What Is a White Paper? Definitions, Uses & Examples

We’re here to help you choose the most appropriate content types to fulfill your content strategy. In this series, we’re breaking down the most popular content types to their most basic fundamentals — simple definitions, clarity on formats, and plenty of examples — so you can start with a solid foundation.

What is a white paper?

A white paper is an in-depth piece of content (similar to an ebook) or well-researched report that allows a business to serve as an authority on a topic, often by presenting a problem alongside a solution. They often include charts, graphs, and visualizations to help hammer a point home.

What makes white papers more than just ebooks?

Unlike ebooks, white papers deliver an abundance of focused and original research. Their reason for being includes everything from presenting data analysis to new studies to academic research.

They can be created from…

Case studies
Original data
Presentations
Research papers
Reports

The long and short of it

Whether it’s a case study or report requiring a deeper dive, white papers often range in depth depending on how much information is in the ocean of information to explore.

A general guide to white-paper length:

Short Form (1,500 words or less)
Standard (3,000+ words)
Long Form (5,000+ words)

What can white papers do for a business?

A white paper can serve as a powerful, persuasive, useful, and lead-generating tool positioning a business as a credible thought leader on a given topic.

Popular use-case examples for white papers

White papers establish authority and build trust with an audience — but one of the most compelling reasons to produce one is capturing qualified leads. For example, you can capture personal information upfront as a gateway before granting access to the white paper.

Business types:

White papers are historically popular in places such as the government or financial sector when a study’s findings must be relayed in a relatively succinct format. However, they have been more universally adopted by companies well-versed in content marketing.

White paper examples – short form

White paper examples – standard form

White paper examples – long form

Understanding content quality in examples

Our team has rated content type examples in three degrees of quality (Good, Better, Best) to help you better gauge resources needed for your content plan. In general, the degrees of content quality correspond to our three content levels (General, Qualified, Expert) based on the criteria below. Please consider there are multiple variables that could determine the cost, completion time, or content level for any content piece with a perceived degree of quality.

What Is a White Paper?