Copywriting Vs. Content Writing. What's the difference?
When it comes to digital marketing, the terms copy and content are often used interchangeably.
It's all just words, right? Writing is writing.
Wrong.
For the number buffs among you, imagine someone using multiplication and division interchangeably... well, it's all numbers, right? But the result is very different.
I'm talking about the outcome. Or, taking back to the blank page - the intent.
So, what's the difference? Let me put it simply.
There are three main factors to consider when writing copy versus writing content.
Your Goal
Your Placement
Your Measurement of Success
Let’s explore these further.
Writing Copy
When writing copy, you are thinking about short-term action goals - it is advertising-led.
We're talking direct, to the point, snappy, conversion-driven phrases.
Your goal is to drive your target audience to perform a certain behaviour, the copy is your bait - that's why we talk about sales 'hooks'.
Think of your website CTAs (Call-to-Actions). They aren't conversational - they often fit into a button - but they are, they must be, persuasive, punchy and powerful.
It is still essential for a CTA to remain on brand - psychology is very much at play, so be sure to use your EQ - emotional intelligence - and remember you are appealing to a specific target market. An audience who (having carried our forensic research and customer segmentation) you know inside out.
So, again, think about a simple CTA - you can use whatever words you want and it will lead to the same landing page. Some great call-to-action examples are "Learn More", "Shop Now" or, even "Let's Do This" - but which should you use? Follow your brand guidelines and appeal to the psyche of your consumer.
This is copywriting.
Taking the above into account, the question of where you are writing your copy rather than your content then becomes obvious.
Your company tagline is copy, as is your brand advertising. Both are equally important when creating a digital content strategy. Your tagline has to be snappy, persuasive, relatable and, crucially, bang on brand.
The same applies to headlines. When it comes to email campaigns, the subject you write is the copy - you persuading someone to click through and read on - to take an action.
You are pushing the idea - it's a sales play, a promise that there is a benefit to engaging with what's on the other side of that click. And what's on the other side is content (but more of that in a moment).
So you have your taglines, your CTA's, your emails, your headings, your special offers - these can be considered your 'wheres and whys' of copywriting. Your measurements of success, therefore, are actions - click-through rates, number of sales, number of subscriptions or simply whatever a 'conversion' means to you.
Writing Content
If copy is advertising-led, content is journalism-led. Content must be entertaining, engaging, informative.
Think of it as the chat you have with your bestie when you are having a catch up. Did you know? Guess what I heard? I read this great book! By the time a prospect or fan is consuming your content, via your killer copy, a relationship has been established. You have their attention - now you need to hold on to it and, at the same time, earn their trust. This will, in turn, transform them into brand-loyal consumers.
Content is about voice. It's how you build consumer relationships, grow your brand audience, listen to them and contribute to the topics that concern or interest them.
All too often, brands make the mistake of creating content that is almost purely self-promotional. Contrary to what you may believe, this does not result in immediate conversions or audience growth. Indeed, it can do the opposite.
Therefore, I recommend following the golden 80/20 rule. Only 20% of your content writing should have a notable sales angle - and by sales I mean anything that preaches the benefits of your own product or service. This could be anything from client testimonials to adding internal and external links into your content (which are great assets to incorporate into an SEO content strategy, by the way).
However, be aware that there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. I often use the analogy of your brand as the person at a party. Yes, you put your best foot forward, make sure you are approachable, talk to everyone but, for heaven's sake, don't be that person who talks about nothing but themselves. No-one likes arrogance. Being a good listener and providing useful, interesting commentary is vital to making your brand likable and, through your content writing, you have a never-ending opportunity to show the best elements of your personality. Don't waste it.
So, placement. Where does content live?
Well, here we're talking about blogs, articles, guest posts, organic social media, scripts, podcasts, even speeches for those who partake in such engagements.
When it comes to measurements of success here, you are looking at metrics such as audience growth, likes, shares, interactions and engagement, trust, and word of mouth (which in the digital age, often means recommendations and/or referrals).
Copywriting and Content Writing Crossover
While you have two very different pieces of writing in terms of its goals and success metrics, it is paramount – and I can’t stress this enough – that every brand marketing strategy needs both content writing and copy writing.
They are two parts of the same puzzle and there are a lot of factors that apply to both.
Before signing off, let's quickly cover the ways that copy and content must align.
Based on all my copy and content, it won't surprise you to hear that, for me, the key crossover (in pretty much everything) is storytelling. Every word you attach to your brand has to be part of the same story. These are the things that tie your copy and content together. Both must be clear, logical, backed-up, foster trust, communicate your branding, facilitate good SEO benefits (more on that later) and serve the needs and expectations of your target audience.
Now, by way of practising what I preach, I'm going to round off this piece of content with a final line of copy - my CTA.