Writing styles in digital marketing are a bit like a large family. Yes, they are related and share some aspects of their character, but each has its own unique personality.
Content writing and copywriting are a good example of this. While they have many things in common and sometimes overlap, the two specialties serve different functions. In short, content writing is for sharing, and copywriting is for selling.
But before we examine the differences, let's see what we mean by content writing and copywriting.
Table of contents
What is content writing?
Types of content writing:
Advantages of content writing
What is copywriting?
Types of copywriting
Advantages of copywriting
Content writing and copywriting: Which do you need?
What is content writing?
Content writing is like the loving father we see in architecture email lists the movies. He sits with his arm around his son or daughter, comforting them and giving them sage advice. They go to him when they are under pressure, and he tells them which direction to take to motivate and inspire them along the way.
Content writing should also provide direction. If you're marketing a complicated or expensive product, now is the time to build relationships and strengthen them.
But once you've established yourself as someone they can trust, readers will want to follow your recommendations. They'll come to you for advice.
And there's more. Like a parent's advice, content writing aims to educate, but it also has a purpose. It tries to impart ideas and inform the reader's perspective.
The more your consumers can learn from you, the more likely they are to buy your products or services. In that sense, content and copy overlap, as in the end they both want the same thing. But in content , like a father's advice, it allows you to think that the idea was yours all along.
Types of content writing:
Ebooks
Blog Posts
Newsletters
Articles
Podcasts
Social networks
Advantages of content writing
Drive cold traffic to your website
Easy-to-share content that expands your audience on social media
Higher Domain Authority and Better SEO
New opportunities for consumer engagement and feedback
What is copywriting?
Copywriting has a couple of different personalities. One is a pushy mother and the other is a nosy aunt.
First, sales copy is the pushy mother. It focuses on the value of the offer and how it will improve your life.
In your personal life, that might manifest itself in why you should get married or have kids, or go to your parents' house for dinner more often. In the marketing world, copy shows you the specific benefits of a product, social proof , or a diagram with comparisons.
A conversion copy, on the other hand, is like the nosy aunt. She pushes you to make the decisions necessary to reap the benefits. She wants you to sign up, subscribe, and buy. And she's not necessarily the one who gives you the idea, but once she's there, she won't take no for an answer.
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Types of copywriting
Google Ads/Social
Product pages
Email campaigns
CTA
Product Descriptions
Jingles
Branding
Slogans
Web pages
Advantages of copywriting
Motivate and inspire your audience to take action, such as purchasing or subscribing to a newsletter.
It helps you reach the right customer, the one who is really interested in what you sell.
Make clear the message you want to convey.
Highlight the benefits of what is being offered in a clear and concise manner.
Content writing and copywriting: Which do you need?
The answer is that you may need one or the other, or both. It depends on the needs of your business. Someone who can write both content and copy would be ideal if, for example, you're looking to scale campaigns or increase your client base.
If you're trying to build a brand, drive traffic, or grow organically, then you need good SEO content. In contrast, copywriting is about closing deals and getting users to the finish line.
A content marketing strategy can develop more loyal and higher-spending customers, for example. Copywriters, on the other hand, work with more short-term goals.
If you're looking for someone who can do both, ask candidates for examples of both and to explain how they would accomplish the needs of each project.