Here at Lush, we’ve cultivated a unique space that can be described as a newsroom with an academic backbone. Our writers thrive in this environment because it is equal parts timely and intellectually stimulating – conditions that are exceptionally useful when it comes to our article and whitepaper writing services.
Both whitepapers and articles can be highly valuable documents when composed in the correct manner. While they differ in length, sophistication, level of detail, and target audiences, they both aim to influence the reader’s decision making. Their widespread use and consumption is also a testament to their value for fulfilling a brand’s objectives, and helping consumers fulfill their needs.
Before deciding whether a whitepaper or an article is right for your specific objectives, the key differences between both must be understood.
What’s a whitepaper?
- Aimed at B2B audiences (existing/ potential customers and investors)
- Written in an academic style, formatted correctly, usually at 3,000 – 8,000-words in length
- Used for promoting a particular product, service, technology, methodology or point of view
- Leans on factual/technical evidence to persuade the audience that a specific offering is superior to helping them solve a problem or fulfill their objectives
Why utilise the power of a whitepaper?
Whitepapers are useful if you are motivated to be seen as a thought leader and an authority figure in your particular field. These documents can help you to stand out above your competitors because these documents are not only designed to deeply engage a target audience, but are also rich in evidence and sound reasoning. This academic rigour provides these audiences with a justification that they can use to adequately convince their colleagues or superiors that they have found a formidable solution – which could be your product, service or idea.
What are articles?
- Either for B2B or B2C audiences (existing/ potential audiences, customers and investors)
- Written in an informal/ formal tone
- Usually between one and two pages long – light on detail
- Used for promoting a particular product, service, technology, methodology or point of view
- Attempts to educate and entertain to persuade the audience, not usually solely reliant on hard facts
- Can use opinion
Should you use an article, whitepaper, or… both?
The whitepaper is a genre of information dissemination that doubles as a resource for an array of micro content. Micro content is derived from whitepapers through isolating its various topics, and making smaller content from them. This can come in the form of short articles on platforms like Linked In, news sites, blogs, press releases, infographics, videos, and more.
There’s so much gold in a whitepaper that you’ll have plenty of content to use across platforms that can help with generating leads, building a following, and establishing yourself or your brand as a thought leader. So, if you choose to develop a whitepaper, you’re also investing in a plethora of content that will help your brand and audience grow.