Copywriting vs Content Writing in Content Marketing

Two writing disciplines are so frequently confused in the marketing and advertising world that the two get mixed up as one: copywriting and content writing. Although both things require you to use your words for a brand or a business, the truth is that their function, timbre, and design are entirely different, and if Content Marketing is your goal, you need to know the difference.

Whether introducing a new product, publishing a blog post or planning an email campaign, knowing when to use copywriting vs Content creation can make or break your message. Both are vital weapons in your marketing arsenal. However, they fulfil different roles on the customer journey. Content creation informs and entertains, copy making sells and converts. And when used together strategically, they signal your audience along a continuum from awareness to action.

Understanding the Core Purpose of Copywriting vs. Content Writing

Copywriting and content writing might not seem so different at first. Both are about putting pen to paper about a brand, a product, or a business. However, they have quite different uses, particularly in content marketing.

Most writing is persuasive anyway. The aim is to inspire action, whether clicking a link, purchasing a product, signing up for a service, or donating to a cause. The language is sales and conversion. You’ll see copywriting in ads, landing pages, sales emails and product descriptions. Each word is meticulously chosen to usher a user toward a decision, hopefully, right now.

Whereas Content creation is more about informing, educating or entertaining a reader. It plays a longer game. This would be blog postings, articles, how-to guides, white papers, and eBooks. Content writing is not a hard sell, but it provides a trusting experience over time. It provides value, answers questions, and establishes a brand as an authority.

Both styles work hand in hand in content marketing. You may leverage Content creation to draw traffic via SEO-optimised blogs, educate the audience about your product and grow your brand. From there, tactical copywriting — such as a call-to-action (CTA) or email campaign — leads those warmed-up leads closer to a sale.

Once you understand that difference, you can give the right writing to the right purpose. Where copywriting provides instant gratification, content writing fosters enduring relationships. Intelligent Content Marketing knows when to employ both and merge them for effective content marketing that captures readers and propels business.

Writing Style and Tone: How Copywriting and Content Writing Differ

Another key difference between copywriting and content writing is style and tone, which is how writers talk to and connect with readers. This distinction is essential in the context of Content Marketing.

Copywriting is short, snappy and emotional. It’s written in active, persuasive language that’s supposed to grab you by your wants or weaknesses. A good copywriter gets people’s minds and uses urgency, scarcity and vivid benefits to incite a person to action. Words are chosen for impact. Sentences are short and snappy. Every headline, subheadline and bullet is a way to direct the reader to take action to convert.

For instance: “Transform your skin in 7 days. Try it risk-free!”

In content creation, you are almost like discussing an informative general body of content writing. It is about depth, clarity, and value. It sidesteps the hard sell, though it is nonetheless engaging. There are storytelling write-ups, step-by-step guides, and/or expert opinions. It’s not pushing the reader to buy, but convincing them to learn, trust, and come back.

Example: “In this article, we will discuss seven dermatologist-recommended steps to achieve better skin health naturally.”

Tone is essential in Content Marketing. If a reader arrives at your blog looking for advice, only to find pump-it-up, over-the-top sales copy, they’ll bounce. Conversely, if a selling landing page seems too soft or vague, conversions will plummet.

That’s why content marketers (the people like you and I who do the Content creation and work to attract those potential customers) frequently use content writing to educate a potential audience over time (in the form of blog posts, educational articles, etc…) — and then switch to copywriting when it’s time to capitalise on that interest and turn it into action.

By nailing both registers, companies can lead users through the entire marketing funnel from awareness to purchase without sacrificing consumer trust. A successful Content Marketing strategy can communicate differently at each stage—and that also means knowing when to educate, and when to sell.

Structure, Format, and Where They Show Up in Content Marketing

More than intent and voice, copywriting and content writing differ in form and where they fit inside your Content Marketing system. Understanding how to structure each one will take your message into scoring range at every point of contact.

Copywriting is often short and to the point. It does best when attention is scarce in cramped quarters — consider headlines, social media ads, email subject lines, or call-to-action buttons. The best copywriting employs formatting, such as bullet points, bolded phrases, and clear CTAs, to demand attention and make it nearly impossible not to take action. Structure is about persuasion: hook fast, provide a benefit and request action.

Content writing, conversely, is long-form and designed for both readability and SEO. It fits blog posts, education articles, pillar pages and white papers. Quality writers zero in on architectural flow — launching with riveting introductions, listing subheads logically, and creating meaty body portions. It’s the framework of learning or problem solving, usually relying on graphics, data or step-by-step explanations to facilitate comprehension.

In a complete Content Marketing timeline, those two styles exist at two separate ends:

• At the top of the funnel, Content creation attracts people with blog posts and guides.
• In the middle of the funnel, prospective customers get educated with case studies, FAQs (also content writing).
• At the bottom of the funnel, copywriting reigns supreme— on landing pages, emails, and sales offers.

Within the same page, they can both combine. In a typical blog post, it could sell by ending on a CTA, a copywriting technique to persuade readers if they’re interested.

Ultimately, content marketing uses both structures to move users smoothly along the buyer journey. Knowing when to tell a story vs a sales pitch or diving in for depth vs brevity means that every aspect of content plays its part.

Skillsets and Strategy: Who Does What and When

There are different skills for writing content vs copywriting — understanding when to employ each is essential to constructing a successful content marketing approach.

Copywriters are experts in the art of persuasion. They know sales psychology, triggers and user behaviour. A fantastic copywriter can crank out killer headlines, irresistible CTAs, and conversion-minded emails. Their work is driven by performance, often A/B tested and optimised for clicks, leads, sales, etc. They have to be pithy, artistic and laser-focused on the results.

Copywriters, meanwhile, are all three, and more. Content writers, on the other hand, are storytellers, educators, and researchers. They’re also there to educate, entertain or guide a reader. They produce long-form blog posts, browse-optimised web pages, thought-leadership pieces, etc. They are masters of audience research, keyword integration and long-form readability. Their contributions accrue and gain trustworthiness and authority.

In content Marketing, both the writer’s eye and pen usually meet. For example, a content writer could write a super valuable blog post that attracts organic traffic, and then a copywriter writes the lead magnet CTA at the end. Or, the one charged with writing the content writes a fat white paper, and the one responsible for the copy writes high-converting email and ad copy to drive traffic to it.

Which one you want depends on your goal and whether you’re launching a product. You need a copywriter. Building out a knowledge base or SEO hub? A content writer’s your guy. To succeed in marketing, many brands find it necessary to have both on their team, or to hire creative writers who are well-versed in both forms of writing.

On the strategy level, content marketing managers determine how to blend both styles. They identify user paths, which content types correlate with the cycle, and measure performance. The magic is that content writing warms up the audience, and copywriting converts them.

Conclusion

Copywriting vs content writing: no, these aren’t archenemies and they don’t even exist in the same universe! Whereas copywriting compels your reader to act, content writing aims to earn their trust and pique their interest enough to take that action. One is persuasive; the other is informative. Knowing the distinction allows you to assign the appropriate writer to the relevant project, build more powerful campaigns, and ensure your content resonates throughout the buyer’s journey.

Leverage content writing to attract, educate, and tap into copywriting when moving a prospect towards a decision or sale. In an age where attention is scarce and trust is paramount on the digital frontier, combining these two approaches offers your brand its best chance at gaining and converting business. Whether you’re new to it or trying to improve your approach, understanding when–and how–to use copywriting and Content creation can transform your Content Marketing from ok to excellent.

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DIGITAL SCHOOL OF MARKETING

Do you want to become a content marketer? If you do, then you need to do our Content Marketing Course at the Digital School of Marketing. Follow this link to find out more.

Frequently Asked Questions