Whitepaper vs. Ebook: Which is Right for Your Marketing Goals?
In an increasingly cluttered marketplace, ebooks and whitepapers are two ways to stand out and reach or grow audiences. Both are handy tools in a content marketer’s toolbox, though they’re not to be used interchangeably. Instead, each plays a unique role in your content marketing strategy. Let’s take a look at both of the formats and their purposes, practical uses, and applications in the marketing world.
Whitepapers: Ideal for the Consideration Stage
Whitepapers explore complex topics and make them accessible to the reader. They’re meant to provide an in-depth solution or stance on a topic. The goal is to help audiences dive into a meaty subject and/or acquire gain the knowledge necessary to make a difficult decision in their buying journey. The readers most likely already have a relationship with your company; they may be considering whether a purchase or partnership with your organization makes sense.
For example, a B2B marketing firm might release a whitepaper on best practices for automating marketing tasks. This whitepaper would explore the pain points and how a future investment in this technology can cost businesses time and money. Another go-to whitepaper concept is the “state of” theme. These whitepapers might include industry data as well as commentary from thought leaders about what lies ahead. They can still position the company as the authority in their industry without being overtly sales-driven.
Best Practices for Creating Whitepapers
Due to their more involved nature, whitepapers have a defined and prescriptive structure: introduction, background or problem statement, solution and conclusion. The introduction lays out the problem or opportunity to the reader and outlines the main points. The background provides more context and narrowly defines the scope of the problem. For example, what pain points might the reader be experiencing?
Next, the content piece will present the solution, providing details and specific examples. Organizatons may also take this opportunity to explain how their solution can solve the problem and highlight their unique value proposition. From a visual standpoint, it’s best to break up the text with charts and graphics like sidebars. The conclusion will then revisit the objectives and links the problem and solution with a specific call-to-action to learn more.
Ebooks: Ideal for Building Awareness
Usually exported as a PDF, an ebook contains non-editable text and graphic elements. This format is ideal at the awareness stage of the customer journey, where leads are becoming aware of their problem or opportunity at hand and are considering potential solutions. Unlike a whitepaper, an ebook will take a more informal approach and may include “how to” tips. In many cases, the term “ebook” is used interchangeably with “guide.”
One of the pluses of ebooks is that the contents don’t have to be made from scratch. Marketing teams can repurpose their own existing materials to create rich ebook content. (As an aside, marketers might want to research the legal ground rules as they relate to plagiarism.)
Such in-house sources to pull from include:
Blogs
Brochures
Case studies
Catalogs
FAQs
Magazines
Pamphlets
Presentations
Research papers
Reports
Best Practices for Creating Ebooks
Regardless of the topic, focus your ebook on a subject your target audience cares about and present the insights in an engaging way. When executed correctly, an ebook will push your organization top of mind, placing your products or services front and center when it’s time to make a purchase or begin a partnership. However, that conversion doesn’t happen overnight. As we like to say at Comma Copywriters, content writing is a marathon, not a sprint.
On the topic of relevancy, it’s recommended that the ebook follow the theme of your marketing campaign. The chapters might be designed to be read sequentially, or they might make sense as stand-alone content. Either way, strive for a clear call to action that resonates with your audience. Other best practices from seasoned content marketers include:
Using an easy-to-follow and skim layout
Clearly defining the topic
Backing up claims and statements with research and data points
Providing additional, high-quality resources
Using interactive graphics, charts, and figures
Whitepapers vs. Ebooks
Both types of content have their place in the content marketing world. One is not necessarily “better” than the other. Context is king. Just like you wouldn't use a wrench when you need a hammer, it’s helpful to know when it makes more sense to package your insights into a whitepaper or an ebook.
Ultimately the choice hinges on your goal and what audience you're speaking to. There might be a place for both in your marketing funnel. When choosing a format, consider your reader's familiarity with the topic, what new or interesting knowledge you can contribute, and how in-depth you want to go.
Regardless of the type of product, the cost of doing nothing outweighs the investment. Perhaps, now more than ever, decision-makers are hungry for information to help justify their investments. According to a report by Demand Gen, 55% of buyers said they now rely more on content to research and make purchasing decisions than they did a year ago. And in the 2021 report, 70% of consumers shared they consume at least three pieces of content as part of the purchase process.
Another important point is that marketing is not a static pursuit. Marketing teams can test various tactics and see what resonates with their audience or misses this mark. Marketing is about experimentation, and whitepapers and ebooks are great ways to test the waters.
Lastly, having a partner in your corner can mean the difference between a marketing strikeout and a home run. Comma Copywriters has a team of expert writers and editors who can help. Schedule a free consultation with our team, and let’s see if we’re a fit for your content needs.