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Writing White Papers For The Internet Age, Part 1: Overview
By Joe Purcell
Expert Author
Article Date: 2011-09-30
The "Internet Age" is old news. Many are aware of the fact that we have transitioned into a new time, but few understand its impact. People read content in new ways and their attention is a lot less. Before looking at how to write specific sections of white papers, let's make some key observations on how to write in this new era.
First, it should be noted again that white papers are not going away. The term white paper is a buzzword that represents the social convention of summarizing research and important facts to inform an audience. What will go away are writers who do not adapt to how people read in this new era.
Jakob Nielsen wrote an article in 1997 on "How Users Read on the Web." As he says, "they don't." He goes on to explain that users scan pages rather than read word-by-word. There are huge implications to this, chiefly that successful content is entirely dependent on its usability.
Here are three of his points I picked out:
- Concise text - 300 words
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- Scannable layout - F-shaped pattern
- Objective language - to the point
These are three key aspects that need to be integrated into white papers to make them successful. He shows a table with different versions of the same content and the usability rating of the content. Take a moment to look at the table and notice which row appeals to you the most.
The first paragraph shows:
Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most popular places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446).
The last paragraph shows:
In 1996, six of the most-visited places in Nebraska were:
- Fort Robinson State Park
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum
- Carhenge
- Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
- Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park
The above section of text is concise, scannable, and objective. Classic white paper writers may object and say that writing for print is different than writing for web. This has been true, but they are becoming integrated. People spend more time on the internet now and because people are creatures of habit they will be inclined to read print as they read the web.
Next, we will dig into how to implement these three key aspects: concise text, scannable layout, and objective language.
About the Author:
Joe Purcell is a technology virtuoso, cyberspace frontiersman, and connoisseur of Linux, Mac, and Windows alike.
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