There’s a reason why white papers are a marketing staple. When created right, white papers boost your authority, solve problems for your clients and stakeholders and act as powerful lead magnets.
But how to you create a white paper that will drive results? In this guide and with the help of Venngage’s White Paper Maker, you’ll learn how to write and design white papers that engage readers, impress clients and generate sales leads.
To add an element of enjoyment to the process, you can explore our collection of white paper templates that offer captivating and informative formats for narrating your story.
[Watch] How to Create a White Paper with Venngage:
White paper examples we’ll cover (click to jump ahead):
- Business white paper examples
- Marketing white paper examples
- Government white paper examples
- Policy paper examples
- Research white paper examples
- HR white paper examples
- White paper FAQ
Without further ado, let’s dive right in.
Business white paper examples
Businesses write white papers for a number of reasons. It’s a great document to showcase a company’s expertise in the field and to win over investors. A white paper can also be used for marketing purposes and brand awareness (which I’ll discuss in the next section).
Here’s an example of a business white paper:
This business white paper example by Google aims to persuade the reader into adopting AI by leveraging Google’s authority. It also contains a technical deep dive for more advanced readers.
This is a perfect case of a business using white papers to demonstrate its expertise and establish itself as the thought leader in the industry.
To create a business white paper like this one, you can use a white paper template. Here’s an example of one:
Just so you know, some of our templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign up is always free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor.
This business white paper template discusses the importance of employee engagement and different strategies to optimize engagement in a company. A staffing consultancy firm could create a business white paper like this one to demonstrate its expertise.
Now, if you already have a draft of your white paper content, you can just copy and paste it to a template you like. (If you haven’t written it yet, here’s a white paper writing guide you should definitely check out!)
But how do you make the most out of a business white paper template like the one above? Let’s take a look at some design tips you can apply:
1. Create an eye-catching white paper cover page
Don’t underestimate the effectiveness of an eye-catching cover page. Like the cover of a book, a captivating cover page will entice people to open it and read it further.
At first glance, your readers should have an idea of what the white paper will contain. Use a photo that reflects the theme of your white paper, or create a visual using diverse icons.
Let’s check out a B2B white paper example on employee engagement. The two men on the cover could easily be a manager speaking with one of his team members.
Both look energized and engaged, indicating that this business white paper will offer valuable insight to companies looking to invigorate their employees.
2. Highlight key takeaways to summarize the information in your white paper
White papers tend to pack a ton of information within their pages. But in reality, many people aren’t going to take the time to read the whole paper cover to cover.
Try highlighting a few key takeaways that will get them excited about reading your white paper. Or outline exactly what they will trade their time to learn about.
As you can see in this white paper example, there’s a whole section that highlights the key takeaways in the report. Because it’s right on the front page, it’s hard to miss, which is a nice touch:
Pro Tip: Not sure which template is right for your use case? Venngage has a massive catalog of 500+ professional and engaging templates you can customize today. No more boring Word documents or endlessly struggling with expensive design tools. Browse our white paper templates.
3. Incorporate photos which resemble your target users in your white paper layout
Photos help create a connection between the information in your white paper and your reader. Using a photo on the cover also tells the reader what they can expect to find within the pages.
In this healthcare white paper template, the image of a child with a sugary dessert connects directly to the topic. The reader will instantly know what the paper is about.
If your goal with white papers is to promote your services and generate leads, your message needs to be memorable. Incorporating visuals resembling your target audience is one way to do so.
This content marketing white paper template depicts someone hard at work while downing a cup of coffee. The image would resonate most with professional marketers you’re trying to reach in a B2B capacity:
Marketing white paper examples
Businesses can use white papers as part of a content (and sales) marketing strategy such as lead generation. Most of the time, the white paper is gated — you need to insert your contact information before downloading/accessing the document. Here’s an example:
This white paper example by Frost & Sullivan (commissioned by Samsung Electronics America) explores the trends in the insurance industry. Specifically, it discusses the impact of digital transformation on this industry and how companies can deal with the change.
In order to access the white paper, you need to put in your contact information:
Now, let’s take a look at some more white paper design tips you can apply to make the best out of your marketing white paper:
4. Use high-quality photos with a consistent style
Photos, icons, and illustrations can play an important role in how effectively your white paper communicates information. It’s almost as important as knowing how to write a white paper that conveys information succinctly. Also, you can pair these visuals by remaking sentences or CTAs with an AI sentence rewriter that provides clarity and actionable information in a single sentence.
Don’t just use images for decoration. Instead, use photos to illustrate important concepts, to make information easier to understand, and to convey a mood. Marketing white paper examples, like this one, use bright, colorful photos to engage and excite readers.
Venngage’s integration with Pexels and Pixabay makes it easy to find thousands of high-quality stock photos. Check out our guide to incorporating stock photos seamlessly into your design.
Pro Tip: Use Venngage’s image swap button to change the images in a template in just 1-click. Your images and icons will be replaced with a new image that is already formatted to the template.
5. Use a neutral color scheme for a modern technology white paper design
Say you want to create a white paper to introduce new technology or explain tech-based solutions to problems. A white paper design with a sleek, modern and minimalistic design will likely appeal to techie people.
Pick a neutral background color like white or light grey. Then, pick visuals with similarly sleek color schemes. Tech white paper examples like this use a cool and muted grey palette:
But a great way to add some visual appeal to your white paper layout is to pick an accent color that you can use to make parts of your page pop. For example, this content marketing white paper template contrasts two cool corporate blue accents:
Pro Tip: With Venngage, you can scale your white paper creation without sacrificing quality. How? Once you’ve created a white paper you like, save it as a template to reuse it again. Or hand the design reins to a team member. Want to create a white paper with your team? Our real-time collaboration feature (Business plan only) can help.
Learning how to write a white paper that speaks to your readers is important. For example, when selecting images for your white paper, keep an eye out for people who resemble your target audience.
This will help communicate that your white paper is actually relevant to the group you’re trying to reach.
That said, in some cases, including photos resembling your target audience might not make sense. If this happens, I’d recommend including non-generic stock photos or authentic product images.
This modern business white paper template uses real product images as well as authentic stock photos to give it that visual flair:
Pro Tip: Need help with creating personas for your target audience? Our in-depth user persona guide will help you quickly get upto speed.
6. Use creative backgrounds for a trendy white paper design
A simple design trick to make your white paper more engaging is to use the right background. You can opt for a simple background pattern design to add some visual impact to your white paper layout, or even try a trendy color gradient.
For example, take a look at how a color gradient background gives this content marketing white paper template some wow factor:
Here’s a simpler marketing white paper template that opts for a vibrant color gradient background but with simpler font choices to give it a sleek professional look:
Alternatively, you can use a different color gradient on your white paper template to make it stand out. Remember to keep your branding in mind when choosing the color combination so readers recognize the white paper as belonging to your brand.
It’s so easy to experiment with white paper backgrounds, so don’t be shy about trying out different options. With Venngage, you can change your white paper background with 1-click:
Pro Tip: Even if you don’t have any design experience (I don’t), the right background image can instantly make your white paper look more polished and professional. Keep this simple yet effective trick in mind, so you can create white papers that captivate readers.
7. Include calls to action throughout your white paper
If you’ve been wondering what makes a great white paper, it’s the strategic use of calls to action (CTAs). It’s an important part of understanding how to write a white paper that readers will engage with.
In a white paper, there are plenty of opportunities to position your product or service as a solution to your target audience’s pain points. This means that there will be ample opportunities to include CTAs throughout your white paper.
For example, if you mention a feature of your product, you can place a clickable CTA button beside it:
CTAs are a great way to move people through the sales pipeline, from your white paper to a landing page or blog post.
Government white paper examples
Governmental organizations write white papers to outline policies before proposing new bills and legislations. A white paper is a good tool for gathering feedback from the public before implementing wide-reaching policy changes.
This is an example of a government white paper:
There are a lot of ways you can make your government white papers more engaging. Here are some design tips:
8. Make your page numbers stand out so your white paper is easy to scan
When designing your white paper, it’s important to keep your readers in mind. Don’t just think about what they want to read, but how they want to read it.
Your white paper isn’t the latest installment of Stranger Things, so it’s unlikely that every reader is going to sit down and read it cover to cover. In fact, there’s a good chance they’re going to want to skip ahead to specific sections that interest them.
Making your page numbers easy to read will be appreciated by your readers who are trying to locate a particular topic in your white paper.
Take a look at the page numbers in this policy white paper template:
The above government white paper template can be used by a government to communicate complex social, political, and economic issues to an audience.
Healthcare white paper templates, for example, can be useful in proposing healthcare policies to the general public.
Governments can distribute healthcare white papers to communicate crucial healthcare policy changes to residents in an easy-to-read and accessible format (just like the one above by the American Heart Association).
The white paper example below has a format that’s easy to customize for any industry. Its straightforward table of contents and simple design elements keep the focus on the text.
Go ahead and customize this template with our intuitive drag-and-drop editor:
You can create a functional table of contents by adding hyperlinks to individual chapters and sections. This will help your readers navigate the white paper’s contents.
Select the text you’d like to turn into a link, then click the link icon in the top bar. Along with the option to add a URL, you can select pages within the eBook. When you download your design, download it as an Interactive PDF.
9. Highlight themes in your white paper template using icons
This white paper template, from the cover page onwards highlights the cybersecurity topic it is focused on — phishing scams — by using a hook icon. The cover also introduces a circle motif that is used throughout this technical white paper, to give it a cohesive design and summarize information.
Pro Tip: Do you work in a boring industry? Whether you’re in finance, law or health care, you can set yourself apart from the competition by creating engaging, yet informative white papers. A well-designed white paper can give you an unfair advantage when it comes to making technical information easy to understand and positioning the value of your business.
Policy white paper examples
Good policy white paper examples include a brief description of the scope of a problem or issue to be discussed, alongside recommendations.
This policy white paper from the Australian government is a good example:
Policy papers also include data to give context to issues. The Australian policy white paper above includes a bar graph describing the percentage of Australians born overseas to illustrate the country’s multicultural societies:
On that note, here’s some ways to best incorporate data visualizations to your white papers:
10. Visualize your white paper data using charts and pictograms
A common problem that marketers and consultants face when creating white papers is finding a way to make the data engaging and easy to understand.
The solution? Visualize your data using charts and pictograms.
While everyone on your team is busy creating boring Word documents, you can be the creative genius that uses charts and pictograms to create visually engaging white papers.
The type of charts you use will depend on the type of data you’re visualizing. Here’s a guide to picking what types of charts to use that can help you there.
You could use a line graph to show revenue growth over time. Or you could use pie charts to show parts of a whole, like in policy white paper examples such as this.
Pro Tip: With our online graph maker, you can create charts and graphs that are more creative and engaging than standard Excel charts. A plain old bar graph won’t do much to inspire anyone, but a creative chart that tells a story can.
Pictograms are also a creative and effective way to visualize statistical data. Take a look at how pictograms are used in technology white paper examples like the below. They act as visual aids to showcase key statistics and changes as it relates to the IT sector.
Don’t be afraid to mix it up. They say variety is the spice of life — the same can be said of white papers! This business white paper design, for example, combines both bar graphs and pie charts.
For more ways to add data visualizations to your white papers, check out this post: How to Visualize Data In Your White Papers
Research white paper examples
Just like other white papers, research white paper examples include reported facts and data aimed at educating readers around a particular topic. Research white papers are also written to help readers understand and address specific problems.
If you’re writing a research white paper for your business, here’s some ways to make it more engaging:
11. Highlight featured quotes using a big font
This is a design trick you’ve probably seen used in magazines and news publications. Well, guess what — it works great for white paper design as well! Pull particularly impactful and persuasive quotes and make them stand out from the rest of the text using big, bold fonts.
Not only will this draw readers’ eyes to the quotes, but it also gives your page design more visual variation. Company white paper examples like this one use a bright orange font to help their featured quotes stand out.
HR white paper examples
Human resources white papers tackle issues around employment, management, employee retention and churn. HR white papers can also be used to attract potential employees by showcasing the company culture and ethos.
12. Incorporate your branding into your white paper design
To improve brand recognition, you need to have consistent branding across all marketing collateral. This not only helps your marketing efforts but also helps you maintain consistency in your internal and external comms.
Be sure to incorporate your logo, brand color palettes, and fonts into your white paper design.
Venngage’s Brand Kit makes it easy to save your logos, brand color palettes, and brand fonts for later. Then, you can easily apply them to your designs with one click. No designer needed:
Try thinking of creative opportunities to incorporate your branding. This white paper design, for instance, extends the use of its signature color beyond standard headers and icons.
It actually applies a transparent color overlay to the images, adding an additional punch of color and reinforcing its brand palette in an unexpected way.
Pro Tip: Need help with creating your own brand-style guide? Our guide on brand guidelines will help you create brand collateral that will dictate the look and feel of your brand and in the process, help you stand out from the herd.
13. Use icons to emphasize section headers in your white paper template
One of the primary purposes of a white paper is to visually communicate information in an engaging way. But many businesses end up creating something that reads like a college textbook. No one wants to read that…just ask any college student.
TechSmith studied over 4,500 office workers and found that people absorb information 7% faster when they’re given text with accompanying images, versus just plain text. When designing your white paper, look for opportunities to make the text easier to scan with visuals.
An easy way to bring attention to important points is to place an icon beside the text. Government white paper examples like the one below are text-heavy. But the icons help direct the eye to each section header and break up the text.
This marketing white paper layout uses icons to punctuate the headers and add a dash of personality to reinforce its fun and lively color palette.
Here’s another example of a white paper design where icons are used to visualize points and make information easier to find.
14. Use a visual motif that reflects your white paper topic
A visual motif is a visual element that is repeated throughout your design. When you’re designing a multi-page document like a white paper or a report, your pages should have a cohesive look and flow.
To pick a motif for your white paper design, think of some themes reflected in your white paper. Is your white paper about social media engagement? Then a motif of birds (“tweeting”) or speech bubbles could work.
A white paper topic that is focused on establishing a sprint process could use a race track motif instead.
Hiring strategy white paper examples like the below use a leaf motif. Plants reflect the theme of growth associated with recruitment.
Or you can also use a simple shape motif throughout your white paper design. This approach is more subtle but can still lend to a cohesive and well-thought-out white paper design.
For example, this simple white paper template uses a hexagon motif (it kind of makes you think of a beehive, doesn’t it?).
15. Break up chunks of text with visuals when writing a white paper
When you’re laying out your white paper pages, put your storytelling cap on. Think: what kind of flow do I want my report to have? Where can I use visuals to emphasize certain points? Where can I illustrate an idea?
A common mistake novice designers make is to cram too much text into a page, rather than breaking up the text and giving it space to breathe.
Don’t hesitate to dedicate big chunks of your page–or the page in its entirety–to pictures. Images give the eyes a rest and help to reinforce information.
Visual headers are also a great way to break up expanses of text while still having the visuals serve a purpose (yay for purposeful design!). You can create your own illustrations using icons–they can make for some fun and quirky headers, like in workplace tech white paper examples.
16. Open your white paper with a boldly colored glossary
Like any design project, it’s important to start off on the right foot. You can do this by creating a glossary for your white paper. Think of it as a map that outlines exactly what your white paper will cover.
In bright white paper examples like the one below, you can see how the designers used a bold color to bring attention to the glossary. This ensures that it will be seen by a reader, and actually used to navigate the content.
If you make your white paper design engaging, a lot more people are going to want to read it:
Try using a full-page color fill (like in this white paper example) for your glossary. Otherwise, readers may miss it when quickly flipping through the pages.
17. Include tables and boxes to emphasize key points and takeaways
Visualizing information or data isn’t limited to just graphs. When writing a white paper, you can also section off important pieces of information using tables and boxes.
In the white paper examples below, the designers used a table to organize key points and takeaways from each main section:
Here’s another example of a white paper layout that uses a table to highlight some key statistics:
Breaking up lengths of text with boxes will help make your white paper easier to read:
18. Vary the color, fonts, and styles of your headers
You can create a hierarchy by using a different font or color for your headers and sub-headers. This also helps give your page design more variety.
In this example, they use different fonts and colors for each level of header. This helps make the distinction between main and sub-headers more noticeable.
Your main design goal should be to create a white paper that’s engaging to readers and easy to navigate. When you are working with this much text, it’s important to make it easy to skim through.
19. Dedicate pages to particularly important points
The primary goal of your white paper should be to educate readers. But you also want to strike a balance between being informative and entertaining.
If there is a central point that you want readers to remember, you may want to dedicate an entire page to that one point and an accompanying image to help drive the message home.
Pages like this should be used sparingly. That being said, they can deliver some real impact to readers.
Take this white paper example that dedicates a page to an evocative quote and photo:
20. Allow for plenty of white space on your pages
Unlike one-page reports where you have to fit a lot of information into a small space, white papers allow for more freedom to spread the information out. That will allow you to create page designs with plenty of white space.
In the design world, white space is the empty space around design elements on the page. Leaving some room for your text and images to breathe will help your design look less cluttered.
Check out how this example uses plenty of white space on nearly every page. The result is an organized and modern white paper design.
21. Break chapters or sections into separate columns
Dividing your page into columns is a good way to organize your information and save space on the page. For example, in the white paper above, the Overview and the beginning of Chapter 1 are organized neatly into their own columns.
This makes it easy to jump from one point to the next, without getting lost.
22. Include a question on the front page of your white paper
Speaking directly to your readers can really grab their attention. Asking a question can get them to want to actually read your white paper.
In this white paper example, a simple question to the reader introduces what the report will cover. The designers even bolded it so it was the first thing readers would see!
Now they could have just said “We are going to cover Topic X” on the cover. But that doesn’t place their white paper in the perspective of the person it’s meant to help — the reader.
On the other hand, when you address a common problem people in your niche face, that will pique their interest.
23. Vary your page layouts to keep readers engaged
When people look at the same thing over and over again, it can cause visual fatigue. Their eyes glaze over and their attention drifts.
Varying your page layout will help keep readers engaged by going against their expectations. When the eyes have something new to look at, it’s easier to stay engaged.
This white paper template uses a few different page layouts. One page may have a featured image, another a large quote, and the next only includes written content. This white paper layout is fresh and interesting.
Use these white paper examples to create a design that reflects your brand
Use these examples of white papers as springboards for your own unique and brand-appropriate designs. Knowing how to write a white paper that considers your audience every step of the way will help you develop the perfect response to their questions and make your designs accessible.
FAQs about white papers
What is a white paper?
In the business world, a white paper (or whitepaper) is an in-depth informational report that explains a complex or technical concept in addition to providing a persuasive solution to a problem.
For example, here’s what a technical white paper looks like:
Unlike ebooks, which may address a broader scope of topics, white papers have a singular focus. They’re designed to solve a specific problem for readers and build brand trust in the process.
White papers are also research-based and widely considered to be a valuable resource. In fact, Equinet reports that a whopping 75% of B2B would share information about themselves and their company in exchange for a white paper.
What is the format of a white paper?
White papers can be formatted in any number of ways, but depending on your industry, you may want to consider formatting your white paper for printing on standard printers. In that case, it’s best to stick to a letter-sized page, whether in portrait (8.5×11) or landscape (11×8.5).
These documents also are best in the PDF file format; this is the easiest way both to share them online and to have them printed.
Why should you create a white paper?
White papers can be extremely valuable documents to educate your stakeholders, clients, and top-of-funnel traffic — when the white papers are actually interesting. According to the Demand Gen 2018 Survey Report, 71% of B2B buyers used white papers in the last 12 months to research purchasing decisions.
How long is a white paper?
Typically, white papers are around 3 to 20 pages long. But some white papers can be longer. A white paper should be long enough to cover the concept or problem at hand. Since this usually includes case studies or new research, plus explanations and analyses, a good rule of thumb is writing white papers to provide enough evidence to back up your claims.
How to write a white paper that people will actually read?
If it doesn’t have an appealing design, your white paper probably isn’t going to work as well as you want it to. As with any type of content — from writing blog posts to making presentations to crafting ebooks—a lot of your white paper’s success comes down to the design.
Take this eye-catching hiring strategy white paper example; it uses dramatic images, colors, layouts, and icons to elevate its content to another level.
How to format a white paper with design in mind:
- Make sure your cover page immediately informs readers what your white paper is about.
- Summarize key takeaways at the start after writing your white papers.
- Don’t forget to think about your readers’ experience. Use clear page numbers to make it easier to scan your white paper.
- Visualize your data to make your white paper more engaging.
- Use consistent brand colors and fonts throughout your white paper format. This will make your design look more polished and professional.
- Use high-quality photos with a consistent style.
- Keep your target users in mind throughout the design process. If you’re using images of other people make sure they resemble your target users.
- Emphasize section headers in your white paper with icons.
- Break up walls of text with visuals like infographics and charts.
- Use a glossary to outline the specific topics you aim to address.
- Incorporate calls to action throughout your white paper design.
- Format your white paper to allow for plenty of white space. This will prevent your white paper design from looking cluttered.
- Switch up your page layouts to keep readers interested.
This article is also available in Spanish Más de 20 Ejemplos de White Paper Increíbles [Guía de Diseño + Plantillas] and Portuguese White paper: mais de 20 exemplos cativantes [guia de design + modelos]
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