Copywriting vs Content Writing: Persuade and Educate

Writer:
Alaina Bradenburger
Editor:
Kassidy Vavra
Published: Aug 21, 2021
Last Updated:
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Digital marketing is less about selling and more about building trust. People respond to great content that piques their interest in your brand, compared to traditional marketing that focuses more on the products. One way businesses can attract and retain customers is by fostering relationships—particularly through storytelling. This article discusses copywriting vs content writing and how you can use both to grow your business and connect with your audience.

Read on to learn:

  • ‌The differences between copy and content writing‌
  • How to use each approach to boost your business‌
  • Why you should employ a content writer and a copywriter‌‌

Copywriting vs Content Writing: Key Differences

Copywriting is more sales-oriented, while content writing is used to educate, inform, instruct, and entertain.

Types of Copywriting

Here are some examples of the kinds of work copywriters produce:

  • Persuasive taglines
  • Landing pages
  • Slogans
  • Copy for pay-per-click ads
  • Product descriptions
  • Other short-form content
  • Email marketing copy
  • Social media content
  • Press releases

Types of Content Writing

Content writing is more focused on building long-term relationships over time by providing useful content on topics readers will like. Typically, this means that content writers create free, in-depth content, including:

Where These Approaches to Writing Diverge

While both types of writing allow you to tailor messaging toward your target readers, they do so in different ways.

‌The most important difference is that the job of copywriting is to produce certain key results: new leads and sales. That is, the main goal of copywriting is to sell, converting prospects into buyers.

It's easy to get an idea of your return on copywriting investment by looking at reader responses to ads, emails, and other sales copy. A talented copywriter can increase click-through rates on your website by creating tantalizing product descriptions and clear calls to action.

Content writing is a core part of relationship building. Branded content is engaging, creates connections, and encourages a dialogue with your audience. This is the sort of writing that entices visitors to come back to your blog time and again.

In other words, the difference between copywriting and content writing is the purpose. While you use both forms of writing to present your message, copywriting needs to persuade, while content writing needs to engage.

Content is a key component of branding and solidifying your credibility. It's also a big factor in SEO. Use it to boost your online reputation and move higher in internet searches.

Content Writing and Copywriting Use Cases

‌Copywriting

Use copywriting to drive traffic to your website and into your business. Good copy is built by understanding your target market and communicating the benefits of your product or service. A simple tagline can be used to show visitors that you understand their pain points and know how to address them.

Copywriting needs to be direct with clear calls to action. Effective copy appeals to emotion, resonates with readers, and persuades them to buy or learn more about your brand.

It works in tandem with content writing and needs to adopt the same brand personality as your longer content.

Content Writing

You can also use content to drive traffic to your website through SEO. But its purpose is usually to create brand awareness and build your reputation over time. Write blog posts and case studies that express your message more thoroughly. Find ways to connect with potential buyers, and use social media posts to facilitate a dialogue.

Effective content writing encourages readers to interact with your business, share their opinions, and even help you improve your products or services. Content lets you better inform your readers about your business, helping them understand how you can solve their pain points.

Your blog content might not generate conversions right away, but it keeps your business in their mind and might inspire them to buy later.

When Should You Hire a Content Creator vs a Copywriter?

When it comes time to write content for your brand, you'll have to decide which approach to take. You can delegate to a writer with the requisite skills once you're clear on what you need them to write.

‌Although there are professionals who can expertly perform copy and content writing, many professionals are more proficient with one medium. Both content and copywriters should be competent in marketing principles. They should have keen familiarity with your ideal buyers and how best to speak to them.

Beyond marketing and writing skills, the talents of a copywriter and content creator are likely different. Copywriters are usually more adept at sales and might have a background in advertising. Content writers are better at using language to plant a seed with potential buyers, creating stories that are relevant and useful to them.

Hire a Copywriter When You Want to Sell

A skilled copywriter can create copy that moves people and drives them into your company. Copywriters are proficient in SEO best practices and often integrate them into taglines, landing pages, and other copy. But they might not optimize every piece. They are more focused on communicating your value to potential customers.

‌Many copywriters are familiar with different industries and target markets and know what kinds of keywords work well with your customers. Being able to sell within a few short lines of copy doesn’t always translate into content, however.‌‌

Hire a Content Writer When You Want to Engage

A good content writer knows how to create stories that are appealing and valuable to your customers. Although their content might include a call to action that encourages people to contact you, this isn’t always the primary purpose of long-form content.

Good content writers typically have an expert level of SEO and know how to weave keywords into a story without disrupting the flow. They usually grasp the principles of marketing, although they might also be familiar with journalism or creative writing.

If you want to create a case study to illustrate previous client successes, a skilled content writer is the person to call. They can interview your previous clients and extract relevant information for your customers. They know how to supplement the interview with facts, figures, and entertaining language that connects with a customer without directly selling to them.

Conclusion

Content marketing strategies are driven by storytelling through both copywriting and content writing. Now that you know the differences between copywriting and content writing, you can find the best writers for your marketing projects and campaigns.

As you craft your marketing strategy and set specific goals for your team, determine whether each project warrants brilliant copywriting or informative content writing. Try to think about what kind of content you need to meet your goals.

Choosing an expert copywriter and content writer for your projects will help you better execute your strategy and connect with more customers.

Learn how to work with AI tools, not against them. 

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✅ The benefits and limitations of generative AI
✅ When to use AI tools and when you still need human assistance
✅ Tips for writing effective ChatGPT prompts
✅ 6 ways to leverage ChatGPT for content creation
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