When a company or business needs a writer to create marketing content, they typically look for either a content writer or a copywriter. However, people often confuse these two, and many think they are the same. Is there any difference at all between these two professions?
Of course, there is. Well, it’s not exactly the difference between pears and lemons, more like lemons and lime, but close enough. This subtle difference is significant, especially for young writers looking for new jobs and wanting to specialize in particular domains to pursue a writing career.
These two professions represent different challenges and skills that one must have to call themselves a content writer or a copywriter.
This post will help you understand the contrast between these two types of skills and closely explain their role in building a successful brand.
Here are some subtle but significant differences between content writers and copywriters.
Goals
Before writers create a fresh piece of content, they need to consider its purpose. That’s the first and probably the most notable difference between these two types of writing. Content writing and copywriting have different goals.
Copywriting promotes a persuasive voice and draws people to buy something, while content writing includes entertaining, educative, and subtler content. For example, most businesses online use text ads to compel their visitors to buy or try their products.
That’s why organic websites typically opt for content writing. Their goal is to have non-promotional content that will educate, inform, and entertain readers in noncommercial methods.
To catch people’s attention, content writers today must track the readers’ interests and provide them with entertaining content that they will want to read.
Copy forms
Initially, copywriting had a pretty limited level of content coverage. However, the internet changed the course for this writing type.
On the other hand, content writing is a more profound branch where people have an opportunity to gain expertise in different types of content. So, here is the list of copy forms that copywriters and content writers cover.
Copywriters can write:
- Commercials;
- Offline and online ads;
- SMS ads;
- Sales emails;
- PPC landing pages;
- Product pages;
- Radio or commercial television scripts;
- Sales letters;
- Newspapers and video scripts;
- Jingle lyrics;
- Social media scripts.
Content writers create texts for:
- Blog posts;
- Newsletters;
- Books;
- Social media posts;
- Whitepapers;
- Case studies;
- News articles;
- E-books;
- Film;
- Television;
- Newspaper magazines.
Writing skills
Copywriters and content writers don’t have the same writing skills. Yes, it’s a thin line, but there is still a difference in the skills these two types of writers must have and the challenges they face.
Copywriters are experts in writing content for different industries.
Copywriters serve a wide range of clients across industries, and they need to investigate and learn about them thoroughly. They must be willing to cover different sectors and have knowledge of various relevant topics.
Although their scope of work does not differ much from that of a content writer, a copywriter must specialize in creating content for specific fields, such as technology, or healthcare.
Content writers sell brands discreetly.
Unlike copywriters, content writers don’t use a promotional or seller voice in their content.
Instead, they are experts in creating perfectly balanced content that’s educational and interesting but still contains keywords and includes other essential SEO optimizations that will boost website ranking.
Copywriters must adapt to teamwork.
Copywriters typically work for industries with large marketing teams. If you want to specialize in copywriting but don’t know how to work in a team and communicate project specifics with project managers, your chances of success in copywriting are close to zero.
Content writing requires research skills.
To be a good content writer, you need to have advanced research skills. Content writing is all about facts and claims, and you need to master your research skills to back up all the points in your content.
In other words, to create valuable content, you must do profound research on the topic you’re trying to represent to readers.
Content length
Because content writing primarily focuses on informing and educating the readers, the length of content that copywriters and content writers use is entirely incomparable.
Copywriters typically need space only to compel and convince people to visit the website or buy a specific product, and they usually pack it all in a few sentences.
On the other hand, content writing requires in-depth motivation followed by informative and educational content. Depending on the topic, content writers typically need to write about 500 to 3,000 words to offer valuable content to the readers.
They typically use a non-promotional voice and need space to introduce the reader to the topic, provide helpful information, discreetly incorporate call-to-action phrases, and summarize why a brand or company deserves their trust.
Bottom line
Even though there are a few differences between these two types of skills, both are vital parts of digital marketing. However, if you want to try content writing or copywriting, you need to know your job description and understand your obligations and goals.