The terms “copywriting” and “content writing” are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same thing. A good copywriter will write compelling content for your business that will engage your audience, while a good content writer will write compelling copy for your marketing material that will engage your audience.
Here, we’ll explore the differences between these roles as well as provide some advice on how to approach the task of writing for your business or marketing team.
The Importance of Good Writing
To start, it’s important to understand the importance of good writing irrespective of whether you’re writing for a business or marketing team. Your marketing material—whether online or in print—will be read by someone. They may have the option of reading your content passively (e.., on a website) or actively (e.g., on a printed piece of marketing material).
What’s more, not everyone will have the privilege of being engaged by a writer’s crafty words. Some people will have to decipher marketing material from a digital billboard, for example, or a television ad. If you want your message to be taken seriously, you need to ensure that the messenger is as engaging as possible.
This is where pitching a good story beats out all the stats and meaningless content. A well-written piece will hold the attention of the reader, engage them, and make them interested in your message. When they come back for more, you can bet they’ll be primed to hear from you again. In other words, your writing will be instrumental in getting your point across.
The Differences Between Copywriting and Content Writing
Next, let’s examine the differences between the roles of copywriter and content writer. A copywriter is someone who crafts words, typically in an engaging piece for business purposes. Content writers, on the other hand, take raw information and write engaging articles that can be featured on a blog or website.
A good copywriter will have a deep knowledge of their target audience’s needs and wants, and will use that understanding to craft compelling stories that will engage their audience. A good copywriter will take the time to learn the ins and outs of their audience’s world, and will work hard to ensure that their content is delivered in a way that is most effective.
In contrast, wordsmiths who craft content for businesses will generally have a more general knowledge of their industry, and will use that understanding to create articles that are engaging and applicable to a wide audience. Usually, content for business use is more fact-based and uses data less frequently than content designed for marketing purposes.
With a general copywriter, your published material may contain errors and omissions regarding your chosen topic. So, you may need to do some additional research and verify the accuracy of your content.
The Creative Process
Articles that are the product of a creative process are rarely, if ever, deemed “boring” by readers. On the contrary, a creative process often leads to an engaging read that is the perfect antidote to an otherwise dull day. When crafting content for business use, you need to bear in mind that you’re not writing for your friends and family. Instead, you’re trying to engage a potentially international audience whose time is worth money.
A good copywriter will undergo a creative process similar to that of a novelist. First, they’ll need an idea. Then, they’ll need to set the scene, develop the characters, and weave the story arc. Once the draft is completed, they’ll need to work on polishing the piece and creating an attractive layout before submitting the piece for review.
In contrast, content written during the creative process will typically be an in-depth look at a particular industry, and may contain numerous quotes from experts in the field. Oftentimes, content is broken down into easy-to-understand chunks, and illustrations and photos are used to make complex information more accessible to the average person.
With a creative writer, you can bet your bottom dollar that your content will be of a very high quality. However, this type of content is very time-consuming and requires a very specific skill set. Because of this, you can expect to pay top dollar for the services of an experienced creative writer.
Delivery
Articles that are the product of an in-house editorial team are frequently delivered on time and with minimal errors. This is due, in part, to the fact that experienced editors have the foresight to identify and fix any content glitches before publication. In addition, in-house editorial teams generally work closely with designers and copyeditors to ensure that the published product is as polished as possible. As a result, in-house editorial teams are very rarely, if ever, at fault for late delivery, and this, in turn, makes them extremely valuable.
On the contrary, content that is acquired from a third party is frequently late and contains a host of errors. The fact that your content is published on a website that is, itself, the product of a third party (e.g., a blog network) will almost certainly cause you some degree of stress. If you’re going to publish content that is crucial to your branding campaign or business model, make sure that the vendor you choose is both reliable and capable of delivering on time.