The term white paper refers to a typology of text that has its historical origin in the United Kingdom. 

Originally, white papers were used in British government policy in the 1920s. At that time, white and blue envelopes (respectively) were used to differentiate government documents from extensive legal texts. The purpose of the documents in the white envelopes was to explain the political solutions of the government, limiting its content to the facts and arguments. In the European Union, white papers contain, for example, proposals for community actions or to explore possible future developments for the EU. In recent years, the term “white paper” has been attributed to the sectors of industry and commerce, where it is used to explain theories about new technologies or products.

The first commercial use given to the white paper took place in the technology sector and since the 1980s it has been used in the modern computer industry. As a general rule, white papers provide information and means to convince technical managers to make an investment. Clearly, the linguistic style is different from advertising or traditional marketing, because these documents must convince investors with arguments formulated in a neutral way, as well as with enough facts collected.

The white paper in electronic commerce and marketing

Ideally, white papers have a positive impact on the image of a company, because a comprehensive white paper is a guarantee of scientific or technological credibility. These documents can also be used for public relations purposes. For search marketing, offering extensive documents often brings advantages, since Google, for example, gives a greater value to long and specialized texts than to the concatenation of short advertising messages. Thus, for example, white papers in electronic commerce can have a positive impact on the ranking of your business website.

Types of white paper

Marketing planning must always keep the target audience in the spotlight. This rule of general application is also valid for white papers in electronic commerce. Both the formulation and content of the most effective white papers are designed for a very specific group of recipients. Before starting to research and create a concept, it is essential that you consider the three types of white paper so that you can decide on the one that best suits your needs and concentrate on its design and elaboration.

Technical white paper

This version of the white paper concentrates on the technical details. This small target audience contains engineers and technical staff. In terms of content, you should not limit yourself to the most basic, but rather present new information in detail about current research topics. In case you do not feel very well versed in the subject, it is advisable that you let yourself be advised by an expert. With a technical white paper, you can also reach professionals in public relations.

Problem-solving white papers

This form of the document focuses specifically on a specific circumstance or a real situation that can be improved. Contrary to what would be done in a detailed technical white paper, in this case, the idea is to present a solution for the managers of a company. The target audience includes those who make the decisions, that is, members of the board of directors, managers and project managers.

Strategic white papers

The strategic white papers also aim to change the status quo within a particular area, however, they are aimed at a different target audience. A strategic white paper can be addressed to larger groups, such as parties or associations, to politicians or to public bodies in general. In this type of document, you can formulate your concerns widely, so that your recipients obtain a complete view of the situation and, thus, can devise a solution strategy.

Tips for writing a white paper

In the following paragraphs, we reveal some aspects that you must take into account when writing a professional paper from scratch. The basic requirement is a thorough investigation in order to obtain a  well-founded overview of the subject. If you do not consider yourself an expert in the matter, it is highly recommended that you invest time in reading specialized books, articles and blogs and, in addition, let yourself be advised by an expert.

An important point for the success of a white paper is the preparation of content targeted at the appropriate target audience. If you want to convince the experts with your experience, you will have to formulate your contents in the most detailed and compressible way possible and including even the smallest technical detail. If, for example, you want to impress a member of the board of directors, a brief and concise structuring is recommended. The starting point of any white paper is a specific problem that requires a solution. This also allows us to accurately address the needs of the audience. To identify them it is necessary to carry out a previous analysis.

The structure of your white paper should look like this:

• Cover with title
• Content summary
• Presentation of a problem to solve it or a hypothesis that must be proven or refuted
• A rational explanation of the problem, presentation of the case
• Solution of the problem, if possible through the product or service itself; otherwise, a refutation of the hypothesis
• Conclusion
• Appendix

The problem must be presented briefly and objectively. In the beginning, it is also possible to make clear why you consider that you are qualified to conceive this solution or improve the real situation without falling into exaggeration. To support your arguments and establish the factual bases you can use content from other studies, testimonials, surveys and blog posts.

It is important that you pay attention to the veracity of your content. All arguments presented must be based on verifiable data and include their corresponding sources. The form and style of writing must correspond to the guidelines of the subject in question. A professional appearance is a characteristic for both the white paper and its contents. The document must be designed according to the corporate design of your company and be available in PDF format. The recommended length of a white paper ranges between 10 and 30 pages.