Copywriting vs Content Writing: Do You Know The 7 Important Differences?

Customers nowadays are pretty conscious of their needs. They want to understand all the aspects before they buy a product. Content creation is the process of writing down the entire details of a particular product or service. However, there are two aspects of reaching out to customers through words and content creation. One is content writing, while the other is copywriting. Though both are useful in digital marketing campaigns, their purpose is entirely different.

While content writing involves content creation to educate the readers, copywriting aims to persuade them to buy the product. Both need to be well-written, though the style is starkly different from each other. Here we will explain the difference between copywriting and content writing.

What is Copywriting All About?

Copywriting is more persuasive in nature. The focus remains on convincing people to take the next step in purchasing the discussed product. Copywriters are experts at getting readers to take action. This could involve downloading an e-book, purchasing an item, and signing up for an email subscription. A content writer or a copywriter both are in the same industry but with different purposes.

Copywriting is the art of convincing customers. You have to tell them the reason why the product is worth buying. If you want to attract more sales calls, you have to explain why the business is worth the time. A copywriter’s job entails writing advertisements, PR documents, and website SEO content for different media types.

Another facet of copywriting is that it is short and uses few words to make customers take immediate action. It is created only for a specific marketing campaign and therefore has a short life. Some examples of copywriting could be:

What is The Definition of Content Writing?

Content writing implies creating content that educates the readers. It should also drive sales, but that is not its primary objective. Basically, you are trying to reach out to the readers by creating valuable content. Content writing and copywriting both are balanced approaches toward the same goal.

The content writer informs and generates search traffic toward the website. They use Search engine optimization tactics to get their content to figure on top of search results. Brands usually use good content to establish authority, build brand value, and generate loyalty.

When you write content, it involves researching the idea, organizing information, creating an outline, and then writing everything in a specific format.

The length of a content piece could vary as per its type. So a blog post could be 1000-1500 words while an E-book could go up to 5000 words.

Look into few examples of content writing are:

Copywriting vs Content Writing: Let Me Discuss The Differences

Both Copywriting and content marketing use words to help a business. Yet they are incredibly different in their approach and intent. Here let us have a look at the key differences between the two, i.e., copywriting and content writing.

1. Goal 

The goal of copywriting is fairly simple and aimed at one target: selling the product. A copywriter would use simple phrases and texts to convince the buyer to move up the purchase process. Copywriting is, therefore, the material used in ads played in visual, print media, etc.

On the other hand, content writing involves educating the reader. A person interested in any product would look for all related information and take action. Apart from that, content writing also focuses on doing the following:

Copywriting usually focuses on the last part of the sales cycle. Content writing, however, covers the entire content marketing strategy funnel.

Information source: HubSpot and Psychology Today

2. Format of writing

Copywriting does not have a fixed format of writing. It varies as per the type of campaign that the brand plans to run. So some ads may have paragraphs of copy, while others may use only a few lines to convey their point. The intent of copywriting is trying to sell a product.

Content writing strategy involves a specific format for the type of content written. For instance, an average blog post could range from 1000-1500 words. The user manuals are longer content and could go up to 10,000 words on average.

In each type, the content writer has to stick to a specific format though simple alterations could be permitted.

3. Style of writing

The aim of both content marketing and copywriting is to convince the target audience. Yet do you know what’s the difference in the style they use to do so? The copy is more emotionally evocative and targets touching the customer’s emotions. The word choice, tone, and literary tools used inspire emotions like nostalgia and excitement. The end result is compelling them to complete the sales.

For instance, a copywriter may use a humorous tagline that creates a funny situation of the need gap the customer is facing. They realize that the product may fulfill the need and move ahead with at least trying it.

On the other hand, content writing is very direct. The words in the content talk directly to the customer and try to evoke an interest while educating him about the product. Since the writers must create informative on-page content, they must be direct in their tone.

4. Money making opportunities

Copywriting and content writing are both two very popular job profiles. However, when it comes to the financial aspect, copywriting offers a better prospect. This is primarily because copywriting is targeted to generate sales, and almost all industries spend sufficiently on their ad budgets. Apart from that, copywriting is a job that requires specialized writing skills.

Only someone who knows the right tactics to evoke a customer’s attention can write excellent copy. Since it is a high-profile position, the companies are willing to pay well to someone who is experienced in the field.

A content writer can work both for a company and freelance. If they work for a company, then the scope of earning remains good. However freelance content writing market is very cluttered.

The payment in a content writing career also depends on your niche. For instance, in industries like technology and finance, you are able to charge more. There is enough work for everyone if you know where to look for.

5. SEO knowledge required

A content writer has to drive inbound traffic toward the website. Therefore they must be really good at SEO techniques. They should know when and how to insert the keywords so the content features are on top of search results.

Content writing involves using titles that are in sync with the product. They would also have to add relevant images and insert image titles for the best results. That means the content writer should understand SEO and social media marketing reasonably. A diploma or certification in  SEO is, therefore, a plus point.

On the flip side, a copywriter only needs to convince the customers through his copy. Copywriting thus would involve writing valuable content that is short and crisp. There are no keywords and image specifications, and SEO knowledge is not a must.

6. Grammar

The grammar aspect remains more important in content writing. Since the readers go through the entire content, you have to create content that adheres to grammar rules. There is a specific style that some content writers need to follow, like AP Stylebook or Chicago Manual. It can be applied to both long-form content and short-form content.

Meanwhile, copywriters are allowed to tweak the grammar nuances. They aim to get the appropriate response from the customer and not educate him. Hence if he does not follow the rules, it is perfectly ok. In fact, most of the slogans, taglines, etc., are incomplete sentences that fulfill their purpose well.

7. Measurability of its success 

When you have to evaluate the success of copy, the sales metrics like conversion rate and customer acquisition cost are analyzed. This guides the marketing teams to find how effective their efforts have been.

Content writing’s success is analyzed through multiple parameters. These include clickthrough rates, bounce rates, and open rates. The figures show the level of engagement a customer has with your brand.

Copywriting aims to get short-term results, making it easy to measure its success. Content writing is long-term and would take time to generate the expected response. This is an essential difference between content writing and copywriting.

The Concluding Thoughts

Both marketing copy and high-quality content writing have a similar profile. Yet the differences between these two cannot be ignored either. Some key features of copywriting are:

Content writing, however, is educative in nature. If your content doesn’t impress it is not good enough. It tries to give the readers details about the brand, solve their problems, and entice them to move further above in the purchase process. Features of content writing are:

The tussle of copywriting vs. content writing has been going on for a long time. Yet both content and copy hold their fort, though in different ways. It is essential to understand the distinctions between copywriting and content writing. Companies need both to attract and convert customers and hence should be treated at par.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Can a copywriter become a content writer?

Yes, it is easy for a copywriter to be a content writer and vice versa. However, the tough part lies in understanding how to compile the content in both cases to make it impactful as per the requirement. Both a content writer and a copywriter are career path that is essential for a business’s success. They are usually hired with the same intent.

How are copywriting and content writing related?

Copywriting and content writing are both essential aspects of a product’s sales funnel. Both aim to get the required sales through copywriting in the short term while content writing works for the long term. To achieve sales numbers, a brand should know the difference and how to employ both best.

Copywriting or content writing: Where can you make more money?

Copywriting pays more as companies need a copywriter to assist in their advertising plans. Copywriters have to persuade readers to take action. Content writers can work full-time or be in freelance writing. Content writers generally receive less money compared to copywriters. Though a full-time content writer working for a niche like technology and finance can earn really well.