Content writing vs. copywriting: What's the difference?

In today's marketing world, it's not a luxury to have a writer—it's a necessity. And not just one writer, either. You're going to need at least two. Why two?

First, let's introduce the writers—a content writer and a copywriter. Both are instrumental in modern digital marketing, but for very different reasons.

Content writing is informative.

Content writing is all about sharing information. In his video on the subject, business entrepreneur Dan Lok suggests that you "Think of content writing as preselling."

You want to engage with your audience by giving them answers to their questions. You want more likes, more shares, and more fans—but most of all you want a reputation as an expert in your field.

Content marketing can give you that, and it can take many forms. On your social media accounts and blogs, you can produce articles, videos, infographics, and more—all focused on sharing your knowledge with your audience. The idea is that, when the time comes to buy what you’re selling, they will think of you first because they already trust you.

Take the John Deere magazine, The Furrow. Since 1895, the company has published this magazine purely to help farmers. Inside are articles about farming and agriculture.

John Deere knows their customer base, and they are not using The Furrow to sell them anything. They build trust by presenting stories and useful information. They hope that this will reflect on the kind of support you get when you buy something from them.

Copywriting is persuasive.

Copywriting is writing for the sole purpose of persuading your reader to act. Copywriter Dan Kennedy called it “selling in print.” This is an exercise in psychology. To sell, you must know your audience and their pain points.

What are the benefits of your product? What is in it for them? They don't really care if a computer has a 500 TB SSD drive, and a 5–20X faster read/write of their data. They want to know that it will save them hours per week, so they can get more done with less stress.

Copywriting doesn’t have to nudge positively. You can also use the fear of missing out (FOMO). "Limited supply!" and "Sale ends tomorrow!" are phrases that instill a sense of urgency to get your reader to “act now.”

But FOMO is useless unless there is a clear, singular call to action (CTA) in your copy. (Yes, just one.) The CTA isn't necessarily “BUY NOW!” It could be as simple as asking the reader to sign up for an email list. Or to register for a webinar the company is offering.

Both of which are likely avenues for content marketing. Which goes to show that content and copy work hand in hand.

They're different, but they work together.

Copywriter Alex Cattoni, in her great video explaining the differences between content and copy, praises each as unique, individual jobs. "Whether you're a content writer or a copywriter, stay in your lane, hone your craft," she advises.

Your content gains your readers trust, so that when they see your copy, they already trust you and feel less resistance to giving you their business.