Blog

The art of phenomenal copywriting and content writing centers around being able to share a great story.

So I was shocked as a copywriter and whiskey enthusiast for this story to have only come out recently about one of the most historic whiskey brands/companies in the United States.  Which story you might ask?  The story of one of the greatest master distillers you've likely never heard of before.

In business, we know we have to get our message out in front of customers in order to get sales conversions, but when should you be using copywriting and when should you focus on creating content?  Is there even a difference?

Spoiler alert: yes, there is a difference.

While copywriting and content writing are similar, there are a couple of major differences.  

The first difference is in the purpose of what you are writing.  Copywriting is the art of selling people on an idea, a brand, or a belief.  The intent behind it is to persuade a customer to buy or use a product or service.  Copywriting blends the product and voice or story of a company together to create branding.  It plays upon feelings and emotions that are tied to a particular product or service.

Content is writing with a specific purpose in mind meant to inform, educate, or entertain.  Often times you'll hear this referred to as value writing, because it offers customers something they can use without having a hard pitch thrown at them.  It needs to pass quality information along that aligns with your brand's voice, but is a really good read as well.  

Copywriting sells an idea. Content writing aims creates valuable content to help your audience understand your brand's voice and create interest.

The next difference is the job itself.

Content writers can be anyone.  They don't have to be professionals. Anyone and everyone on social media writes content with every post.  Some are better than others. Some examples of content writing (besides you Aunt Molly's latest dinner commentary on Facebook) are blog posts (like this one), books/e-books, newspaper or magazine articles, and newsletters.

Copywriters are professionals whose job is to write compelling marketing copy.  It can come in a variety of forms from slogans and taglines, to websites, email campaigns, and social media ads.  Copywriters have developed their skills to more effectively sell you on a marketing idea.

Business owners will need to use a balance of both writing styles in order to grow their customer base.  The secret is knowing when to use each type so you will always know how to write "right."

Sheral~Owner/Founder of C3 Specialties