourcing white paper copywriting to an agency for engagements and thought leadership in your niche or on a specific topic?
Do you know that an expertly crafted white paper can boost your credibility among your target audience and become the foundation of lead generation?
Authoritative reports are the perfect complement to any sales strategy. Used effectively, they are a top source of lead generation.
However, many copywriting agencies don't write position papers because they are hard to write.
In this article, you will learn what white paper is. You will also discover what brands are using white papers and how they are used in business.
Finally, you will uncover the impactful benefits of authoritative papers and why you need to outsource the crafting of your position report.
Let's get started.
What Is A White Paper?
The old-school definition comes from politics. Collins Dictionary defines a White Paper as an official report which describes the policy of the Government on a particular subject. It was considered an official or authoritative governmental report.
But today, according to HubSpot, a whitepaper is a persuasive, authoritative, in-depth report on a specific topic that presents a problem and provides a solution.
In other words, an authoritative report is a document that outlines a problem, then details a solution to that problem.
Put differently, a position paper takes a specific point of view and then persuades the reader that a particular viewpoint is the right one to take.
However, content marketing authoritative reports have a significantly different tone and voice when compared to blog articles.
A position paper is authoritative and formal. And a blog post is friendly and conversational.
Authoritative papers also tend to be much longer than your typical blog post or online article.
There is some debate about the proper length of a content marketing position paper.
But, Hubspot argues that this long-form document should not be any shorter than six pages.
Finally, an authoritative paper should have a concrete, defendable argument and point of view.
That said, it should not try to sell.
Many brands hire professional content creators to write for their websites and blogs. But unlike websites and sales copy, position papers are hard to write.
They are long-form content. The research, skill set, and time involved are some of the reasons many in-house teams shy away from them.
However, technical paper copywriting is best done by a skilled professional.
And many brands have discovered that outsourcing this type of content writing has many benefits.
What Brands Are Outsourcing White Papers To Boost Engagements?
In the past, when you thought of these types of long-form documents, you thought of authoritative papers produced by governmental agencies.
Others that used position papers include NGOs, think tanks, consultancies, and financial institutions.
They used them to present the findings of their research.
However, content marketing has made technical papers to be commonly used in other industries as well.
That means that any brand that engages in content marketing can benefit from using position papers to boost engagements.
Because white papers educate by going deeper into issues, trends, and policies, and explaining their causes, B2B companies use them.
B2C brands use authoritative reports also but to a lesser degree. According to the Content Marketing Institute‘s 2018 B2C Content Marketing Trends report, 35 percent of B2C respondents use white papers.
On the other hand, according to the 2018 B2B Content Marketing Trends report, 71 percent of B2B respondents use these documents.
Among B2B marketers, white papers are the fourth most popular type of content.
Benefits Of Outsourcing White Papers Writing
Image source
Though authoritative reports can be used to generate leads, there are other benefits of outsourcing their writing and using them as part of your overall inbound marketing strategy.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, more than 60 percent of B2B respondents consider white papers as their most successful content.
Here are other ways these documents can benefit your marketing efforts:
Outsourced Whitepapers Generate Sales Leads
Sales generation is probably the main benefit of using authoritative content.
It combines educational and marketing content with high conversion rates compared to other marketing strategies.
The combination of learning and persuasion makes them one of the best sales-generating tools available.
Is it then easy to generate sales leads with white papers?
Yes.
The 2017 Content Preferences Survey found that more than 75% of respondents were willing to give their name and email address to a company in exchange for a white paper.
These documents boost sales. The B2B Technology Content Survey by Eccolo Media found that 50% percent of buyers have read a white paper before making a buying decision.
From that survey, we conclude that buyers prefer to purchase from vendors they trust and perceive as experts in their field.
Outsourced Whitepapers Build Your Brand And Establish Your Expertise
Command papers are used mainly to generate sales leads. However, they help build brand visibility and establish authority on a topic.
For instance, if your brand wants to be seen as a thought leader on a particular topic, producing in-depth, highly researched content on the subject positions you as an authority on the subject.
Successful companies are using outsourced command papers to highlight the solutions they provide for the pain points of their target audience.
They also use it to show off their credentials and expertise. This leaves readers with a positive impression and a wealth of knowledge about the company.
And the possibilities of working with it in the future.
Indeed, this type of white paper does not result in direct sales leads, but it positions you as the expert leader in your field, thus driving people to do business with you.
Outsourced Whitepapers Helps You Build Mailing Lists
Image source
Building mailing lists is not easy.
And that's because it is not easy to get readers to sign up for newsletters for updates.
However, a free whitepaper is a great motivator. You can offer it as a gift in exchange for a sign-up to your newsletter.
Just because something is free doesn't mean that people would rush for it.
Make sure your document offers a solution to the pain points of your audience.
In that way, you can use the content to engage with your target audience.
That means that the information is unique and of high- quality. Your audience would read it if they think they will learn something special from it.
Outsourced Whitepapers Can Help You Display Original Thought
Another great benefit of authoritative papers is that you can use them to display original thought.
There is a lot of low-quality content out there that is of no benefit to users. And a lot of them are the same content or duplicates.
By raising a problem and offering a solution, you show your brand as an original thought leader.
And more especially if the pain point has not been raised and addressed before.
A whitepaper on an original thought sets your brand apart in a crowded content landscape.
A long-form document with an original thought is a powerful tool to engage with your target audience.
Outsourced Whitepapers Can Generate More Likes On Facebook
Just as you can use command papers to generate sales leads, you can use them to get more likes on Facebook.
You can use them as part of your social media promotional strategy.
In the same manner, you used them to build your mailing list, you can also use them in exchange for a like on your Facebook page.
This strategy helps to increase and strengthen your standing on social media.
Outsourcing White Paper Writing Saves Time
Image source
Position paper writing takes a lot of time, which should be spent on your core business.
When you hire a professional outsourced command paper copywriting agency, you save time concentrating on generating more valuable business leads.
And you also get high-quality content.
Since the outsourced agency is more experienced, they can work more efficiently. That means that they spend less time doing research and writing.
To summarize, an outsourced copywriting agency team can produce your document faster than your in-house team. That means that you get more leads sooner.
Outsourced White Paper Writers Cost Less
It is expensive to maintain an in-house whitepaper writing team. The salaries and overheads are high.
Overhead costs like workers' compensation, federal and state taxes, paid vacation, training, utility, and technology costs add to the expenses of doing business.
Now, consider: what kinds of employees you would hire to write a position paper?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for an experienced copywriter is $71,500.
On the other hand, the average price of outsourcing your whitepaper copywriting to an agency is between $5,000 and $15,000.
The cost of outsourcing is cheaper than having it produced in-house.
Outsourced White Paper Copywriters Help You Get a Different Viewpoint
It is hard to see your business objectively. Make no mistake about it, it could be hard to get a fresh perspective on how your brand operates.
It is even harder to communicate that to your readers in an unbiased way.
However, a contracted copywriter, can capture an unbiased picture of your business and present it to your target audience in engaging, and compelling words.
Sometimes your project needs a set of fresh eyes, and that's what an outsourced copywriter provides.
By seeing the pain points of your readers the way they see them, the outside writer delivers more effective answers to the questions your prospects ask.
Outsourcing Helps You Keep Your Critical Employees Focused On Their Real Jobs
Working on your authoritative document is a distraction that you and critical employees cannot afford.
How many white papers do you need that would justify your employees spending time on them?
Every day your employees are working on your long-form content, they’re not focused on your core business.
On the other hand, by outsourcing your command papers, you can free up your employees' time and allow them to concentrate on more important aspects of the business.
Outsourcing Helps You Get A Professionally Written White Paper
Image source
Unless you have a technical paper copywriting agency, your employees don't spend a lot of time writing them.
And most brands don't need a lot of position papers written to justify having a dedicated in-house team.
That means that most content marketing teams cannot write professionally authoritative, engaging, and persuasive content.
However, poorly crafted white papers can turn customers and clients away and make them lose trust in your brand.
Worse still, you will not get the results you envisioned.
Outsourcing helps you get a professionally written document.
Outsourced copywriting teams have years of experience and are professional wordsmiths, and can ensure competent writing across the board.
Outsourced White Paper Copywriting Process
Our content creation process starts with a strategy.
Before we start writing, we help you map out how to use your command paper to generate leads or achieve any other goals you have in mind.
We help you develop topic ideas.
The topic ideas are generated based on hard data. The research identifies the pain points of your target audience.
We look at their search engine queries and search intents.
An effective position paper provides innovative solutions to the pain points of your target audience.
Our copywriting team works with your content marketing team to map out your content needs.
We focus on how your document relates to your target audience, your products or services, and your commercial goals.
Our writing team works hard to ensure that your brand is positioned as a thought leader in your niche.
Final Thoughts On Outsourcing Your White Paper Copywriting
True, white papers are a powerful lead-generating magnet.
They can help you build trust and position you as a thought leader in your field.
And when used effectively, they can every stage of your sales funnel more efficient.
However, writing an engaging and persuasive technical paper is a challenge for most brands.
And that is because it demands significant research, technical know-how, experience, and high-level skill sets to achieve the desired results.
And because of these reasons, many brands often shy away from putting in the time and resources to produce a stunning one.
However, outsourcing your white paper copywriting to a professional agency can help you get the results you want.
Outsourcing will benefit you in terms of time as well as expertise.
Our agency can craft that perfect white paper for you when you are ready to outsource to experts.
To craft an authoritative persuasive white paper that engages with your readers, contact us.
WhatsApp us at: +234 080 331 75396 or +234 080 579 37786
