5 Ways to Promote Your White
Papers to Generate More Leads
Online
White papers are one of the best marketing
tools you can use to educate your audience
about your products and services. A rapidly
increasing number of professionals claim
white papers are a major factor in
influencing their purchasing decisions.
In fact, TechTarget recently
surveyed more than 1,400 IT
professionals about their buying
habits. The survey revealed that 66%
of IT buyers have used white papers
within the past 3 months to evaluate
new technology information.
Although many marketers take the time to
create white papers, their messages may
only reach a fraction of their potential
audience. This is because some marketers
simply post white papers on their websites,
sit back and hope their ideal customers
will find them.
If you want to increase your readership and
the amount of leads you generate, you must
make it easy for your target audience to
find your information. Below are 5 ways you
can promote your white papers online and
direct more leads to your website:
1. Run a Teaser in Your Blog or
E-newsletter
Before you create your next white paper,
try writing an e-zine article or blog post
that discusses one of its key points. Doing
this early allows you to:
- Gauge your readers' feedback to
determine if the topic interests them.
- Overcome writer's block. When you sit
down to write the white paper, you'll
already have a solid starting point.
2. Share Your White Papers with
Your Social Networks
One key component of social networking is
providing valuable content for your
community. IT professionals and other
business buyers tend to perceive white
papers as highly valuable.
Eccolo Media's 2009 B2B Technology
Collateral Survey Report revealed
white papers are shared more than any
other form of marketing collateral. In
fact, 89% of survey respondents
reported sharing white papers with
others.
Use your social networks to spread the word
about your white papers. If members of your
community enjoy the content, they will pass
it along via their own networks.
3. Promote Your White Papers in
Your E-mail Signature
Your e-mail signature might be one of your
most overlooked marketing areas. Add a P.S.
to your outgoing messages that invites your
contacts to visit your website and download
your free white paper.
4. Send Out an Online News
Release
Your latest research can become exciting
news in your industry. Every time you
create a white paper, you should develop an
online news release to drive journalists,
bloggers and potential customers to your
website.
Online news releases have a few benefits
over traditional press releases. Many
popular online press release distribution
services will submit your news to major
search engines and social networks, helping
to improve your overall search engine
rankings. These services also allow you to
target your distribution, so your press
release goes to the exact sector you wish
to reach.
5. Increase Downloads with Online
Advertisements
If you have a large website, try placing
ads for your white paper on your home page
and throughout your site. You can also run
a Google AdWords campaign that directs
people to your white paper's registration
form.
One More Important Point
...
Once people arrive at your landing page,
make it easy for them to request your white
paper. If your registration form asks for
too much information, people will become
frustrated and leave your web page. Keep
your registration form as short as possible
to ensure the most people request your
white paper.
Next Steps
Research has proven business buyers rely on
white papers to make informed purchasing
decisions. If you need assistance
developing compelling white papers or other
B2B marketing collateral, contact me at
647-342-4921 or
rachel@freshperspectivewriting.com to
schedule a complimentary consultation to
discuss your marketing goals.
Do you want to reprint this
article?You can, as long as you ask
permission first by e-mailing me at
rachel@freshperspectivewriting.com.
I'll send you a short bio to include at the
end of the article.
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