How can you create the best content pieces that generate demand and drive pipeline? Whether your goal is lead gen or thought leadership, we'll provide our tips for creating pieces that convert. In this presentation, learn how to create eye-catching, scroll-stopping eBooks and white papers, how and where to gate your finished content piece, and see examples of static and interactive eBooks that made an impact.

1. Best Practices for
eBooks & White
Papers

2. Stephanie
Mansueto
Corinne
Schmid
Senior Director of
Creative Strategy
Vice-President, Marketing
(and proud fur-baby mama)
Meet
Your
Hosts

3. What we will cover
● What are eBooks & white papers
and who reads them?
● How to structure your eBook or
white paper
● Why it makes sense to repurpose
existing content
● When and where to gate your
eBooks and white papers
● Best Practices for getting started

4. And now for a
poll...

5. What are
eBooks &
white papers?

6. Informative
Demand Driver
Authoritative
Both can help your audience understand an
issue, solve a problem, or make/validate a
decision.
What are eBooks & White
Papers?

7. eBooks&WhitePapers
What’s the difference?

8. Evergreen: white papers can have a 12-
18+ month lifespan
Conservative: white papers are formal
in both design and tone.
Gated: high value asset that requires
an email address (minimum) to access
Long form: average white paper is 4-6
pages; 10-12 pages not uncommon
White Papers

9. https://www.demandgenreport.com/resources/research/the-2017-content-preferences-survey-report
76%of buyers are willing to
register for and share
information about
themselves in exchange
for a white paper.

10. Campaign-specific: focused on near-
term trends, issues, or campaigns
Casual: Conversational, highly visual,
and much less conservative than a
white paper.
Gated: often has un-gated chapters or
sections before asking for an email
address
Short-form: Designed for scanning and
skimming the asset quickly
eBooks

11. https://www.demandgenreport.com/resources/research/the-2017-content-preferences-survey-report
63%of buyers are willing to
register for and share
information about
themselves in exchange
for an eBook.

12. What about the
structure?

13. How to Structure
a White Paper

14. How to Structure
an eBook

15. 3. Keep the content scannable by
using bullet points, chapter titles,
and graphics.
1. Know your audience and their
intent long before writing begins.
4.
Always include a CTA to continue
engaging with the brand and to
learn more.
2. Research your topic and cite your
resources when applicable.
Best Practices

16. And now for a
poll...

17. Why not start
from the
content you
already have?

18. 30%
marketers with a systematic
process in place to reuse or
repurpose content.
56%
2%
marketers who sporadically
repurpose content
marketers who do not
repurpose content at all.
Source: 2019 Marketing Trends — Content Repurposing
https://medium.com/@contentworks/2019-marketing-trends-content-repurposing-93f305d11f10

19. Take inventory
and look at
existing assets.

20. Give it a fresh
look.

21. 3. Design for impact: visual
elements such as images, tables,
quotes and call-outs.
1.
Take inventory of your existing
assets: blogs, data sheets,
whitepapers, manuals, etc.
4.
2.
Refresh and re-imagine existing
content based on your audience,
their informational needs.
Best Practices
Look to the resources that your
sales team finds the most
valuable and start there.

22. And now for a
poll...

23. 88%
of marketers said that interactive
content is effective in differentiating
their brand from their competitors

24. Capture meaningful insights
through natural interactions with
the content.
1
2
3
Condense long-form content into
digestible elements to increase
time spent on page.
Create a personalized experience
for readers based on previous
engagements.

25. BILBAO DESIGN 25
Easily experiment
with gate
placement &
treatment/style

26. When &
Where to
gate?

27. To Gate or Not to
Gate

28. Know your audience
and their previous
engagements with
your brand.

29. If you can, give
some content away
for free.

30. Ask for the
information that
you need and
nothing more.

31. Make it clear what
exists behind the
gate.

32. A/B Split Test Gate
Placement

33. Awareness Consideration
The Buyer
Journey
Decision
Engage
Educat
e
Convert

34. 3. A/B split test to see what
resonates and what doesn’t.
1. Give teaser content to entice
users into wanting more.
4.
Make it clear what exists behind
the form. Give away additional
resources when possible.
2. Keep the form simple - don’t ask
for more than you need.
Best Practices

35. How to get
started?

36. Take Inventory
You have content, lots of it. Take inventory,
assess and determine how to refresh or re-
image these assets.
Plan: “So What & Who Cares”?
Your audience and your narrative are critical
to establish topical authority that builds trust
and credibility.
Best Practices

37. Design Matters
Create content that is
scannable and easy to
digest. Stay on theme, from
copy to imagery.
Post Launch
Matters too
Very few pieces of content
should be “set it and forget
it.”
Take the learnings and
create iterations, launch A/B
split tests, and re-launch.

38. Thank you!
Need some inspiration? Visit our Gallery at
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