When designing white papers, it’s crucial to keep their purpose in mind. Many companies and designers are tempted to make them visually striking and colorful, but this approach can backfire by making them look like promotional materials.

A white paper is meant to be a serious, non-promotional document, and the most impactful designs are those that reflect this intent. The target audience for white papers—such as engineers, CFOs, and CEOs—tends to be skeptical of content that feels more like a sales pitch than a source of valuable information.

The most successful white papers often resemble trade magazine articles with fewer images. If your product or service benefits from charts or graphs, incorporating them can enhance your message. Including photographs is acceptable if they add real value and support your content, but avoid using generic stock images of smiling people in business settings.

To improve readability, organize your white paper into clearly defined sections. Use straightforward headlines and subheadings to help readers quickly find the information they’re looking for. Subheads, bold text, and underlined lead-ins can be particularly useful for guiding those who may be skimming the document.

Including a brief abstract at the beginning of the white paper to highlight the key points and conclusions can also be helpful. Additionally, consider adding a list of references or sources at the end for readers who want to explore the topic further.