Copywriting vs. Content Writing: Why it’s important to know the difference
Copywriting and Content Writing. You’ve heard both terms. But are they really that different—and if so, how?
I’m going to answer this question by providing an example of copy and content writing that you see, almost daily.
Let’s say that you’ve decided you want to buy running shoes. You type into your trusted web browser “best running shoes.” And right there, on the first page of google, pops up a pair of Brooks running shoes (this is not a plug—but they are the best—in my humble opinion).
You click the shoes, go to the website, and add them to your cart. But then get distracted by your adorable puppy, Jack, begging for a walk. So you get up from your computer and walk away.
Two days later, you receive an email from Brooks reminding you that you have a pair of shoes in your cart. You continue to ignore the prompt because, well, you simply aren’t ready to commit to a purchase.
Two more days pass and you get another email from Brooks. This time the email asks you if you need more information on the shoes before purchasing them and proceeds to send you an article that educates you on why these shoes are some of the best running shoes out there.
You have the email that was sent to you reminding you to purchase your shoes, but you also have the email sent to you that linked to an informational article about those exact shoes.
Which email is copywriting and which one is content writing?
If you said that both emails were copywriting, then you were correct. The purpose of both emails was to persuade you to do something. But what about that article? What kind of writing was that? If you said content writing, then you are also correct. The purpose of the article was to educate and inform.
Are Copywriting and Content Writing Really That Different?
But here’s where people seem to disagree. While the purpose of copywriting is to persuade and the purpose of content writing is to educate, can’t you argue that the purpose of content writing is also to persuade?
Although some would say that copywriting and content writing are two, separate types of writing, I would argue that they’re much more similar than we give them credit for.
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting is used to persuade the viewer to act now. It pin points the viewer’s exact need, gives reasons why this need will be met, and provides a direct call to action. The main goal of copywriting is to convince the viewer that he/she needs the service or product and to quickly act on that conviction. In short, the desire is to convert traffic into leads.
Types of Copywriting
Copywriting is at the core of every business. In order to successfully sell a product or service, businesses must work with great copywriters. Most copywriting is short-form copy. Some areas where you will find copywriting are:
Websites
Email campaigns
Sales letters
Social media ads
Product descriptions
Brand names
And more!
Remember, copywriting is any piece of writing where the sole purpose is to immediately grab the viewer’s attention and cause them to want more. Think back to that email example. The purpose of the email was to help the viewer remember that they need those running shoes…and they need them right now!
What is Content Writing
Content writing is also used to persuade the viewer…but the intent is more long-term focused. Content writing delivers valuable (long-form) content that is education, informational, and inspirational.
Often, viewers need to be persuaded that a company or individual is reputable and has some credibility within their industry. Or maybe they aren’t ready to buy, but are interested in learning more about the products. There’s a number of reasons why someone may not be ready to click “buy”.
That’s where content writing comes in. It provides the viewer with educational information while nurturing them down the buyer’s journey. It lays the groundwork for a future sell (copywriting).
Types of Content Writing
Although content writing may not seem like it’s as essential to a company’s success as copywriting, that’s actually not the case. Often content writing is what bring someone to your website (see more about this in the below section about SEO).
You will find content writing in:
Blogs or articles
E-books
Brochures
E-mail newsletters
Any long-form content that gives credible information
All of this content can be seen as resources that will benefit an interested viewer, slowly moving them along in the buyer’s journey.
Copy and Content Writing for SEO
Content writers have the perfect opportunity to format their writing for SEO purposes. Content writers create highly valuable content with the hope that search engines will rank the content as important to readers. If the content is well written and provides value to the reader, it’s more likely to rank high in search engines. This means that you you are more likely to be noticed by someone searching for topics similar to what you provide.
Content writing is best at driving organic traffic. Copywriting is best at taking that traffic and converting them to happy customers.
Copywriting vs. Content Writing
While copywriting and content writing serve different purposes, both of them are important for the success of a business. If done well, both content writing and copywriting persuade the viewer that the service or product will benefit them, causing them to “click” for more.
So are they really that different? Yes, they are different in the type of content that is created. But no, they are not different when it comes to their sole purpose and intent…to provide content that is interesting enough to persuade the viewer to stick around. To want to learn more. Or to go straight to the bait and click “buy now.”
