Content Writing – How Does It Differ from Copywriting?

Digital marketing depends much on content creation you effectively plan to put out for your website, As a matter of fact, customers won’t find your site when searching the web unless you come up with content. Content is the engine behind all flourishing digital marketing campaigns like social media marketing (SMM), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising campaigns, and search engine optimization (SEO). Every content piece indicates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for your e-commerce to link with potential customers. But that does not mean that all the creation methods offer the same results. 

This article is discussing content writing which is sometimes used interchangeably with copywriting. Although the two terms are usually found in the digital marketing space, they suit different purposes. If you typically use digital marketing to promote your business, you ought to know the aspects that differentiate content writing from copywriting.

What Is Content Writing?

Content writing has to do with text creation for informative or educative purposes. And the text may also enable people to purchase the product you are selling. However, that is not usually the key function of content writing. When it comes to content writing, the primary purpose is to inform and educate readers by ensuring the content is created with high value and quality. 

Key content writing examples include blog posts, white papers, e-books, tutorials, email newsletters, news articles, evergreen articles, case studies, and social media posts.

The Purpose of Content Writing

The essential purpose of content writing is to ensure that the reader gets valuable and quality information. Even though it can persuade potential customers to buy from a store, the main function is to educate and inform. In other words, you’re informing customers who may end up becoming your potential customers later, but you’re doing it without any direct anticipation.

Typical Content Writing Projects

Typical content writing projects for a content writer are blog posts, ebooks, case studies, and white papers. Or anything that involves content to build a relationship with your readers. Most writers for content writing usually grab a niche that they fully understand. For instance, some writers can write well content on self-help, fashion, luxuries, tech, and more. The deeper you become specialized, the better you become a good content writer. It is also important that you know that content writing involves intense research. You get to collate the most helpful info you can get from the web.

What Is Copywriting?

Copywriting has to do with persuading potential customers using written words. It is a tactical mode of writing that every sentence written plays a role. You take your customers along using your Copy while persuading them to click or take action. The action can also involve requesting them to sign up with their email for a service you’re offering. 

Unlike writing content to inform, copywriting is far much different. Plus, it’s very much different from academic writing. Most individuals usually don’t get it well. They often imagine that copywriting ought to be very formal. The inverse is true. You want to jot down content for copywriting as if you were talking with your friend. As such, the reader will feel as if you were conversing with them. 

Key Differences between Content Writing and Copywriting

Now we have discussed the two forms of writing, let’s compare the key differences between them. 

Informing vs. Selling

The main difference between content writing and copywriting is their purpose. Content writing aims to inform while copywriting aims at selling something. Content writing is heavy with information, statistics, and other valuable information whereas copywriting is targeting to make a sale with a few words. 

Sense of Urgency and Emotional Responses

Copywriters usually try to persuade people to take instant action. They’ll convince users to sign up for the newsletter, download, or even purchase a certain product. On the other hand, a content writer usually maintains users by keeping them engaged. As we earlier mentioned, they typically aim at establishing trust and place the brand as the key source of trustworthy information. 

Groundwork for Future Sales

Copywriting aims at making a quick sale whereas content writing lays the groundwork for future sales. Though content writers don’t try to sell services or products directly, they are still selling. And in most cases, sales are often a reflection of providing valuable content. 

Search Engine Optimization

Content writers are tasked to improve inbound traffic. Therefore, they concentrate more on SEO. They aid you in coming up with those topics after searching for some terms to meet your business goals. The content writing is keyword-rich and optimized otherwise for search engines. 

Short-Form Copy vs. Long-Form Copy

Copywriters usually come up with a copy of catalogs, web page content, jingle lyrics, billboards, postcards, social media, video scripts, and many more. On the other hand, content writers come up with long-form content such as e-books, books, blog posts, articles, white papers, podcasts, etc.

Long-Term Strategy

You can always be aware whenever a copywriter notes down a good ad. You can check on open rates and click-through rates as well. For content writers, it can be hard to monitor them in a shorter period. In addition, most contents from blogs have a longer shelf life. This cannot be compared to email and ads because blogs can pay you continuously over time.

Drive Organic Traffic

Content writers usually focus on organic traffic while copywriters turn this traffic into more sales. Most business owners would like to get the best out of the two. However, content attracts organic traffic for a higher conversion rate. So, contents drive traffics while sales copy deals with making better sales.

Conclusion

Most people usually confuse copywriting and content writing, but now, you know that copywriting convinces while content writing informs. If you need to create content that will convert, it is important to build a strong relationship with your audience by creating content that is engaging. Keep in mind that the content you make impacts how it will offer you results.