4 differences between content marketing and copywriting

Content marketing and copywriting are seemingly two completely different activities. However, they are united by a common goal – the desire of a particular brand, company to grow through online marketing. Valuable content helps reach new audiences, increases brand awareness and helps build reach. Read about 4 differences between a content marketer and a copywriter.

Content marketing vs. copywriting – table of contents:

1. Online presence
2. What is copywriting?
3. What is content marketing?
4. Separately, but together
5. 4 differences between copywriting and content marketing
6. Do you need a content marketer or a copywriter?
7. Content marketing without copywriting
8. Summary

Online presence

Nowadays, many businesses operate on the Internet. Launching an online store or setting up your own website is not difficult. Especially since there are ready-made tools available to guide you practically step by step. However, creating your place on the web is only the first step.

Competition is fierce and the chance that you will have a lot of customers without proper promotion is, unfortunately, practically zero. It’s not about the product or the look of your store, but about the fact that you are invisible to your audience. One of the easiest ways to draw traffic to your site is to put relevant content in your product descriptions, page descriptions or include a blog section that carries some value.

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is saturated with the language of benefits. It is content designed to sell with words. The essence here is to reach an established target group using predetermined methods. The job of a copywriter is to create various types of content, which are published on the Internet, but not only. It also applies to printed content. Types of copywriting are advertisements and sales pages.

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is much broader than copywriting. It’s more about strategy, global activities for the brand that have a long-term impact on it. It’s more about attracting an audience by offering valuable content and slowly building brand awareness. Such customers, over time, turn into buyers who become part of the brand’s customer base, but this is a long-term process.

Separately, but together

Content marketing is only effective when good quality copywriting is involved. There is a reason why the two meanings are often used interchangeably even in the marketing industry, and people in both positions are required to have similar competencies. Creating a blog only makes sense if you provide your audience with interesting information, arouse their interest or make them gain useful knowledge. Even the best strategy will not bring the expected results when it is wrapped in poor quality content.

4 differences between copywriting and content marketing

Purpose

Copywriting sells with words. This means that its main purpose is to sell. Content marketing, on the other hand, does not directly persuade you to buy. You won’t encounter direct language of benefits designed to convince you that a product is just what you need. Rather, it will provide you with factual knowledge that will make you return to a particular page and get the next portion of information.

Form

Content marketing is the creation of online content. Copywriting, on the other hand, is not limited to online tools only. The texts are also created for standard media like magazines, newspapers and billboards.

Timeframe

Copywriting is supposed to produce results here and now. This means that in every piece of content you will find an offer encouraging you to click or informing you of an opportunity to buy. However, this does not mean that the content will not provide you with any interesting or valuable information. It’s more about timing here. Copywriting is meant to impact you right now, while content marketing is meant to generate gradual interest. Both ways boil down to one thing – developing your brand and increasing your customer base. However, each uses slightly different tricks on the way to achieve this goal.

Ways to influence customers

The purpose of copywriting is to play on emotions, to arouse the need to buy here and now. Content marketing, on the other hand, aims to do the same thing, but by building trust. It gives you information, educates you and shows you can trust it. Here, the urge to buy is based on slightly different values. You buy because you feel a certain bond with the brand.

Do you need a content marketer or a copywriter?

We can say that these two roles intertwine, and even live in symbiosis. One is an inseparable part of the other, both pursue the same goal, however, on slightly different terms. The most important factor that connects these two functions, or at least it should, is the target audience. In both cases, the audience is the main character of the content.

In any creation, remember that it is the customer, not the product, that is most important. In order to reach your recipients, you must first define who they are. This way you will create exactly what they need. You will find the features of the product that may interest them and present it in such a way that the recipients will feel you are speaking to them. Show customers that you know them, understand their needs and know their desires. Creating a product that suits their needs and values is the way to success.

Content marketing without copywriting

You come across a great blog by accident. There is lots of useful knowledge given in an interesting way. However, the number of comments and shares is close to zero. Then you wonder what is wrong. After all, this content is great, interesting, addressing current issues, and served in such a way that you read it with the greatest pleasure. This is a typical example of good content marketing, which unfortunately lacks copywriting. With just a few simple changes like using keywords in headings or optimizing content for SEO, you can attract new audiences.

Summary

Copywriting gives a temporary effect. When you use the language of benefits, you will make the customer buy your product or use your service. However, this will be a one-time action. In order to turn the customer into a loyal buyer, you need content marketing.

Read also:What is asynchronous communication?

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