White Papers of the Future
What ChatGPT says about white papers (updated fall 2024)
Every writer is talking about the ground-breaking AI program, ChatGPT. We’re all wondering whether it means the end of our careers or the start of a new and exciting chapter. So I decided to ask the source. Early in 2023, I interviewed ChatGPT 3.5 on the issues every writer is concerned about: What it can…
Read MoreWill AI replace white paper writers?
Is there a future for humans to write white papers? Or is it just a matter of time before AI replaces all white paper writers and the bottom falls out of the market? Why should you waste your time learning a skill that’s going to be obsolete in a few years? This article, updated in…
Read MoreWill chatbots replace white papers?
You’ve seen them. You’ve used them. Chatbots are everywhere now. And a whole new industry is springing up to write, code, and integrate chatbots into websites. That means loads of opportunities for writers who learn this new format. Nick Usborne, a co-founder of marketing agency Chatbot Forge, is a pioneer in this field who points…
Read More5 questions about branded original research white papers
Ever heard of branded original research? It’s an up-and-coming type of content marketing. To create it, a brand surveys their audience to develop content for prospective customers. And, unlike some space trip to Mars, it’s not far-fetched fiction. Branded original research is a hot format that’s becoming increasingly popular for marketing managers across industries. What…
Read MoreThe most influential white paper in history
Why the Bitcoin white paper is the most influential white paper in history.
Read More6 reasons why video will never replace white papers
Surveys show that about 2 out of 3 B2B vendors use white papers. This number has stayed at the same level for the last 10 years. Clearly, white papers work. But even though I write white papers, I don’t claim that every last B2B company in the world should use them. There are some companies that just…
Read More"Cheat sheets" for white papers: a new format for you?
As a B2B marketer, you’re likely under pressure to empower your sales team with great content. Are your sales reps asking for something “short” they can hand out at a meeting or e-mail to prospects? Your reps may believe customers don’t want to read lengthy pieces and would prefer something shorter they can quickly skim. This…
Read MoreVideo and slide-share white papers: Do they work?
A colleague and I recently put together a talk on white papers done as videos and slide shows. Apryl Parcher is a white paper writer and social media expert from WhitePaperResults.com. Apryl and I wanted to respond to the new formats for white papers we’ve seen cropping up, especially videos and slide shows. We present a few…
Read MoreFor white papers, size does matter
A client recently asked me to write some “mini-white papers.” Against my better judgement, I decided to try. I agreed to write 10 mini-white papers of 2-3 pages each on an array of topics for a technology vendor. That’s less than half the length I normally write. “Nobody reads long things anymore,” I was assured…
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