Content Writing Vs. Copywriting In Digital Marketing: What’s The Difference?

The difference between content writing and copywriting in digital marketing is purpose. Content writing intends to impart knowledge, while copywriting convinces the reader to take action. 

Written words come in many forms, and you need to produce the right content to hit your mark. In most cases, blogging only needs two types of articles: content and copywriting. 

But what are the differences, and how should you use them in your blog? I’ll answer these questions in detail as we move along. 

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is a form of persuasive writing whose intent is to convince a reader to take action. For example, you want the reader to get involved with your business. 

Here are some examples of “action:”

• Subscribe to an email list
• Download an app
• Register for a free software trial
• Buy a product or service
• Book a consultation or appointment 

In copywriting, you are convincing the reader to do something. Eventually, and this action is going to lead to sales. 

What is content writing?

Content writing is text that informs, and it is an article that imparts knowledge to the reader. What you want is to make the reader learn something new—something that he finds valuable. 

Below are some examples of content writing: 

• How To Set Up and Use Google Search Console (GSC) With Your Website
• 7 Things You Need to Know Before Adopting a Dog
• 10 Actors Who Took a Role They Regret

Content writing is about entertaining or educating your readers. Of course, you can use it to sell, but again, selling is never its primary purpose. 

Content Writing Vs. Copywriting in Digital Marketing

In this section, I want to discuss the differences between copy and content further. 

• 1. Copywriting has a sense of urgency

When writing copy, you want the reader to feel that he has to take action now. It is why many copywriting materials have words like “hurry” or “promo good until supplies last.”

A copywriting material focuses on what is called FOMO or fear of missing out. The whole article or text makes the reader feel that if he does not take action now, he will not get this sweet deal again in the future. 

• 2. Content writing lays the groundwork for credibility

Many websites use content to make them credible. For example, if you go to the blog page of Shopify, they have so many posts about marketing and how to be a successful entrepreneur. 

These types of content do not sell. Instead, they impart knowledge to the reader, and the reader begins to feel that he can trust the company. 

Because of this, a reader will come back for more, read more, and eventually jump on the bandwagon. The reader trusts the company so much that he will give the company a try in the future. 

It would help if you had a lot of content to lay the groundwork for credibility. You want to establish yourself as an expert to the reader. 

• 3. Content is focused on SEO

While the copy is also focused on SEO, content has more nuances to it. When you write content, you want readers to find your article organically. 

To do this, you want to optimize your page and your content. You use keyword tools, add meta titles and descriptions, optimize your page load speed, and so much more. 

While copy does the same, it does not have the same level of effort. SEO is important to content so people can find our pages, and it is also a way by which you can build your credibility. 

If your content keeps appearing on searches, a reader will eventually say that you are a leader in your industry. 

• 4. Content has organic traffic while copy usually has paid traffic 

With SEO as one of the fundamental aspects of content writing, one of the goals is to drive organic traffic. You see, you cannot pay for ads to drive traffic to content with no monetary rewards. 

On the other hand, copy gets traffic from paid ads, and it makes sense because after reading it, the reader has to decide whether or not to buy a product. 

If he does, then you get back what you paid in ads. You cannot do this with content, and it is nearly impossible to get back what you spent on ads for content.  

• 5. Copy is persuasive; content is not

The way you write copy is emotional. You want to tap on the reader’s needs, and you want to touch his heart and make him feel that you are there to help. 

Content is not like this. Although the content writing is entertaining, it does not persuade the reader to do anything, and it merely informs the reader about things. You can add humor to it, but it does not entice the reader to take action. 

Copy’s primary goal is to convince the reader to trust you—that you are someone that he can depend on and that your product or service is the solution to his problems. 

Content Writing Vs. Copywriting in Digital Marketing: Is There An Overlap? 

Yes, there indeed is an overlap. The trend now is to write copy within the content. The article that you find on the most prominent websites today informs and convinces you to take action. 

An excellent example of this overlap is a listicle. Some sites like CNET have articles that review the “best phones on a budget.” 

While these articles are informative, they also intend to make you buy one phone from that list. It is why they have buttons that take you to the Amazon listing of that product—they want you to buy. 

Summary: Content Writing Vs. Copywriting in Digital Marketing

Both forms of writing are essential to your success as a blogger, and my advice is that you learn both. Today, a thin line separates the two, and competition is more challenging than ever. 

Learn how to write for the internet, and then master the art of writing copy for your blog. From here, you can even earn money from writing copy while waiting for your blog to grow.