White papers have evolved into a popular marketing tool for many businesses. Typically used for advocating a particular solution to specific problems, they are great sources of information to detail what a company can do for potential customers. As such, you see many white papers explaining how a specific product or service can act as solutions to real-world problems.
If you’re looking into a career as a professional writer (make sure to invest in a good writing software, by the way), white papers are great opportunities. With increasing use and demonstrated effectiveness, demand for them continue to increase. In fact, a quick search on the web will show you thousands upon thousands of white papers hosted online, as companies use them to reach new customers every single day.
A white paper, by definition, has two main components: a problem that has to be addressed and a solution for it. You start off writing with a big picture view, leading readers as you progress into the proposed solution. At its most basic, white papers will need to have the following sections:
- Introduction. This usually consists of a summary that quickly shows the reader what the document is all about.
- Background. Here, you lay the groundwork for the solution by detailing the problem.
- Solution. After giving the background into the issue, propose your solution.
- Advertisement. Since most white papers are created as marketing materials, this is the section where you’ll mention your specific products and services, which tie in tightly with your solution. You have to do this after presenting the main body, lest turn off readers by selling too soon.
- Conclusion. Conclude strongly by providing the gist of what you’ve expounded on.
