PDF vs. Interactive White Papers: Which Format Should You Choose for Content Marketing?
White papers have proven to be an effective way for businesses to establish their brand as a thought leader and also create awareness for their products and services.
Traditionally, white papers have taken the form of PDFs, which made them easy to print and distribute. However, with the rise of the digital age, it came with a new phase where instead of using traditional methods, interactive white papers are now published online, thereby becoming popular. The objective of this article is to explore the pros and cons of using a PDF format or interactive white papers, to help you make the right decision on which format is best for your business.
PDF Whitepapers
PDF White Papers have been a big deal in content marketing for many years now. Here are some of the advantages of using the PDF format for white papers.
Pros:
- Universally accessible - PDFs can easily be accessed on any device with popular software like Adobe Acrobat Reader. As a result of this, your white paper is likely to reach a wider audience.
- Offline access - With the PDF format, readers can either save or print them for offline reading. This makes it ideal for people who want to have access to your content while travelling or in a place with no Internet connection.
- Preserves formatting - White papers in PDF formats tend to maintain consistent layouts, images, and charts, and the branding you added in your PDF will always be intact. Since there's no variability in how the content is displayed, it offers a reliable reading experience.
- Credible format - Most people perceive PDFs as more official and authoritative than other digital formats especially when professionally edited. PDFs signify that your business has quality and permanence.
- Easy to control and update - Using a PDF format gives you complete control over the file. Unlike Web pages, unauthorized changes cannot be made to a PDF. You can always update the content by creating new versions
- Lead generation - This format helps to generate leads for businesses because the PDF white papers can be gated behind a landing page to get contact details in exchange for access to download.
Cons:
- Not Mobile-Optimised: Unlike interactive white papers, PDFs may not adapt well to small screens, which means it'll be difficult for readers to review on mobile devices.
- Limited shareability - They cannot be seamlessly embedded on web pages or easily shared via social media, thereby making it different to reach new audiences.
- Slow Loading - When the PDF file size is large, it may take a lot of time to open and download especially when using mobile networks.
- Not SEO-friendly - It is impossible for search engines to index or automatically interpret the content in a PDF file, diminishing their SEO worth.
- Not interactive - The PDF White Papers have a static format, so it is impossible to make them interactive because it doesn't support interactive elements like videos, quizzes, and calculators.
- Environmental impact - These are usually printable, so they contribute to paper waste and carbon emissions.
Interactive Whitepapers
As the name suggests, Interactive white papers are usually published on Web pages. They tend to have dynamic content based on the needs of the audiences.
Some of the pros of interactive format are:
- Mobile-friendly - These white papers are designed to seamlessly adapt to any kind of screen size, which makes it easy to read, even on mobile devices.
- Greater discoverability - Unlike PDF format, interactive white papers can be easily discovered on search engines, thereby increasing their visibility through organic searches.
- Easy to share and embeddable - You can easily share them on your social media and also embed them on sites to broaden your business reach.
- Interactive elements - You can include videos, calculators, quizzes, and other interactive content to keep the audience engaged and interested in the information you're sharing.
- Lead capture - It is quite easy to embed forms into the white paper to gather readers details and generate potential leads.
- Updates in real-time - Whatever changes you make in an interactive white paper will be reflected immediately, making it easy to maintain and improve whenever necessary.
- Analytics - Unlike a PDF format, you'll get real-time detailed analytics reports on engagement, lead capture, and conversion rates. This data information can also be used to optimize content.
- Environmentally friendly - Using interactive white papers means you get to require no paper printing and also reduce the environmental impact.
Cons:
- Technical expertise required - Not everyone is an expert on Web development and design skills, so it may be difficult to build interactive white papers.
- Development time - Unlike PDFs, they take a longer time to be developed, thereby demanding a conscious plan for a longer timeframe.
- Reliant on Internet access - Readers will have no choice but to have access to the Internet, reducing access for some audiences.
- Control - One thing with sharing interactive white papers is the fact that you must give up a degree of control because changes can be made to the papers without your knowledge.
- More distractions - You may encounter excessive distractions that might take your focus away from the main contact, so keep the design sleek.
- No offline access - Unlike PDFs, readers cannot save or print interactive white papers for offline use.
Key Differences between Interactive and PDF Whitepapers
Criteria | PDF White Paper | Interactive White Paper |
Accessibility | Universally accessible on any device | Needs internet access |
Format | Static digital document | Website with dynamic content |
Lead generation | Can be gated behind landing page | Lead capture forms embedded in content |
Shareability | Difficult to share online | Easy to share on social media and embed |
SEO value | Not indexed by search engines | Indexable for greater discoverability |
Access control | Total control over documents | Some loss of control when hosted online |
Development | Quick and easy to produce | More time-intensive to develop |
Mobile experience | Suboptimal, not responsive | Excellent, designed responsively |
The following table showcases a number of key differences between PDF whitepapers and interactive whitepapers:
Which Whitepaper Format Should You Choose?
The truth is, there's no definite option that can be seen as the best
It all depends on the objective you want to achieve with it. The right white paper format depends on your goals, target audience, and available resources.
With PDFs, you have total control over your branding and layout, need to gate content behind lead capture forms, or want to enable offline access.
While interactive white papers are preferable when your goal is to drive traffic and leads from organic search, facilitate sharing on social media, and provide an engaging experience for mobile users.
Most experts recommend the two formats because of the different benefits they each provide to businesses.
For instance, you may choose to have an interactive white paper on your website and give another option providing a link to download the PDF version.
This approach is tasking but the benefits are always worth it because it extends your reach to a broader audience.
Define Project Scope and Expectations
When you follow these best practices, it is certain that your white paper will help you achieve your marketing goals, which may include generating quality leads, building brand visibility, and making sales.
Regardless of the type of format you choose to use for your business, creating a white paper will always deliver value because you'll get to position yourself as a thought leader, generate leads and convert to sales.
These are some best practices to follow if you intend to transform your whitepaper into potent tools for lead generation and sales, irrespective of the format you're using:
- Do thorough keyword research to optimize content for increased search visibility.
- Have structured content that has a clear introduction, follow with a logical flow, and conclusion. Make use of the right headings and bullet points to make information easy to read.
- The white paper should focus on providing solutions to the pain point of your reader instead of overtly promoting your product. Show that you are committed to offering actionable advice and guidance.
- Gate some or all content behind a landing page form to capture reader details by offering something valuable in return.
- Share and promote your white paper across all digital channels after publication - email, social media, paid ads, website, etc.
- Test and refine your white paper over time to identify areas for improvement using analytics data to increase your engagement and conversion rates.
Both MOZ and Legg Mason are committed to the needs of their target audience and their strategy helps them to achieve their goals. However, you should know that the formats, designs, and features may be different based on the channel you choose.
Examples of Effective White Papers
To have a good illustrated idea of the difference in white paper formats, here are two examples to check out:
PDF Example: The Beginner's Guide to SEO Whitepaper
This comprehensive 101-style guide to search engine optimization is published as a 68-page PDF book. The objective is to capture beginners interested in learning about SEO.
The PDF format enables the publisher, Moz to add their detailed branding, custom layouts, and print-style formatting. As a PDF, it can also be gated behind a landing page to gather lead information in exchange for the download.
Interactive Example: The Future of Finances 2023 Whitepaper
This interactive white paper from financial services company Legg Mason is targeted at engaging with investors and finance professionals. They examine top trends shaping the finance industry, by adopting the use of interactive elements like videos, graphs, and image galleries.
The company has been able to continuously deliver an engaging experience that is accessible to both desktop and mobile users. They also have Calls-to-action for readers to request a consultation or access other relevant content.
Are You in Need of a Professional Whitepaper?
Depending on the type of white paper format you want to use, keep in mind that the idea behind them is to provide value to your readers by sharing informative and significant content that are targeted at offering realistic solutions to their pain points. By following the best, you can use and leverage white papers into powerful lead generation and sales tools for your business.
We are experts in delivering your message to prospects and customers. We collaborate closely with a range of companies in creating effective, converting white papers.
Do you want to learn more about how whitepapers can significantly benefit your business? If yes, contact us today, to use our expertise in developing strategic whitepapers crafted to deliver results.