White Papers = Read Flags

White Papers = Read Flags

By Paul Macchia, N.Y.

While we are busy gaining exposure for our clients, white papers generated by the technical and product teams are often overlooked. Despite popular belief, white papers do not collect dust. According to an article from Media Post’s Research Brief, Tech Buyers Go Deep For Information and Bite on White Papers, these documents are heavily relied on by customers.

A summary of key findings reveals that nearly 80% of technology buyers, B2B marketers and technology and business professionals will register for a white paper, which is also the top content type marketers consider worthy of online registration. By contrast, only 38% of buyers will register for a demo and 31% for a Webcast… two content types ranked highly by marketers (77% and 64%, respectively) as content for which they typically require registration. Registration forms also allow technology businesses to build their newsletter base and sometimes provide further insight into who their customers are.

The report concluded that technology buyers place premium value on high-quality educational materials, particularly white papers and case studies, and are, consequently, most willing to register for them. In addition, technology buyers want to read a short, informative abstract before deciding to register for specific content. So, as white papers are read and valued, it is important that PR professionals work to influence their content and encourage their creation.