When I started my journey in content writing, I always wondered what was the difference between content writing and copywriting as they both had “writing” behind them.

You can imagine my astonishment when I discovered that indeed they are similar but they are different.

If you are like me, who was confused and wondered why these terms are different from each other then you are in the right place or should I say you are reading the right article?

In this article, I will be sharing the individual definitions of content writing and copywriting respectively as well as highlighting their differences.

It will interest you to know that according to SmartBlogger, nearly 45% of global internet users ages 16-64 conduct brand research on social media networks.

Content writing and copywriting are two important and efficient tools that help you position your brand, clearly communicate your solutions to your prospective customers as well as persuade them to buy from you across digital platforms.

I believe this is the goal of every business.

They can be compared to a substance that fuels an engine or device to operate smoothly, which means if the substance is stale, there is an 80% chance that the device will struggle to operate smoothly.

The same thing applies if you use a blue substance for a green device instead of the green substance, the device might operate, but yet, it won’t operate as you would have wanted it to.

This brings us to the next section of this article.

What is Content Writing?

Content Writing is the process of researching and developing short and long-form written content for different purposes. Content can be described as pieces of information conveying a message to an audience.

This means that they can be in any format and for different purposes like marketing, awareness, or transfer of knowledge. Examples of content writing include:

1. Blogging
2. Social media writing
3. Newsletter
4. Magazine
5. Ghostwriting
6. etc

For this form of content writing, we can find copywriting within them, that’s killing two birds with one stone. A person can be a content writer and a copywriter at the same time.

I will also like to state that content writing is not the same as content marketing.

What is Copywriting?

Copywriting is a form of content writing that deals strictly with developing content for the sole purpose of persuading the audience to make a decision.

It is used for advertising purposes and influencing the purchasing decisions of its target audience.

It’s usually in short-form content to be able to catch the attention of the audience and convince them in split seconds without them having to read a 1000-word content on that subject matter.

You will find copywriters proficient in writing:

1. Website copies
2. landing pages
3. Advertising copies (Ad copy)
4. Sales email

In some cases, brands want to hire a content writer with copywriting experience or a copywriter with content writing experience over someone who does just either of them.

A content writer with copywriting experience knows how to string words together to persuade the audience to do what he/she wants them to do.

Businesses use text ads to encourage their prospective customers to take an action while they use content writing to offer non-commercial value to their audience.

Differences Between Content Writing and Copywriting

1. Organic Traffic

Content writing has the responsibility of generating organic traffic while copywriting has the responsibility of converting organic traffic into sales and leads.

A content writer can write for the fun of it, but a copywriter has to pay close attention to ensuring that the content being developed catches the interest and can successfully persuade them to make a desired decision.

For example, below is a copy developed to make you use Momo to purchase airtime or data.

As you are seeing this image, what does it communicate to you? I’m sure you’re considering finding out how the product works, right? That’s the copywriting effect.

Compare it to this second image. This one looks more like a piece of content explaining how you can do the first slide.

2. Emotional Response

Copywriting evokes an emotional response while content writing transfers knowledge and at best creates awareness of the subject matter.

A Harvard Business School Professor discovered from his research that over 9 in 10 consumer purchases are driven by emotions.

Humans generally are driven by emotions and if you can infuse that emotion into your marketing or advertising content/copy, then you can be sure of getting your desired result.

For example, this past week, I stumbled on an influencer ad where the influencer was advertising Smokey Jollof, a food brand in Lagos.

Prior to that time, I had seen it somewhere but didn’t pay much attention to it.

This particular influencer took me (his followers) through a couple of emotions that made me feel like I am missing out on something because I have refused to patronize the brand.

This feeling is nicknamed FOMO, fear of missing out. It’s a psychological term used to describe the desire to not miss out on something people are talking about.

If you have a good product and intriguing marketing, you can successfully get your customers into the FOMO zone.

As much as I would have loved to order that same day, I did not for reasons best known to me but I still dream of someday purchasing that product.

Apparently, I have been successfully compelled and my purchasing decision has been influenced.

3. Writing Tones

Content Writing uses multiple writing tones depending on the subject matter and the audience involved, unlike copywriting whose single writing tone is to persuade the audience to do what they need them to do.

Though content writing and copywriting are different, they have similarities that make it possible for a copywriter to function as a content writer.

The similarities include but are not limited to:

1. Storytelling is a tool they both use.
2. They both have the responsibility of following the brand’s voice and identity.
3. Excellent communication and creativity are needed to successfully carry out either of them
4. They both require deep research and a solid understanding of the buyer’s persona.

Conclusion

In this article, I’ve been able to show you the definitions of copywriting and content writing as well as expose you to the difference between both of them. They are both tools that you need to successfully implement and scale your content marketing strategies.

I hope you found this post helpful. You can leave a comment below and share this with others.