There are a few distinct shifts happening in the world of copywriting. Search engines are becoming more particular about how they rate sites, and content is going more long-form. The price of certain types of content is also going down. That’s great news for marketers or business people who are looking to salvage more of their bottom lines.
While they will never be cheap, the going rate for a white paper has decreased by about 30 percent over the past five years. This is motivating many marketers to take one for a test drive and see how their prospects react. The real question is: Who do you hire to write a white paper?
White papers are an eclectic hybrid of several types of content. They are part blog, part long-form sales letter, part technical manual, and part marketing portfolio. They don’t replace any of those things, but they do supplement those kinds of content well. They also provide the reader with an easy one-stop solution for banking information and getting some questions answered before ever having to ask. If you are fuzzy on what a white paper even is, here’s a thorough description.
If you’ve already been thinking about developing a white paper, you should also be thinking about who is going to write it. I strongly recommend not trying to do this alone, especially if this is your first attempt. I’m not just saying that because I run a copywriting company (although I will admit that this piece is all about trying to sell you on ordering one). I’m saying it because my team and I are always committed to the success of our clients, prospects, or anyone who stumbles upon our blog.
With that in mind, I’m going to assume, for the remainder of this piece, that you intend to have a white paper written by a professional writing service. I’m going to highlight the main things you should be considering and offering some advice on how to choose the best possible writer for the job. Let’s start with the most important one …
1. Don’t Let Someone Else Choose Your Writer
As a rule, the standard operating procedure at BeezContent is to field offers from clients and match the work to the most qualified writer. We work with in-house writers, but we also network with some very talented freelancers, deciding for the client whose talents are best suited to writing for their niche.
With a white paper, however, it is important that the client is comfortable enough with the writer to share intricate (and sometimes even sensitive) details about the company or business model. This is why I think it’s important to interview and get to know your writer, even if you go through an agency. If the client decided not to do that, of course, we’ll assign a writer to the project, but that could slow the process considerably with revisions, rewrites, or extensive edits.
2. Vet and Confirm Your Writer’s Credentials
Once you find a writer whom you think would be a good fit, it’s time to delve a little deeper. Ask questions. Be nosey. This document will encapsulate what your business is in the eyes of prospective clients; it can’t just get farmed out to the lowest bidder. You absolutely want a writer with direct, recent, and verifiable experience writing for your specific industry.
If the subject matter really is obscure enough that you have difficulty finding someone fully qualified, there are other options. Does the writer’s previous work at least reflect a level of competency that suggests he or she can adequately research the subject and write convincingly? That leads in well to my next point …
3. Ask for Samples or Links to Previous Papers
Even if your writer lacks experience in your niche, that doesn’t necessarily disqualify him or her from the project. Thoroughly read and analyze as many previous pieces as you can get them to share. Figure out if the way the writer presents details would be adequate for your paper.
Take note also of the way the writer explains things and presents information. This is how your brand is going to be represented, so be sure you like the representation of a detailed concept that this particular writer delivers.
4. Make Your Expectations Clear
There is nothing more frustrating than not having a clear direction when developing content. This is true whether the client is ordering a 300-word blog post or a 30,000-word e-book. With white papers, the need for clarity and communication cannot be overstated. Leave nothing for the writer to guess.
• “These are the details we want included about _____.”
• “These are the case studies we want cited.”
• “These are the details of the infographic we’re developing for this section — we need a detailed explanation of them to complement the visuals.”
All of the above are examples of the kinds of details your writer needs to be able to produce quality work.
5. Provide Notes and Other Resources
Whatever information you can provide needs to be in the writer’s hands, no matter how much or little you might think it matters. Along those lines, be sure to flag specific notes and resources that should be given priority in the details. Determine which bits are primary and which are secondary pieces of information; the way the details are presented will impact the direction and perception of the finished paper.
Remember that it is necessary to be clear about the content and direction of the paper. We always recommend plotting an outline beforehand, but some clients feel that the agency should be doing everything from scratch. Of course, we can do that, too, but I will make just one recommendation on that point: Work closely with the writer and collaborate on those kinds of details. Not even the best writer can read your mind, and they will need detailed direction if you want them to produce an adequate draft.
Keep in mind that all of the above precedes hiring. Once you’ve tentatively chosen and vetted a writer, reviewed samples, ironed out all the details, and presented all relevant materials to the writer, it’s decision time. Will the person with whom you’ve been collaborating be a good fit? If either you or the writer isn’t sure, it’s time to talk with someone else.
Don’t be afraid to start over a couple of times until you find the most qualified person for the job. At BeezContent, we can help with all of these steps and supervise the entire process of developing a quality white paper. Feel free to contact us right now to learn more.
