How to write high-quality B2B white papers? the question may seem trivial but is far from simple. To answer it as best we can, we have gathered 3 success factors and 3 pitfalls to avoid at all costs for writing high-quality white papers.
High-quality B2B white papers: 3 tips and 3 pitfalls to avoid

3 tips to improve the quality of your upcoming B2B white papers
Our many years of writing white papers have taught us one thing at least: white papers are a key element of a content marketing strategy in B2B. The download rates of our or even better, our clients’ books and eBooks, the informal feedback we keep having, and last but not least the constant flow of leads we and our clients receive are obvious signs of this fact.
In this post, we’ll take a step back and ask ourselves what turns a plain-vanilla B2B white paper into a high-quality B2B white paper.
No doubt there isn’t a single way of writing a book that makes an impact. But I am convinced that our white papers meet their targets because they are true books, because of the love and high-quality work it implies. More often than not, high-quality work also means hard work.
Tip #1: White paper, colourful stories
Our white papers are all based on testimonials from professionals (a minimum of ten). This is what makes them lively. All B2B experts love to tell about their field expertise, share anecdotes, tell stories. Not all of them are keen on writing though.
Their enthusiastic way of sharing their projects and analyses is welcome by all B2B readers. On the other hand, readers (and among them your prospective customers and customers), like to be told stories.
They project themselves into the stories they read, they ponder over their own pain points and potential solutions while reading the contributors’ questions and answers. What’s surprising in that? We all like to read stories and we all like the stories that tell about ourselves and relate to our own experiences.
That being said, this is not enough. Piling up testimonials has never been sufficient to produce a quality white paper. We, therefore, denounce the myth of the collaborative white paper: collaborative work is nice and should be encouraged. Yet, merely thinking you can outsource all the hard work and reap the harvest others have sown is ludicrous. All testimonials must be put into context, respond to each other, and shed light on the different aspects of a problem. High-quality B2B white papers, in our mind, incorporate an educational dimension.
Tip #2: White papers and evangelisation
A white paper should enable the reader to make a decision: Can this technology be of service to me, in my particular context? How should I approach this or that aspect of my company’s governance? This is why we recommend that a white paper should seek to give a 360-degree view of an issue. The work must be ‘problematized’ [meaning that the subject is scripted in the form of a problem and in relation to its solution].
It must not try and conceal the limits or pitfalls if they exist. Besides, the business embarking on a white paper endeavour will not be looking for a way to sell its technology or its know-how but will use the white paper to instil trust or a community feeling with its readers, through authenticity. Later on, sales will come as a reward for this work, provided it has been useful to those who read it.
It is therefore a question of conducting an investigation with a journalistic approach. Feedback will be highlighted by statistical studies, methodological boxes, explanations of technical or legal aspects. The editors might even highlight contradictions between the contributors’ testimonies. It will be up to the reader to make up his or her own mind, with the help of concrete examples from the companies that have been interviewed.