One of my favorite ways to learn new skills is reading an e-book or white paper.
If I want to have an overview of a broad topic like digital marketing, I’m looking for e-books. They are fun, lively guides in an interactive, book-like format. I click hyperlinks for additional details and analyze colorful graphics.
If I want to know everything about a certain topic, e.g. For example, an email list strategy, I procure a white paper. They illustrate points with diagrams and use study data or other statistics to secure the points made.
If you are a marketer, you have no doubt found at least one e-book or white paper offering. But now is the time to make your own.
You have an idea, but you may not be sure whether to create an e-book or a white paper. Are e-books and white papers the same at all? Let’s find out all of it below.
Ebooks and white papers: what’s the difference?
Time for a quick refresher: An e-book stands for “electronic book”. They are made for online use and are identified by embedded links and videos. Ebooks are responsive and are usually guides for big topics. Some popular e-book topics revolve around SEO, inbound marketing and e-commerce, for example.
Here is an example of an e-book: “YouTube for business, “from HubSpot. It’s optimized for reading on desktop, reader, and mobile devices. It’s also vibrant – it offers a variety of colors, graphics, and interactive media.
What is a white paper? And how is it different from an e-book?
White papers are reports that break down a complex topic for the reader and then provide a detailed solution or opinion on the topic. They are designed to help the audience understand a complex problem or make a difficult decision.
Let’s go back to the YouTube for Business e-book example. If this eBook were a white paper instead, it would probably be titled “How Using YouTube for Business Increased Our Conversion Rates by 30%”. This white paper would include the details of the results, other helpful data, and use them to explain how the experiment was successful.
A popular white paper format you may recognize is “State of“Report. These white papers contain factual information, statistical data, and often survey and trial results to support the topic.
Have time and dates? Create a comprehensive white paper that informs your audience at the expert level.
After we understand the differences between e-books and white papers, we decide which one is best for your goals.
Ebooks vs. White papers
When you choose between an e-book and a white paper, think about your goals.
When should you write an e-book?
Short time
E-books are better if you don’t have much time. In general, they are shorter and are used to offer a “how-to” on a topic. They also use a mix of graphics and are filled with helpful links to support this writing.
Including multimedia
E-books are interactive and traditionally less static than a white paper. Usually, e-books are not a Google Doc or PDF file, so you can really focus on multimedia. They can include supporting content from your company, a CTA, or links to previous studies or blog posts.
Easy to make and share
Creating an e-book is relatively easy – yours CMS should offer templates that save you time so you can spend more time writing. And if you think about the spread, you can share a free e-book on social media, blog posts, and on your website. All you need is a landing page, a CTA and an advertising contribution.
You can also add the e-book in a hyperlink in your email signature or add it to an email update. Free educational resources are a great opportunity to inspire readers and earn leads by linking your content.
To sum up: If you want to create an interactive experience for your target group, create an e-book. Especially if you don’t have enough time to study, but still want a compelling offer.
When should you write a white paper?
Thought leadership
If your writing focuses on thought leadership, create a white paper. They are more static than e-books and traditionally cover less broad topics. For example, an e-book can cover the basics of digital marketing, but a white paper focuses on a single experiment in digital marketing.
Suppose you want to introduce a thought leader. Search for a company in your industry so that your company can be made accessible to a large, ideal audience. Then conduct a long interview with the thought leader or ask them to contribute to the selected topic and make sure that there is sufficient research and data to support them.
Deep explanation
Since white papers are more focused than e-books, they give room for a thorough explanation. They rely heavily on concrete data to support their results or attitudes, while an e-book can gloss over some details.
Play with design
White papers are sometimes called “boring” because they are teaching reports. They present the facts. However, this does not mean that your white paper will be boring. Instead, use color and text to liven up the atmosphere shown below:
Vertical “old school” formats are not the most attractive experience for readers. But there are things you can do to make white papers compelling. Present the facts, but use a conversation tone and make the landing page for your white paper colorful.
Responsiveness should be a critical aspect of design for your white paper. Prioritize the creation of your white paper format responsive for different screen sizes. This way, your audience can enjoy it regardless of their device.
Ultimately, remember to create a white paper to create content for thought leaders in a different format.
The final result? E-books are great for driving growth and traffic, and white papers are great for converting and closing gaps in the buyer’s journey. If you’re short on time, an e-book may be the best choice, but white papers are great for studies and reports.
If your company excels in one format but is missing in the other, consider how your next offer could produce different results if the shipping method were changed. Remember, the goal is to give the customer the feeling that they have received valuable advice on a topic.