Have you ever wondered what the difference between a copywriter and a content writer is? Maybe you’re a business owner who needs some help creating content for your blogs or webpage. But who should you hire for the job?
You may have heard about these terms before, or even looked it up yourself.
Well, here’s an article that will hopefully clear all your doubts and answer your questions! In this article, we’ll take a look precisely at what copywriters do, what is the job of a content writer; and most importantly, what is the difference between the two?
Without further ado, let’s get right into it!
What Is Copywriting?
A person who is in the business of copywriting is known as a copywriter. Copywriting involves the skill to persuade others through their written words. More specifically, it is an art of writing for marketing purposes. Hence, the goal of copywriting is to convince the readers to take action and increase brand awareness through engaging texts.
Copywriters primarily create a copy (hence, the name “copywriting”) to sell a business or brand, their products and services. Besides that, copywriting is usually more conversational, interactive and forceful, since its goal is also to persuade readers. Lastly, copywriting is used in advertisements, sales copy, headlines, magazine features, press releases and more with the focus on selling products and the services.
What Is Content Writing?
Unlike copywriting, content writing is more concerned with contents that educate, inform, or entertain readers. It is the art of writing specialized content. Most content writing is educational in nature.
Therefore, it doesn’t feature a call to action or persuasion like copywriting does.
A content writer is experienced in online marketing strategies through content creation for many platforms including websites, blogs, social media, articles and more.
Overall, content writers create valuable information about a brand, company and their offerings while engaging and building trust with the readers.
What’s the Difference Between A Copywriter And A Content Writer?
Here’s where it gets interesting! In this section, we’ll be diving into the difference between a copywriter and a content writer. We hope this will give you a clear picture on who to look for for your business and content needs!
1. The Intention Behind the Writing
A significant difference between a copywriter and a content writer is their primary goals or intentions. Copywriters write for a simple reason, and that is to generate sales.
It is strongly focused on getting the reader to act on something. Hence, copywriting would be useful on landing pages or in a sales letter.
On the other hand, content writers’ intentions of writing are to inform and increase engagement with the public. An excellent platform for content writing is through blogs and articles.
Unlike copywriting, content writers’ goal is not to sell a company product but to explain and sell the idea of why the readers need the product or services mentioned.
2. The Length of the Writing
There is a difference between the length of copywriting and content writing. Copywriters specialize in short content that can increase brand awareness. After all, extended contents would be hard to get their selling point across as readers might lose interest halfway. Overall, copywriters create headlines and short-form content that can grab and keep your attention instantly.
Content writers, however, have the freedom to write longer-forms of content. That is because, to effectively educate, inform and instruct readers on the products and brands, well-researched and informative content is vital to get the message across and increase awareness of the brand. It would be harder to do so in brief-written range. Besides that, it is also an opportunity to gain credibility from the readers as the information content-writers provided is relevant and engaging.
3. Desired Outcomes from the Writing
Although both their work is interconnected, copywriters and content-writers have different desired outcomes and results.
For example, content-writers would want their copy to help readers get familiar with the products or brand, and to find out more about it. Not only that, but content-writers also hope that their readers can turn from visitors to buyers.
On the other hand, copywriters aim to attract new visitors through their effort. Copywriters hope that what their content is enough to spark the curiosity of the readers and cause them to act upon their decision.
The desired result would be readers being interested in the content of the copywriters and respond to it by buying the products and services.
Although the desired results of these two are somewhat similar, the bottom line is that copywriters would want to present a solution to a challenge, and encourage readers to buy the products or engage with specific brands.
In contrast, content-writers wish for their audience to feel connected, understand and educated on the brands and other topics.
4. SEO Focus on the Writing
We’ve covered what SEO strategies are and why is it so crucial in content-creation (check out our previous articles on SEO strategies here!). However, content-writers utilize SEO strategies more to drive inbound traffic. Because content-writers strive to have their content reach out to as many people as possible, hence SEO is useful in making their content visible on search engines and reach wider audiences in the digital marketplace.
Although copywriters may also utilize SEO strategies, it is even more crucial for content writers to use SEO (especially in blogs) as they would like to showcase their elaborate content to the public for educational and instructional purposes. In order to do so amidst the saturated information provided on the web, SEO strategies can help play an essential role.
5. Long-Term and Short-Term Strategy in the Writing
Copywriters are focused primarily on immediate and short-term goals with significant returns, such as in generating sales.
With the rapid changes in trends, needs and products or services, copywriters must always be up-to-date and providing compelling contents to persuade and market their brand or products.
Hence, their content can be seen as a short-term strategy to fulfil the needs of the readers and current trends.
Content-writers, however, is focused on long-term strategies in their writings. Blogs and articles can have a longer shelf-life because readers can access this information and content whenever they need.
Not only that, but content-writers can establish a position of authority on specific topics and gain credibility for the company as the leader of the subject; providing informative, relevant, and engaging writings timelessly.
6. How The Writings Drive Traffic
Last but certainly not the least, copywriters drive organic traffic, whereas content-writers convert the traffic into leads or sales. As discussed before, copywriters strive to generate sales and persuade readers to a call of action. They are the forefront of getting readers to notice them and making their sales. Hence, copywriters drive traffic.
Then, it is up to the content-writers to sustain the attention of the readers by keeping them long enough to read their content.
When readers can relate themselves with the content and are interested with the product or brand; then content-writers are said to be in the process of converting this traffic from visitors to customers or from prospects to leads.
There you have it! Did this article manage to clear some of your doubts and questions?
We sure hope it did. It is so important to know what is the difference between a copywriter and a content writer. That way, business owners can know who to look for in fulfilling their business needs.
With that said, let us offer you a one-stop solution, where you can not only find copywriting or content writing assistance; but plenty more services to help you grow your business!
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