Content Writing vs. Copywriting: What’s the Difference?

Written content has become an essential part of building brand equity and awareness in the age of the internet. When companies decide to include content as part of their marketing strategy, they usually approach a content writer or copywriter to assist them. 

While they are regularly used interchangeably, the two terms are quite different in a lot of ways. The line between content writing and copywriting has become blurred as a result. Understanding the difference between the two will help you determine which one will benefit your business the most. In this article, we’ll break down both terms and discuss how they impact organizations in various ways.

What is Content Writing?

Content writing involves creating written materials such as blogs and articles to inform readers. Using SEO strategies, content writers can also generate a significant amount of web traffic to a brand’s website. They are responsible for conducting research on industry-related topics, finding relevant keywords, and generating interesting headlines to attract readers. Content writing may drive sales, but is not necessarily designed to. Its main objective is to educate and inform readers through high-quality written content.  

What is Copywriting?

Unlike content writing, copywriting is meant to persuade. It’s all about using words to convince readers to take a specific action – whether that be signing up for a course, buying a service, or simply contacting a brand for more information. Copywriting has traditionally been limited to advertising, which is why it is also referred to as sales writing. However, the internet has changed the scope of the profession to include writing ads, web page content, email campaigns, social media posts, and more. 

What’s the difference between content writing and copywriting?

You’re probably starting to see how copywriting and content writing helps brands. But wait, there’s more! The following list breaks down the 4 main differences between the two terms. 

• Purpose. One of the primary differences between copywriting and content writing is the purpose. Generally, content writing is used to educate or entertain. It’s used to build trust and a strong relationship between your brand and its target audience. Conversely, copywriting is ultimately meant to stimulate action through persuasive language. This action could be anything from buying a product to joining a community or simply signing up for a newsletter.  

• Length. Copywriters are heralded for their ability to make text brief, informative, and engaging. The fewer words that are used, the better. The goal of copywriting is to create headlines and short-form content that grabs the reader’s attention instantly. As content writers are focused on educating and informing, their written pieces are much longer using well-researched data and statistics. 

• SEO. SEO is highly useful to both content writers and copywriters. The practice can bring visibility to brands on platforms such as Google and Bing in order to reach the maximum number of people with their pieces. While SEO is important for content creation as a whole, content writers will find more value in utilizing these strategies to drive inbound traffic.

• Emotion. Content writing generally doesn’t invoke emotion in readers. It is used strictly to educate readers and provide them with information. On the contrary, expert copywriters are proficient in consumer psychology for the purpose of evoking emotion in readers – whether it be pride, comfort, love, or even FOMO (fear of missing out). Research conducted by Harvard University professor Gerald Zaltman found that over 90% of consumer purchases are driven by emotion.

Which One is Right For My Brand?

After reading this guide, you should have a clearer understanding of the two terms and how each of them can drive your marketing strategy in different ways. Simply put, content writing informs the reader and builds rapport while copywriting is used to ultimately close the sale (or the conversion). Both are essential to your brand and can provide a significant return on investment when utilized in a timely and relevant fashion. Don’t forget about these critical marketing components on your journey to building a successful online presence!