Both copywriters and content writers are important for businesses to grow their audiences. But these two roles aren’t interchangeable—in fact, they require very different skills.

 

So, what exactly is the difference between these two types of writing?

 

The short answer is that copywriters create text that convinces people to take a specific action, such as advertisements and sales emails. Content writers, on the other hand, create longer-form content that informs or entertains readers, such as blog posts and e-books.

 

Read on to learn more about the difference between copywriting and content writing.

 

What’s the Difference Between Copywriting vs Content Writing?

 

You can differentiate copywriting from content writing using a number of factors. Here are a few significant variations:

 

• The text’s structure
• The text’s objective
• How long the text is
• How long will the text last?

 

The abilities needed for content writing versus copywriting

 

Let’s examine each of these distinctions in more detail, as well as how they affect a company’s marketing plan.

 

The Format of the Text

 

Content writers and copywriters typically use various writing formats. One of the easiest methods to determine whether a text was created by a content writer or a copywriter is to look at its format.

 

Here are a few typical copywriting formats:

 

• text-based advertisements
• Online advertisements
• Phrases
• Instagram captions
• Emails selling
• Pages that land
• Vibrant headlines
• Pop-up alerts
• Video screenplays
• And these are a few typical content writing formats:
• blog entries
• How-to manuals
• Analyses
• eBooks
• Case Reports
• opinions
• articles from newspapers
• Features in magazines
• email bulletins

 

So, if you’re reading an advertising, a copywriter most likely wrote it. Additionally, if you’re reading a blog post, a content writer most likely wrote it.

 

The Purpose of the Text

 

Content writers aim to enlighten or engage, whereas copywriters aim to persuade.

 

A persuasive piece of writing will persuade readers to do a certain action, like subscribing to a newsletter, clicking on a link, or making a purchase. Persuading readers to take a particular action is its primary objective.

 

On the other hand, an effective piece of content might clarify a difficult subject, lead you through a how-to manual, or offer an alternative viewpoint on a given issue.

 

It probably aims to entertain, educate, or otherwise involve the audience, even if it doesn’t result in a sale right away.

 

For businesses to flourish, both goals are essential. Copywriters can aid businesses in increasing sales and inspiring quick action. In the long run, content writers can assist companies in raising brand awareness and producing more leads.

 

Copywriters are essentially those who assist businesses in converting website traffic into sales, while content writers assist businesses in increasing their overall traffic.

 

The Length of the Text

 

Another significant distinction between content and copywriting is that the former typically writes in longer form, while the latter does so in shorter form.

 

Common examples of copy include pop-up ads, billboards, and captions on social media. There may only be one or two sentences of text in each of these.

 

Generally, content writing consists of more than one or two sentences. For instance, the majority of blog posts are roughly 2,000 words long. Then there are electronic books, which have word counts of tens or even hundreds of thousands.

 

Most copywriting is short-form, though there are some kinds that can be as long as a blog post, like an advertisement with a lot of fine print. Therefore, a text is more likely to be classified as content writing than copywriting the longer it is.

 

The Life Span of the Text

 

The duration of these two types of writing is a more nuanced distinction between them. While a piece of copy may be used for years or even decades, the average piece is only used for a few months at most.

 

This is due to the fact that copywriting is frequently done for a particular marketing campaign. It is typical for businesses to run a completely different set of ads for Christmas and a separate set for Black Friday.

 

When a company’s product line changes, even web copy, like landing pages, frequently gets updated.

 

In contrast, copywriting typically has a shorter lifespan than content writing.

 

A blog post that has been published may stay up forever on the business website. After all, depending on the subject, an e-book or blog post may remain relevant for a very long time.

 

Because of this, content writers frequently need to concentrate on producing evergreen content that will have value over time, while copywriters should concentrate on writing content that is timely and produces results right away.

 

How ProWritingAid Can Help Copywriters and Content Writers

 

Whether you write copy or content, you must ensure that your writing is clear and compelling.

 

That’s where ProWritingAid, an excellent grammar checker, comes in. You can ensure that your writing is as convincing and clear as possible by using ProWritingAid for all of your writing needs.

 

To see recommendations that are specifically tailored to your needs, ProWritingAid even allows you to specify the type of document you are using. You can choose from options like “General Web Copy” or “Short Web Article,” for instance.

 

Making sure you use the right words when writing copy will help you connect with your target audience. To learn more about the meanings of the words you use and possible synonyms you could try in their place, try using the Word Explorer.

 

Conclusion

 

There you have it—a comprehensive explanation of the distinctions between content and copywriting! You now understand how these two types of writing differ from one another and the essential abilities required for each.

 

Here’s a brief summary:

 

While content and copywriting are both essential to brand strategy, their applications differ.

 

While content writing is typically used in formats like blog posts and e-books, copywriting is typically used in formats like advertisements and sales emails.

 

While content writing focuses on educating or entertaining the reader, copywriting focuses on persuading the reader to take a particular action.

 

Generally speaking, copywriting is shorter than content writing.

 

In general, copywriting is more ephemeral than content writing.

 

Wishing you luck and joy in writing!