White Paper Pundit

Why does it seem that every business writer today advertises themselves as a white paper expert? As the number of these so-called “experts” floods the Internet, so does the amount of misinformation, leading to greater buyer confusion and less effective white papers.

I submit for the court of public opinion one ‘case in point’: a blog called “Article Writing” on the domain: persuasivesalecopy.com. The post is called, surprising enough, “How to Write White Papers”, where the blogger provides his interpretation of the components of an effective white paper:

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 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 youve expounded on.

What’s the problem with this perspective? Here’s mine:

It is easy to assume that a writer with a domain called “persuasive sale copy” will have a tendency to look at white papers as “sales documents”. Unfortunately, this perspective has lead to an abundance of short (2-4 page) white papers with overt sales messages scattered across the Internet, and fostered the idea that white papers are slightly different from brochures. These short white papers typically mention a solution or product by name, which is one of the leading problems that most business executives have with many white papers.

One of the best surveys on this issue was taken last year courtesy of Information Week Magazine, called “How to Maximize the Use of White Papers In Your B2B Marketing and Sales Process”. The survey interviewed over 500 business and IT professionals who were asked several questions to determine their perspectives on white papers.

One of the best questions in the survey that stood out was, “In your opinion, what makes a great white paper?“

As you can see from their responses, the second most frequent answer was “Minimal Marketing”, meaning that business executives don’t want white papers with overt sales and marketing messages. As Jack Webb used to say in the old television show Dragnet, “Just the Facts, Maam”. When it comes to white papers, business decision makers want factual, education-related information to make informed decisions.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion when it comes to white papers. But at some point, there have to be clear lines between white papers and sales documents. When those lines get blurred, the quality of white papers usually suffers which translates into less effective lead generation tools.

That’s my perspective, what’s yours?

FEATURED FREE WHITE PAPER OF THE WEEK:

Title: “Lean Operational Improvements that Last”

(Click to Download)

Publication Date: December 2008

Sponsor: The MPI Group/Microsoft Corporation

Sponsor’s Description: Maintaining efficient operations in today’s manufacturing environment isn’t easy, but putting into practice the principles of lean manufacturing can further hone your organization’s competitive edge. Typical manufacturing plants have multiple vendors, multiple interfaces, complex information flows, and asynchronous processing, all of which can lead to limited visibility into orders, materials, and production. To achieve peak performance, manufacturers must systematically identify and eliminate plant floor inefficiencies.

White Paper Pundit Comment: This white paper is another great example of a professionally designed white paper for enterprise businesses. It uses an industry focused cover, great business charts and tables, and color coordinated shaded text boxes, but what else would you expect with a white paper from Microsoft?

Download Link URL: http://cli.gs/bhtVRN

Web Landing Page: http://bit.ly/cwWF08

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Welcome to the Friday FREE White Paper List!

This list is a summary of the free white papers that have been posted during the past week on Twitter. Each white paper is completely FREE and does not require email registration or personal information. This is a great way to review white paper examples and learn new techniques from hundreds of white paper marketers. Simply click on the shortened URL link next to the file name and download the white paper.

1. The importance of an Information Strategy http://ow.ly/

2. THE SECURITY EXPOSURE OF SOFTWARE PORTFOLIOS: http://bit.ly/bjh8D1

3. Site Selection: Guaranteeing Optimal Space Through a Three Phase Process http://tinyurl.com/yfk8w89

4. Oracle White Paper: Maximum Availability Architecture: Oracle Best Practices For High Availability http://is.gd/9fD05

5. Blogging Best Practices Guide: Integrating Social To Extend Reach, Track Engagement http://bit.ly/cVBJzV

6. Three Mobile Email Marketing Challenges – and What to Do About Them http://bit.ly/bRfte6

7. Stacking xMax against WiMax http://bit.ly/b4kzqj

8. The Why and How of Social Media Participation http://bit.ly/dDxxg4

9. Top 10 ways Windows Server 2008 R2 can save you money http://bit.ly/aS3SXv

10. Microsoft White Paper: Partitioned Table and Index Strategies Using SQL Server 2008 http://bit.ly/7Rs1Ux

11. User Vision: Mobile Usability http://bit.ly/a8C94y

12. Vodaphone White Paper: Striking a balance – Secure and Agile Mobile Business: http://ow.ly/1dho8

13. User Vision: Mobile Usability http://url4.eu/1WdtD

14. It’s (Not) the End of TV as We Know It http://bit.ly/d8IKuV

15. Forrester White Paper: A Day In The Life Of A Information Worker http://ow.ly/1ddUX

16. The Top 10 Strategies for Managers of Mobile Workers white paper http://bit.ly/9PqB8q

17. Developing Functional Safety Systems with TÜV-Qualified FPGAs http://ow.ly/1cXB3

18. Designing Exhibits to Support Trade Show Objectives http://ow.ly/1ccMy

19. Quickstart Guide to Social Media http://is.gd/9sNzJ

20. The Digital World of Young Children: Impact on Emergent Literacy http://bit.ly/afvPcZ

21. Cybersecurity: The Challenge of Political and Corporate Will http://bit.ly/cTQ23A

22. HP Superdome- Mainframe-class availability at one-eighth the TCO http://bit.ly/aIGAkf

23. 4 Reasons to Use Social Media for Your Business: http://bit.ly/clAKJb

24. Word of Mouth 101: An Introduction to Word of Mouth Advertising http://bit.ly/98Q3Qq

25. Renewable Energy at the Crossroads: Building an HR Infrastructure for Sustainable Growth http://bit.ly/cwcUmV

26. MS White Paper: Lean Operational Improvements That Last http://cli.gs/bhtVRN

Your white paper introduction is one of the most important sections of your white paper. Whether you use an Executive Summary to precede your introduction or use your introduction as the first page, it represents the start of your serious content presentation with your target reader.

The degree that your introduction engages your reader serves as the “make or break” point for the rest of your white paper. If you fail to engage your reader from the start, there is a lower likelihood that its subsequent content will also be read and understood. On the other hand, if you incorporate several visually engaging elements in your introduction, you increase the likelihood that your target reader will become further engaged and read the remainder of that white paper. This is your ultimate goal, since you want your reader to ultimately assimilate your key solution/value messages.

Here are some ideas to create a more compelling and engaging Introduction section in your white paper:

1. Create a Compelling Heading - Rather than having the simple and overly used heading “Introduction“, use a more compelling title such as “A Decade of Growth: The Evolving Outsourced Services Industry“. With a heading that is directly related to the content, your reader will be able to anticipate key Introduction messages and become engaged by them.

2. Add a Sidebar Callout – A callout (also known as a ‘pull quote’) is a portion of the white paper content (such as a sentence) that is especially pertinent to the topic and also important to the reader. Because callouts are featured in a separate area outside of the page content and typically use a larger font, it is one of the first things noticed on the page. The sentence you choose for your callout should be directly related to the Introduction and one that will build credibility with the reader. A quote from a leading industry analyst or a statistic that points out an important industry trend is a great selection for a sidebar callout. An example of a good callout might be:

“The market for 128kb WEP data encryption is expected to grow by 34% over the next four years within the enterprise business services marketplace“

3. Tie the Heading to the Callout – The callout you select should reinforce the introduction heading. Since the example in #1 discusses a “decade of growth” choosing a callout that validates how the industry had grown over the past ten years would create a more engaging introduction section that further engages your reader.

4. Add a Business Chart – If your answer to #2 is an industry trend, you will have a better chance of engaging your reader by adding a business chart to validate your text message. Skim readers (ones that quickly flip through your white paper) will typically stop and notice a business chart as opposed to a paragraph of text information that looks the same as every other paragraph. If your reader is engaged by a colorful business chart, they are more likely to read the information associated with that chart.

5. Highlight the Bottom-Line (optional) – You can substitute the callout in #2 with a shaded text box to highlight a bottom line message, such as the most important point that validates your claim in the introduction section. For example, if your white paper dealt with the issue of network security, a bottom line message in your introduction might be:

“Businesses that use 128kb WEP data encryption with their wireless Wi-Fi networks have a 86% lower likelihood of being penetrated by an unauthorized user or hacker.”

By encasing this message in a shaded text box also increases the chances that your target reader will notice this message, and become more engaged by the content on the introduction page.

So if you want your white paper to be more successful and generate a number of high quality leads, add as many of these visual elements to your white paper introduction as possible to further engage your business reader.

FEATURED FREE WHITE PAPER OF THE WEEK:

(Click to Download)

Title: The Raw Truth about Storage Capacity

Publication Date: March 2009

Sponsor: Xiotech Corporation

Sponsor’s Description: When you purchase capacity for your data storage system, you may expect to use the entire amount. Unfortunately, this is not usually the case. Usable capacity is limited by a number of factors—from the common use of RAID to the practice of vendors holding back capacity for better performance or to enable certain storage system features. This paper looks at several of those factors and how they contribute to the true cost of storage.

White Paper Pundit Comment: This white paper provides several key elements that enhance reader/content engagement including: Shaded text boxes with drop shadows, data tables placed in strategic content locations, line chart, and the creative use of the corporate logo on each page. 

Download Link URL: http://bit.ly/cbIVu1

Web Landing Page: http://xiotech.com/resource-center.php

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Welcome to the Friday FREE White Paper List!

This list is a summary of the free white papers that have been posted during the past week on Twitter. Each white paper is completely FREE and does not require email registration or personal information. This is a great way to review white paper examples and learn new techniques from hundreds of white paper marketers. Simply click on the shortened URL link next to the file name and download the white paper.

1. The powerful link between testing and reputation: http://bit.ly/bycFM1

2. The Impact of Sales Tools on Sales & Marketing Effectiveness http://bit.ly/aEa7Aq

3. MS White Paper: Lean Operational Improvements That Last http://cli.gs/bhtVRN

4. Mapping Security Requirements to Enterprise Search http://bit.ly/adggKB

5. Condiment Junkie: Sound Advice http://tinyurl.com/CJsoundadvice

6. Triumphing Over the Information Maze http://bit.ly/a9Fmu4

7. The Raw Truth about Storage Capacity http://bit.ly/cbIVu1

8. Picture Archiving and Communication Systems: http://bit.ly/9GqwbP

9. Successful Small Business Marketing http://bit.ly/8XMTrI

10. The Role of a Business Coach http://cot.ag/a8XqCm

11. Introduction to Java Platform, Enterprise Edition 6 http://bit.ly/90OyiO

12. The Business Case for Environmental and Sustainability Employee Education http://bit.ly/awXGdI

13. Teen Dating Violence http://tumblr.com/xk76qfmck

14. Power Over vs. Power With: http://bit.ly/dvZ4PI

15. Smart Content Management Through the Use of CMS Technology http://bit.ly/bcydhI

16. How Are Hotels Embracing Social Media in 2010? Examples of How to Begin Engaging http://bit.ly/aekevP

17. New Metrics for Measuring the Effectiveness of Display Advertising Campaigns http://bit.ly/ao98uZ

18. Building Your Brand in a Recession – A Truly Strategic Opportunity http://bit.ly/aGWwzu

19. SysArc Data Vaulting Overview http://ping.fm/hlJ6C

20. Social Networks and your Next Job http://ow.ly/1a8wx

21. The Detection and Deterrence of Mortgage Fraud Against Financial Institutions: http://bit.ly/cN52m2

22. IBM White Paper: Cloud Security Guidance http://bit.ly/bksY1A

23. Forbes White Paper: Small Business Outlook 2010: A Case for Greater Optimism http://bit.ly/forbes-cit-small-business

24. Swiss Army Knife Selling: When Less Equals More. http://bit.ly/9qLIv0

25. HP White Paper: Drive Technology Overview http://bit.ly/9SXA3j

26. The Case For Social Listening http://ow.ly/192I1

27. Sybase White Paper: Get Analytics Right from the Start http://bit.ly/atBnqj

28. Brand Command: Mastering Brand Marketing On The Search Engines & Brand Protection Online http://ow.ly/1bh6m

29. Brand Management Technology: http://ow.ly/1bhR6

If you read my previous blog post, called, “The Power of Thumbnail Marketing“, you saw the variety of ways that you can grab reader attention to your white paper by incorporating a small visual thumbnail of its front cover. This assumes that you HAVE a professionally designed and colorful front cover, and not a simple black title on a white background.

As promised, here are the steps necessary to create a visual thumbnail:

1. Capture the Cover Image – Open your white paper using Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader so that the front cover appears on your screen. Using your keyboard, capture the screen to your clipboard by pressing Command-Shift-3 on a Mac and Alt-PRTSCRN (Function key) in Windows. I prefer to use a capture tool such as SnapNDrag or Snapz Pro X for the Mac, or Snagit for Windows. These tools allow you to select a portion of the page, screen or application window instead of capturing the entire computer screen.

2. Add a Border - Many white paper covers are…ah…white. Inserting a white thumbnail on a white background washes out, making it difficult for your reader to clearly see a rectangular image. For these circumstances, I like to add a black border around the white background. To accomplish this, paste the cover image into a simple paint or drawing program. I like free programs like Paintbrush for Mac, and MS Paint which is included in your Windows accessories folder. Use your box drawing tool and make a medium-thick line around the cover (like the example on the right). Once finished select the cover with border with your selection tool and copy that to the clipboard.

3. Modify the Image Size – With your front cover and border is resident in memory, use a image editing tool to modify its size. Just about every image editing tool can modify an image size. MS Paint will accomplish this. More sophisticated tools such as Photoshop have this capability as well. If you own a Mac, you have a free application called “Preview” that will do this for you. Select “File-New from Clipboard”. This will show you the cover and border that was resident in memory. Now choose “Tools- Adjust Size”. You will be presented with a screen that allows you to adjust the width and height of your cover image. I recommend choosing a height of 200 pixels. The width amount will automatically adjust. The result should look like the screen on the right.

4. Save the Image – Now save and rename your thumbnail image to your desktop as a JPEG image. Make sure you include the “.jpg” extension to the file, so that online websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn will easily recognize it as an image.

Congratulations, you now have a white paper thumbnail of your front cover! It should look like the example below. Now you can use this file to enhance your blog post, white paper library, or online syndication post. As you create a number of these thumbnails, this process will become like second nature to you.

I suggest that you use your new thumbnail in as many places as possible to promote your white papers. In comparison to a plain hyperlinked text line, the addition of a thumbnail should generate a greater amount of attention for your white paper, and hopefully a greater incentive to open the document and read it.

What is a thumbnail?

According to online dictionary, Wikipedia.org, a thumbnails are reduced-size versions of pictures, used to help in recognizing and organizing them, serving the same role for images as a normal text index does for words.

In white paper marketing, thumbnails are most often reduced size pictures of the front cover of a white paper. This, of course, assumes that there IS a front cover to our white paper, and one that has more than just a simple text title. Having a graphic front cover not only attracts greater reader interest, but as a thumbnail is can be used for a variety of purposes to garner greater reader attention and interest in your core white paper content.

As a thumbnail, you can use the front cover to market your white paper in the following creative ways:

1. Email Signatures – Add a small thumbnail of the front cover of your white paper to the bottom of your email signature, and add a the title and a hotlink to your white paper registration page. When you think about the number of emails that you send to business colleagues and constituents, this is a free way to gain interest in your white paper.

2. Creating an Engaging Online Library – Rather than using simple hyperlinked text to represent the various white papers in your online white paper library, add a small thumbnail to the front of each white paper. This will attract greater reader interest and curiosity and will lead to a higher likelihood that they will download your white paper. This technique is also effective with many free white paper syndicators and a good reason to have thumbnails already for each paper at the ready, when you submit that white paper for posting on these public sites.

3. Confirming Online Registration - The addition of a small thumbnail to your white paper registration page is a great way to confirm the reader’s white paper of interest before they execute the registration and download process. This is especially helpful if you have several white papers in your online library. It’s also a great way to measure which white papers are the most popular. For example, if you see one white paper that is generating a significant number of downloads and leads, it might be an indication that there is greater interest in that topic, or with the design of that paper.

4. Enhancing a Landing Page – Using a small thumbnail is a great way to enhance your white paper landing page. Using a small thumbnail and a large download button (like the example on the left) reinforces your descriptive text and creates greater interest and curiosity in the white paper. With greater interest, the chances that your landing page visitor will download your white paper also substantially increase.

5. Social Media Promotion – The use of thumbnails is a great way to promote your white paper via Social Media. You can add a thumbnail as an avatar to a Twitter post. Thumbnails can be used as pictures on your Facebook and LinkedIn profile page. They can also be incorporated into your blog or website, or with the addition of a popup screen for your blog.

In my next blog post, I’ll show you how easy it is to create thumbnails of your white paper so you can use them to enhance your white paper marketing campaigns.

FEATURED FREE WHITE PAPER OF THE WEEK:

Title: Risky Business: 15 Realities & 15 Rules for Managing Reputations Online

Publication Date: 2009

Sponsor: Weber Shandwick

Sponsor’s Description: This white paper reveals 15 realities about how companies and their leaders are managing corporate reputation in a digitized world. The 15 realities are followed by 15 rules that show business leaders how to manage company reputation online.

White Paper Pundit Comment: This white paper applies several unique visual elements that grab reader attention including: a bold cover and matching sections with large fonts, simply and easy-to-understand business graphics, and color changes to distinguish one section from another. All told, this is another great example of how to quickly grab readers that have short attention spans.

Download Link URL: http://bit.ly/bWv8eH

Web Landing Page: http://www.online-reputations.com/findings.html

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Welcome to the Friday FREE White Paper List!

This list is a summary of the free white papers that have been posted during the past week on Twitter. Each white paper is completely FREE and does not require email registration or personal information. This is a great way to review white paper examples and learn new techniques from hundreds of white paper marketers. Simply click on the shortened URL link next to the file name and download the white paper.

1. Audio White Paper: Geolocation and Application Delivery http://j.mp/bx9MJf

2. Risky Business: 15 Realities & 15 Rules for Managing Reputations Online http://bit.ly/bWv8eH

3. Juniper White Paper: Extending the Virtualization Advantage with Network Virtualization http://bit.ly/9XOA1j

4. The Changing Discovery Landscape in Ontario http://bit.ly/cLeYpi

5. Real-Time Bidding for Publishers http://bit.ly/dvfTFZ

6. Ethics of Legal Outsourcing http://bit.ly/d3jG5f

7. Fail Faster: Why Continuous Improvement is Better than Delayed Perfection http://bit.ly/c3Kry4

8. Learning Matters: A New Ecosystem of Educational Resources http://bit.ly/9yRdZh

9. Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Media: Media Education for the 21st Century http://url4.eu/1PUxG

10. 5 Questions to Ask Before Spending a Dime on a Case Study Webinar, or White Paper http://fa.by/381d6f

11. Network as a Service & Mobile Cloud Computing http://bit.ly/ci3AYt

12. Microsoft White Paper: Learn and Earn: A B2B Social Media Case Study http://bit.ly/biqhIB

13. The Ethics of Legal Outsourcing http://bit.ly/d3jG5f

14. Microsoft White Paper: Accelerating Excel® w/ Windows® HPC Server 2008 R2 http://bit.ly/cKdhxj

15. Bridging the Engagement Chasm http://bit.ly/b2LzjD

16. KPMG White Paper: Risk Management in the Pharmaceuticals and Life Sciences Industry http://bit.ly/affSlS

17. KPMG White Paper: Cash is back in fashion, but is it here to stay? http://bit.ly/9q6gJj

18. Accenture White Paper: Social CRM: The New Frontier of Marketing, Sales and Service http://bit.ly/dhGfxB

19. 5 Ways to Reduce Travel Marketing Costs http://bit.ly/aneJlu

20. Connecting the Dots with Initiate Entity Resolution: It’s Not Just The Thought That Counts http://bit.ly/9SzpaP

21. Megatrends 2010 http://bit.ly/c9ImO0

22. The American Animal Hospital Association: Mentoring Guidelines http://bit.ly/bWvL5T

23. Oracle White Paper: Transform the Economics of Retailing http://bit.ly/dk44Vb

24.  Understanding Connectivity Models for SMS Interoperability http://bit.ly/9aO5M8

25.  Results from 2009 Non-Profit Fundraising Tests http://bit.ly/bKtvmZ

26. Engagement: The Key to Success in 2010 http://bit.ly/cpkUo0

27. Strategic Facility Planning http://bit.ly/dvJouJ

28. Why Real Browers Matter: http://tinyurl.com/yzrk44r

29. Cloud Computing Use Cases: http://bit.ly/18lhcO

30. View from the Social Inbox 2010: Actionable Information for Marketers http://bit.ly/cQvR30

31. Labor Pains: Threats to Iowa’s Right to Work Law http://bit.ly/aGnn17

32. SysArc Data Vaulting Overview http://ping.fm/hlJ6C

33. Defend Your Data Against Internal Threats- Why Data Encryption is Effective and a Necessity. http://bit.ly/bAZYWB

What is an “entry point” in a white paper?

An entry point is the point at which the reader first enters the white paper and begins to read the core content. For example, take a look at the traditional “all-text”, left flush paragraph-oriented white paper to the right. With this format, there is only one way for a business reader to “enter” the content. The reader must start at the beginning of the page with the first paragraph, then read each and every paragraph in a sequential order until they reach the end of the page. Then this process starts all over again at the top of the next page, etc., until the entire document has been completed.

What’s wrong with having only one “entry point”?

With today’s increasing workloads, busy business executives have a limited amount of available time and attention for reading large volumes of information such as a 6-8 page traditional ‘all-text’ white paper. Many will skim through these documents upon their first exposure, seeking elements that will quickly grab their attention such as large sidebar callout messages, business charts, shaded text statements, and concept graphics. When these visual elements are present in a white paper, it helps the ’short attention’ reader to determine if the white paper is worth the investment of their valuable and limited time to read in its entirety.

Unfortunately, with only one entry point a white paper marketer assumes that the reader WILL start at the very beginning and read each and every page in a sequential order to assimilate the key solution value statements they have provided. Given the time and attention challenges with today’s busy executive this is an assumption that can no longer be made. What often happens is that these busy readers will either pass on the reading the white paper altogether, or instead, they will pass it along to a subordinate in the management hierarchy. When this occurs, the opportunity to influence the key executive decision maker (one of the primary goals of a white paper) is lost.

What is the answer?

To appeal to today’s time and attention-challenged business reader, marketers must increase the number of ‘entry points’ into the white paper. This can be accomplished by adding one or more visual elements such as:

• Sidebar Callouts – key statements extracted from the core content on the page, that is presented in the sidebar white space with a larger font than its adjacent body copy.
• Shaded Text Boxes - bottom line problem and/or benefit statements presented with background shading that visually separates it from the black text on the standard white paper page.
• Large Header/Subhead fonts - that quickly draw attention to large section headings and their associated messages.
• Bullet Lists – symbols (such as checks, dots, or squares) that start component lists and draw reader attention due to their unique formatting.
• Concept Graphics – complex associations and relationships that are simplified into a visual form for rapid reader assimilation.
• Business Charts – numerical information that is simplified to show trends between separate sets of data, that quickly draws reader attention due to its graphic formatting.

By using one or more of these visual elements to increase the number of entry points into the white paper, business marketers can increase the number of opportunities for a skim reader to become engaged to the core content and the value-oriented solution messages they contain. For example the reader may see a sidebar callout on page 5 which creates an incentive to read the corresponding content on that page and find out what is meant by that quote or statement.

Due to the poignancy of that statement to their particular business need, the reader may decide to read the entire white paper. Their likelihood that the reader will read your white paper is also heightened when that reader sees an additional business chart or concept graphic that serves to further grab their attention. By adding several visual elements, the marketer can increase the number of entry points into the content, and as a result, increase the likelihood that a busy reader WILL become engaged to the associated business value messages made in the white paper.

In comparison, the traditional white paper that only uses paragraph-oriented text to present information, reduces the opportunity to quickly grab the attention of the ’skim reader’. Since many value statements are often buried in one or more paragraphs on subsequent papers, the chances that the skim reader will quickly see those key points and value statements is diminished, further reducing the chances that they will have a corresponding incentive to read greater portions of the white paper in a more comprehensive fashion.

So, by increasing the number of entry points within your white paper, you will improve the chances that your target reader will grasp your key messages which can lead to a more successful white paper marketing campaign.

FEATURED FREE WHITE PAPER OF THE WEEK:

Title: Social Media ROI and How it Can Be Measured

Publication Date: February 2010

Sponsor: YoMeGo.com “The Social Media Agency”

Sponsor’s Description: Many brands have taken a leap of faith and jumped both feet into the social media pond…causing some notable ripples and the odd wave of consumer adulation along the way. But for those brands still nervous about getting their feet wet, where is the ROI model that will give them the confidence to take the plunge? This white paper will provide answers to this compelling question.

White Paper Pundit Comment: This white paper provides a good example of effective front cover design. The use of a black background, large, creative fonts, and a graphic ruler around the word “Measured” grabs reader attention creating a compelling interest in the white paper content. Using this strategy, marketers can re-purpose the cover as a small thumbnail image which can be posted in a variety of online and social media sites to increase exposure and leads for the white paper.

Download Link URL: http://bit.ly/ao3oly

Web Landing Page: http://www.yomego.com/social-media-roi.html

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Welcome to the Friday FREE White Paper List!

This list is a summary of the free white papers that have been posted during the past week on Twitter. Each white paper is completely FREE and does not require email registration or personal information. This is a great way to review white paper examples and learn new techniques from hundreds of white paper marketers. Simply click on the shortened URL link next to the file name and download the white paper.

1. (Blue Paper) Ergonomics in the Workplace http://bit.ly/aR2thF

2. IBM White Paper: Tivoli Storage Productivity Center Storage Optimizer http://bit.ly/bwxVuM

3. Navigating the grey areas of tax http://bit.ly/9MQFIr

4. The White Paper on Undergraduate Education http://tinyurl.com/ydpyfyy

5. Social Media ROI and How it Can Be Measured http://bit.ly/ao3oly

6. The Future of Free Open Source, Why or Why Not? http://bit.ly/a9nWkp

7. eReaders: A Market Comparison http://bit.ly/9WYMBN

8. How to Select an ePublishing Supplier http://bit.ly/aXcb8Q

9. Getting the Most from your Marketing Events http://bit.ly/4w9NJK

10. Moderation in Social Networks http://bit.ly/bGjwj1

11. Successful Email Marketing http://bit.ly/9yZzTg

12. Nonprofit Social Media Primer http://bit.ly/29vv1M

13. Ksplice: Automatic Rebootless Kernel Updates http://bit.ly/a1s4HK

14. enStratus security architecture http://tinyurl.com/ygl75up

15. Document Metadata: the Mobile Security Gap’ http://tinyurl.com/yk59qyr

16. WebSense Internet Security: Quarterly Report http://bit.ly/de3eND

17. Securing Our Natural Future http://bit.ly/aRG4LG

18. Intel White Paper: The Itanium 9300 Series Processor http://bit.ly/agXK9K

19. Online Revolution and Recruitment Advertising White Paper http://bit.ly/daO8W6

20. Business Outsourcing Process, an Effective Answer to the Financial Crisis http://bit.ly/dlg92w

21. Oracle White Paper: Java Tuning http://ff.im/-fAi3m

22. Intel White Paper: Understanding Alternative Compute Models http://bit.ly/9FMlV1

23. Catastrophe Modeling in an Environment of Climate Change http://bit.ly/bc7zir

24. HP White Paper: Dynamic Power Capping TCO and Best Practices http://tinyurl.com/ycu58f2

25. How Our Clients Are Thriving in This Economy http://bit.ly/9FRAv2

26. enStratus Security Architecture http://tinyurl.com/ygl75up

27. Legal Project Management http://bit.ly/bwQCr9

28. Oracle White Paper: Transform the Economics of Retailing http://bit.ly/dk44Vb

29. The American Animal Hospital Association: Mentoring Guidelines http://bit.ly/bWvL5T

30. Megatrends 2010  http://bit.ly/c9ImO0

If you’re a fan of white papers, you’ve probably noticed the changes that have taken place with the medium over the past ten years. In fact, this rate of change seems to be progressing at an increasingly faster pace each year.

For example, ten years ago, the limited number of commercial industries that fully embraced the white paper medium treated it like a technical brochure. White papers were written, printed, and distributed in a hard copy format just like spec sheets, brochures, and user guides.

With the advent of Adobe Acrobat PDF technology, white papers took the next step and evolved as a screen-based medium where it is read online rather than as a hardcopy document. Today, in this format, we see white papers using professional design along with a series of visual aids to enhance information assimilation such as concept graphics, business charts, stock photography, network diagrams, product cutaways, integrated case studies, and hyperlinks to web pages. This evolution has been a very good trend. As reading habits are increasingly influenced by online information such as Social Media and it’s short, quick, messaging formats, the white paper must evolve to accommodate these changing reading habits.

So what is the next trend with the white paper medium?

Many say that given this trend video and interactive white papers are the next logical step on this evolutionary path.

Video white papers are a way to make white papers interactive and engaging. They are particularly effective for educating buyers about complex products and services because of the detail they can provide. In fact, a recent B-to-B study of over 4,000 respondents found that 80% of buyers rely on vendors for educational material to solve a problem. At the same time, online video is becoming the preferred medium for web users. A recent AOL/Google study that found 75% of respondents reported watching more video online than they did a year ago, and half (52%) expected to watch more online video over the next year.

How are video white papers produced?

A leading producer of video white papers is Accela Communictions. According to Kevin Flatley, the client supplies Accela Communications with a standard white paper and Accela will produce a 5 to 7 minute executive summary video of that paper. Banner ads are produced prompting the viewer to register to receive the PDF version. That registration data is passed to the client. The client can run the video on their website, and a AccelaCast inBanner rich media banner ad will be created to promote and launch the program via their own media buys. Accela can also guarantee leads via their AccelaCast Media Network.  Accela Communications will take care of all aspects of the project including scripting the video, hiring an actor to appear in the video, and handling the video production.

The cost? About the same as about two professional written and designed white papers.

What are the results? According to one case study posted on the Accela website, Biomni, a leading enterprise Request Management solution provider, saw the following results from the implementation of their video white paper after one month of activity: (You can see how Biomni implemented their video by visiting their home page).

• Total unique viewers = 546
• Total views including repeats = 671
• Total view time = 49 hours
• Average view time for classified registrants = 6:41 or 81% of the program
• Total downloads of textual white paper = 395 or 76% of all viewers

These results are certainly impressive and represent a glimpse of how video white papers can influence demand for PDF white papers. For enterprise organizations that embrace white papers as a regular part of their ongoing marketing programs, the addition of video white papers allows prospective customers to easily assimilate complex solution messages, as well as, increase the number of PDF downloads as evidenced by the Biomni results.

As business executives are falling out of favor with traditional white paper registration methods, and enterprises are searching for new and more effective ways to generate high quality leads from their white papers, the addition of video white papers looks like an innovative, and more importantly, a highly effective way to generate leads and new business opportunities.