Content Writing vs Copywriting: Key Differences and Applications

Intro

Content writing and copywriting are key players, but they serve different purposes.

Content writing is all about engaging and informing your audience to build a lasting relationship AND get sign-ups from bottom-funnel content.

On the flip side, copywriting is the strategic art of persuasion mainly to get immediate results like sales or sign-ups.

Our goal here is simple: to clearly define and differentiate these two essential writing styles. Let’s get to the heart of what makes copywriting vs content writing distinct and crucial in digital marketing.

TL;DR

Content writing - definition

Content writing is the craft of producing informative, engaging material aimed at providing value to readers. Its core purpose lies in education, engagement, and relationship-building rather than direct selling.

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Key characteristics include:

• Informative and engaging: It's rich in information, offering insights, tips, or knowledge.
• Reader-focused: Tailored to address the reader’s interests, challenges, or questions.
• SEO-driven: Often optimized with keywords for better search engine rankings and organic traffic.
• Consistent and brand-aligned: Reflects a brand's voice and ethos consistently.

Common types of content writing encompass:

• Blogs: Informal, conversational pieces often addressing specific topics or industry trends.
• Articles: More formal and in-depth than blogs, usually exploring a topic comprehensively.
• Whitepapers: Detailed reports on specific subjects, offering authoritative insights or solutions.
• Ebooks: Extended pieces on particular subjects, often used as lead magnets or educational tools.
• Case studies: Real-world examples used to illustrate a problem and its solution, showcasing the effectiveness of a product or strategy and backed by real data through solutions like media monitoring.

Content writing is essentially about building trust and authority by offering value to the audience. It fosters a positive brand association and long-term engagement. Content writing, however, can (and should) convert.

Copywriting - definition

Copywriting is the process of crafting compelling messages with the primary goal of driving action, such as sales, sign-ups, or other desired outcomes. It's an essential tool in the arsenal of marketing, where specialists harness the power of words to convert.

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Key characteristics of copywriting include:

• Action-oriented: Directly encourages the reader to take a specific action.
• Persuasive: Uses psychological and emotional triggers to influence decisions.
• Concise and impactful: Delivers a message in a straightforward, impactful manner.
• Sales-focused: Primarily aimed at boosting conversions and sales.
• Informative: A reader should be able to discern what the product is all about at a glance.

Common types of copywriting are:

• Ad copy: The text in advertisements, designed to grab attention and provoke action.
• Email campaigns: Tailored emails that persuade readers to engage with a product, service, or event.
• Landing pages: Web pages with focused content that drives visitors towards a specific action or conversion.
• Social media posts: Quick, engaging content tailored for social platforms, aiming to boost interaction and drive traffic or sales.
• Video scripts: Compelling narratives for videos, designed to captivate viewers and often encourage a specific viewer action.

In essence, copywriting is the strategic approach to writing that turns readers into customers through persuasive and targeted messaging.

The skills behind each

The skills required for content writing and copywriting, while overlapping in some areas, are distinct in their focus and application:

Content writing skills:

1. Research proficiency: Ability to conduct thorough research to ensure factual accuracy and depth in content.
2. SEO knowledge: Understanding of on-page SEO principles like keyword research to optimize content for search engines.
3. Audience understanding: Skills to identify and speak directly to the reader’s interests, needs, and pain points.
4. Adaptability in tone and style: Flexibility to write in various tones and styles that align with different brands and topics.
5. Storytelling: Crafting narratives that engage readers and give context to the information provided.
6. Multimedia integration: Ability to incorporate various media types (like images and videos) to enhance written content.
7. User experience understanding: Writing content that is not only informative but also easy and enjoyable to read.

Copywriting skills:

1. Persuasive writing: Mastery in creating content with language to influence and persuade readers to take action.
2. Marketing and sales understanding: Knowledge of marketing strategies and sales psychology to craft compelling messages.
3. Brevity and clarity: Ability to convey powerful messages concisely.
4. Call-to-action creation: Expertise in crafting effective calls-to-action that prompt immediate responses from readers.
5. Data-driven writing: Using data and analytics to inform copy decisions and improve effectiveness.
6. Emotional intelligence: Understanding and leveraging the emotional aspects that drive consumer behavior.
7. A/B testing: Skills in testing various copy versions to determine which is more effective in driving conversions.

Content writing and copywriting statistics

Analyzing the impact of both content writing and copywriting involves looking at their effectiveness through various statistics:

Content writing:

1. Market growth: The global content marketing industry is expected to grow from $113.1 billion in 2021 to $135 billion in 2026, highlighting the increasing importance of content in marketing strategies​​.
2. Budget increase: 70% of B2B marketers plan to increase their content marketing strategy budget, indicating the value placed on content writing​​.
3. Outsourcing trends: Large B2B companies outsource about 75% of their content writing, underscoring the demand for professional writing expertise​​.
4. Popularity of how-to content: Approximately 77% of blog articles are "how-to" posts, a format highly effective for lead generation and attracting high organic search traffic​​.
5. Blogging practices: Articles containing relevant images receive 94% more views on average compared to those without, emphasizing the importance of visual elements in content writing​​.

Copywriting:

1. Conversion rate increase: Personalized CTAs can significantly increase conversion rates by up to 202%, demonstrating the effectiveness of tailored messaging in copywriting​​.
2. CTA optimization: Unbounce saw a 90% increase in their click-through rate by simply changing their CTA from "Start your free 30-day trial" to "Start my free 30-day trial", showing the impact of personalization and phrasing​​.
3. Preference for conciseness: 73% of readers prefer short and concise content, indicating the need for brevity in copywriting​​.
4. Impact of word count on conversion: Pages with less than 200 words tend to have a higher average conversion rate, suggesting that shorter, to-the-point copy can be more effective​​.
5. Importance of Correct Spelling and Grammar: Nearly 60% of people would avoid doing business with a company that made spelling or grammar mistakes, highlighting the necessity of accuracy in copywriting​​.

These statistics illustrate the distinct impacts of content writing and copywriting. Content writing is key for engagement, information provision, and search engine optimization, whereas copywriting is crucial for conversions and actions like sign ups. Both styles significantly influence reader engagement and business outcomes, but in different ways.

Tone, purpose, and goals

Tone:

• Content writing: Typically educational, informative, and conversational. Content writets aim to establish a connection with the reader through a friendly and approachable tone.
• Copywriting: More direct and persuasive. Copywriters often adopt a tone that invokes urgency, excitement, or curiosity to prompt immediate action.

Purpose:

• Content writing: To inform, educate, and engage the audience. It's about building trust, credibility, and authority in a given subject area.
• Copywriting: To persuade and drive action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or clicking on a link.

Goals:

• Content writing: Longer-term objectives like brand building, customer loyalty, and audience growth.
• Copywriting: Immediate conversion goals like sales, leads, and direct responses.

Examples in Different Contexts:

• Content writing: A blog post explaining the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, an in-depth article about the latest technological advancements, or an informative whitepaper on market trends.
• Copywriting: An advertisement for a new product launch, the text on a landing page encouraging sign-ups for a webinar, or an email campaign promoting a limited-time sale.

Each style uses its unique approach to achieve specific objectives, playing a vital role in the broader marketing strategy.

Integrating Both in Marketing Strategy

Integrating content writing and copywriting in a marketing strategy creates a comprehensive approach that capitalizes on their individual strengths.

1. Complementary roles: Content writing builds brand authority and trust, engaging audiences with informative and valuable content. Copywriting then leverages this established trust to drive specific actions, like purchases or sign-ups.
2. Funnel integration: Content writing attracts and nurtures potential customers at the top of the sales funnel. Copywriting effectively converts them at the funnel's bottom.

Examples of Successful Integration:

• Blog post to product promotion: A detailed blog post about home fitness (SEO content writing) can include CTAs for purchasing fitness equipment (copywriting).
• Educational email series to sales pitch: An email series providing valuable tips on skincare (content writing) can conclude with a compelling offer for skincare products (copywriting).
• Social media integration: Informative posts on social media (content writing) can be complemented with targeted ads (copywriting) to boost conversions.

Tools like Linkhouse's Link Planner can be instrumental in aligning both content writing and copywriting efforts with your overall marketing strategy, ensuring consistency and effectiveness in your messaging.

What pays more — content writing or copywriting?

Content Writing:

• The average content writer's salary in the United States is $52,777 per year, with a range between $37,000 and $80,000, including bonuses and profit sharing​​.
• Another source reports an average hourly wage of $20.32 for content writers, which translates to different earnings depending on the number of hours worked​​.
• Salary.com lists the average annual salary for a Content Writer at $45,716, with variations based on experience and job level​​. SEO Content Writer is listed on Glassdoor at $56,261 on average.
• Additionally, Zippia indicates an average salary of $58,918 for content writers, with a range between $40,000 and $84,000​​.

Copywriting:

• According to Indeed, the average salary for a copywriter in the United States is $59,560 per year, but it can go as high as $97,500 for more experienced workers​​.
• PayScale reports an average copywriter's salary of $57,933 for copywriters, with the upper 90% earning around $81,000​​.
• Another report from Indeed shows a slightly higher average base salary of $62,061 per year for copywriters​​.
• Built In provides a more comprehensive picture, stating the average salary for a Copywriter in the U.S. is $73,288, with total compensation, including additional cash compensation, averaging at $80,236​​.

Analysis:

• While both fields offer competitive salaries, copywriting generally tends to have a higher earning potential compared to content writing. The higher range for copywriting salaries indicates that skilled copywriters, especially those with more experience, can command substantial earnings.
• The variation in salary ranges for both fields suggests that factors such as experience, specialization, industry, and geographic location play significant roles in determining earning potential.
• It's also important to consider that the nature of work, whether freelance, part-time, or full-time, can influence the total income in both fields.

Conclusion

Copywriting and content writing, two distinct tools in marketing, serve unique purposes. Content writing engages audiences, providing valuable information. Copywriting, on the other hand, is used to drive sales through persuasive language. Each requires specific skills and impacts marketing efforts differently. Effectively combining both copywriting and content writing can lead to a more dynamic and successful marketing approach, maximizing both target audience engagement and conversion rates. This dual approach ensures a comprehensive strategy, addressing both long-term relationship building and immediate sales goals.

FAQ

Is copywriting just writing?

Copywriting is more than just writing: it's a strategic craft of creating short form content designed to persuade and drive specific actions, typically in marketing and advertising.

Which is better copywriting or content writing?

Neither is inherently better; the choice depends on the goal. Content writers excel in creating long form content that educates and engages, while copywriters focus on persuasive, action-driven writing.

Can a copywriter be a content writer?

Absolutely. Many copywriters possess the versatility to create engaging long form content, making the transition to content writing when needed.