• According to the "11th Annual B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends report", in the 12 months leading to July 2020, 47% of B2B content marketers used white papers (8th most) and 68% (3rd most) used case studies.

Average Cost of a White Paper

• "Results of surveys have shown time and time again that white papers are the most consumed content within the B2B buying journey."
• "The 'average' cost for a white paper is around $4,500."
• Writers with specific professional knowledge and experience more often charge from $5,500 to $7,000.
• "The biggest survey ever taken (in 2007) showed that it costs $5,000 to $7,000 to hire an experienced white paper writer".
• The average cost per page is typically $500.
• The cost incurred toward a graphic designer who makes the white paper presentable should also be accounted for.

Pricing & Negotiation

• It is best ask for project-based quotes than hourly rate quotes as it helps ensure that allocated budgets are not surpassed.
• "The 2017 SOCE revealed that marketers often expect to pay up to five times more than the requested price for various types of content."

Gordon Graham & Team (Experts)

• Gordon Graham, know to be "the top white paper expert in the world," breaks a White Paper project into two steps: planning and creating.
• The charges and timelines for the two stages are as follows:
• Planning: "$975 payable in advance before" starting; 2 weeks time
• Creating: typically $6,000 to $8,000, depending on the "complexity, research, and deadline;" 6-8 weeks time

Benefits

• "Long-form content isn’t just rewarded by the search engines – it also resonates with readers."
• A white paper can "generate lots of high-quality leads, create buzz around the product or service," and help boost sales.

Overall Spend

•  57% of small companies (1-99 emp.), 49% of medium companies (100-999 emp.), and 20% of large (1,000+) B2B companies spent less than $100,000 on marketing in 2020 (pre-pandemic).
• 10% of small companies (1-99 emp.), 25% of medium companies (100-999 emp.), and 30% of large (1,000+) B2B companies spent $100,000-$500,000 on marketing in 2020 (pre-pandemic).

Summary

• The average white paper costs $4,500, including the cost of a graphic designer. Specialized, professionally written white papers typically cost $5,500 to $7,000.
• A top white paper expert like Gordon Graham charges $975 for planning a white paper, and $6,000-$8,000 for creating a white paper. The two stages take 2 weeks and 6-8 weeks of time, respectively.
• It is best to ask for project-based quotes rather than per-hour quotes.