Copywriting vs Content Writing - Which One Your Business Needs
Okay, so you’re looking to hire a writer and hear the words ‘copywriting’ and ‘content writing’ being tossed around. Most think these are the same thing. The jargon can be quite overwhelming, but there’s a clear distinction between the two services. Here, we’ll go through the details of copywriting vs. content writing, and which service your business will benefit from most.
It’s key to know which service you are signing up for, because using this lingo interchangeably could result in missed business goals for your brand. So, what is the fundamental difference between copywriting and content writing?
Copywriting, a fast-paced option
The main goal of copywriting is to convert and sell hard. You’ll need punchy and persuasive copy, used strategically to compel readers to take immediate action. Copywriting is best used in instances, such as, getting your audience to buy a product, signing up for a webinar or downloading an app. Copywriting needs to be emotive and persuasive, but still elegant and trustworthy.
Here’s what copywriting works well for:
Sales pages and landing pages
Google, Facebook, and Instagram ads
Email marketing sales sequences
Product descriptions
Website homepages and tagline creation
Content writing, the long-term fix
Think of copywriting as your sales team, and content writing as your brand ambassador and teacher. The main idea with content writing is to build engagement and trust amongst your readers, as well as build trust.
Content writing should focus on providing valuable and high-performing information that answers the questions your audience asks. The aim of content writing is to solve a problem, and as time goes on, you’ll begin to build authority.
So, content writing is a mixture of targeting the right keywords for SEO and GEO purposes, creating content that your audience can learn from, and playing the waiting game. The Google gods need time to pick up on your content organically, so patience is key here. You want to grow as organically as possible on search engines.
Content writing is best used in the following ways:
Blog posts and educational articles
Whitepapers and e-books
Weekly email newsletters
Case studies
In-depth industry guides
Copywriting vs Content Writing
Here’s a quick comparison between copywriting vs. content writing for those of us who like to see things from more of a birds-eye-view:
Copywriting
Primary Goal
Direct conversion (sales, sign-ups, clicks)
Timeframe
Short-term (seeks an immediate action)
Length
Typically short, punchy, and direct
Tone
Persuasive, urgent, and highly active
Key Metric
Click-through rates, conversion rates, sales
Content Writing
Primary Goal
Brand awareness, education, and SEO
Timeframe
Long-term (builds relationships over time)
Length
Typically longer, in-depth, and detailed
Tone
Informative, conversational, and helpful
Key Metric
Organic traffic, time-on-page, social shares
So, which option does your business need right now?
Maybe you haven’t quite decided which option best suits the direction of your business yet, or maybe you want to try both options. Either way, there’s a time and a place when it comes to copywriting vs. content writing.
Let’s make this simple for you, though!
Hire a copywriter if:
You have a lot of website traffic but there are minimal conversions coming through
If you’re launching a new product
If you want to run paid ads that convert clicks to moola
Hire a content writer if:
You want to rank higher on Google
You want to be able to establish your business as an authority within your industry
You need to nurture your existing email subscribers with high-value insights
Let me let you in on a little not-so-secret secret, though; the most successful brands will invest in both services because content writing brings that audience to your virtual doorstep, while copywriting actually closes the deal. Now that you know the distinction between the two, you’ll be able to maximise your marketing budget and make sure that it goes a lot further.
Are you looking for a copywriter or a content writer to help scale your business to the next level or build your brand? Get in touch with Between the Lines Creative for more information, so we can start bringing in those conversions with the mere power of words.
