Whitepapers are one of the most strategic forms of content an organization can produce, but poor workflows and the quest for consensus can sabotage the process and the product.
It’s no secret that the digital landscape has become positively saturated with content, compelling organizations to find new and innovative ways to get their messages across. Despite the effluvia of messaging and novel tactics being implemented, whitepapers remain a cornerstone of strategic communication. Far more than just long-form documents, they are powerful tools that help organizations educate, persuade, and lead.
As a freelance copywriter and agency director, I often have occasion to work with companies both large and small and subject matter experts (SMEs) from around the world in putting whitepapers together. I’ve found it to be a process that can be both incredibly rewarding and profoundly frustrating—not just on my end, but for the parties who are typically involved in putting a whitepaper together.
Crafting an effective whitepaper requires more than subject matter expertise—it demands clarity of purpose, alignment of stakeholders and a disciplined workflow. In this article, I’ll endeavor to explain the nature and origins of the aforementioned frustration as well as detailing what whitepapers are, who uses them, why they’re valuable, how they’re made and why the process often falters when approached “by committee.”
Whether you’re an executive, marketer, subject matter expert or freelancer, understanding these dynamics can help you harness the full potential of whitepapers while avoiding potential pitfalls.
What Is a Whitepaper?
OK, so many of you already know, but bear with me and those who don’t for a moment. A whitepaper is a comprehensive, authoritative document that presents a problem and offers a solution, typically backed by research, data, and analysis.
The key here is authoritative. Unlike blog posts or sales brochures, whitepapers are not primarily promotional. They aim to inform and build credibility—often guiding decision-makers through complex concepts, technologies, or methodologies.
Whitepapers are especially common in B2B industries such as technology, life sciences, healthcare, finance and manufacturing. They may introduce a new product or service, summarize research findings, outline regulatory changes or position a company as a thought leader in its space.
The most effective whitepapers blend academic rigor with business relevance. They tell a story that resonates with a targeted audience, establishing trust while subtly nudging the reader toward a preferred course of action. They’ll often be footnoted in similar fashion to academic papers (which helps to build credibility), and/or contain links to source material.
Why Companies Use Whitepapers
Companies use whitepapers for a range of strategic purposes:
- Lead Generation: Gated whitepapers (those requiring contact information for access) are a popular tool for capturing qualified leads.
- Thought Leadership: Well-researched papers help establish a company or executive as an authority in their field.
- Sales Enablement: Whitepapers can support the sales process by addressing objections, educating prospects, and aligning stakeholders.
- Product Positioning: They explain the technical or strategic benefits of a product or service in detail.
- Stakeholder Communication: Internally or externally, whitepapers can communicate policy changes, investment theses, or operational best practices.
Used correctly, whitepapers can shorten sales cycles, build brand authority and provide long-term SEO value.
The Benefits of a Well-Crafted Whitepaper
A well-executed whitepaper can deliver outsized returns. Here’s why:
- Trust and Credibility: A whitepaper demonstrates that your company understands the problem—and has a viable, well-reasoned solution.
- Content Repurposing: One whitepaper can fuel a wealth of other content—blogs, webinars, infographics, and social posts.
- Longevity: Unlike trend-based content, whitepapers often retain relevance for years, especially in industries with slow innovation cycles.
- Higher Engagement: Whitepaper readers are typically further down the sales funnel and more motivated to engage.
- Thought Leadership: They help shape conversations in your industry rather than simply reacting to them.
These benefits don’t come automatically—they require a thoughtful, coordinated effort across content creators, strategists, and subject matter experts.
The Whitepaper Development Process
Crafting a whitepaper typically unfolds in several stages:
1. Planning and Alignment
Defining the audience, objectives, key message, and desired outcome. This phase also includes competitive research and identifying content gaps or opportunities.
2. Outline and Structure
Creating a detailed outline that reflects the logical flow of the paper. This acts as a shared blueprint and ensures early alignment.
3. Research and Subject Matter Input
Gathering the data, insights, and expertise that will underpin the whitepaper. This might include internal subject matter experts (SMEs), third-party reports, or proprietary research.
4. Writing
This is where the story comes together. The content writer synthesizes the inputs into a compelling narrative that is clear, persuasive, and authoritative.
5. Review and Revision
Editing for structure, clarity, tone, accuracy, and style are essential. Legal or compliance review may also be needed, depending on the industry.
6. Design and Layout
This involves the visual presentation, and aspects of this may be determined earlier on. For example, an organization may produce whitepapers regularly, and have templates that the designer can work from. Professional design enhances readability and lends polish, whether in PDF, digital flipbook, or interactive formats.
7. Distribution and Promotion
Once completed, the whitepaper is promoted via email campaigns, social media, paid ads, webinars and sales channels to maximize visibility and ROI.
Creating a Whitepaper: Who’s Involved?
While roles vary by organization, most whitepaper projects involve the following players:
- Marketing Strategist or Content Lead: Oversees the purpose, audience targeting, and distribution plan.
- Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): Provide the technical or domain-specific knowledge that anchors the content.
- Content Writer or Copywriter: Translates ideas into a compelling, well-structured narrative.
- Editor or Reviewer: Ensures consistency, tone, and clarity.
- Graphic Designer: Turns the written content into a professional, on-brand document.
- Stakeholders: Executives, sales leads, or legal reviewers may be involved for approvals or compliance.
Each player is crucial—but alignment is everything. Without it, the process can quickly spiral into inefficiency. It is also important to bear in mind that depending on the organization’s size and needs, not all of these parties will necessarily be in-house. External SMEs are often engaged for the sake of credibility, and contract writers, editors and graphic designers may also be used.
Whitepaper “By Committee”: The Pitfalls
One of the most common derailers of whitepaper success is attempting to create one by committee. I’ve encountered this phenomenon on several occasions when writing whitepapers for client organizations. The technical experts, SMEs, marketing strategist(s) all have their buy-in, and tend to think the paper will stand or fall on their input or a particular section. If there’s no one corralling the cats, so to speak, the paper will go back for revision after revision after revision, losing coherence along the way.
Whitepaper by committee can arise when:
- Too many stakeholders want to weigh in without a clear understanding of the purpose, or an overestimation of the importance of their contribution.
- There is no final decision-maker, leading to endless revisions.
- Conflicts on the type of messaging arise (e.g., the SME insists on excessive technical detail, while marketing wants simplified messaging).
- Everyone has opinions, but no one is accountable for the final product.
The result? A bloated, disjointed document that pleases no one and accomplishes little. Deadlines slip. Morale dips. Blame is cast about. And the paper ends up in a drawer—or worse, published but unread.
Here’s the hard truth: collaboration is necessary, but consensus is not. Attempting to accommodate every viewpoint dilutes the impact of the content. The goal is not to create a paper everyone agrees on—it’s to create a paper that achieves its objective.
This requires leadership, clarity and a defined process.
The Importance of Workflow, Roles, and Goals
To avoid the chaos of “design-by-committee,” companies should invest in a structured content development workflow. Key components include:
1. Clear Objectives
What is the purpose of this whitepaper? Is it for awareness, lead generation, or sales enablement? Having a single, documented goal will help guide every decision.
2. Defined Roles
Assign ownership for each phase of the project. Who leads the project? Who provides input? Who signs off? Clarity reduces bottlenecks and confusion.
3. Centralized Communication
Use project management tools or shared documents to streamline feedback, track changes, and manage approvals (e.g., Slack, Google Docs).
4. Editorial Control
Designate a single content owner—usually the writer or content lead—who has authority over the final narrative. Input is welcome, but the story needs one voice.
5. Agreed Deadlines
Whitepapers are often deprioritized because they’re not “urgent.” Establish deadlines for drafts, revisions and final sign-off early in the process—and stick to them.
6. Post-Launch Strategy
Have a plan for how the whitepaper will be shared. This ensures your effort translates into measurable results. Promoting or “pre-selling” the whitepaper can help to build interest among subscribers or regular website visitors.
Whitepapers are one of the most strategic forms of content an organization can produce, but a whitepaper without workflow is like a blueprint without a builder. Clarity and coordination will turn your great ideas into great outcomes. A properly-executed whitepaper can showcase your organization’s expertise, build credibility, and offer lasting value to both your audience and your brand. But their success depends not only on what’s written—but on how it’s written, and by whom.
Companies that approach whitepaper creation with clear objectives, assigned roles, and a streamlined process see the best results. Conversely, those that create whitepapers by committee often find themselves mired in misalignment and missed opportunities.
In the end, a great whitepaper will be the product of great collaboration—when it’s guided by leadership, executed with clarity and driven by purpose.
Erik Rush is Managing Director for Vizier Communications. Click here to learn more about crafting a cutting-edge whitepaper for your organization!