You won’t have heard from me yet, so I guess I should introduce myself! Hi, I’m Annabelle and I am a new(ish) Copywriter here at Coast Digital.
I have been working in the industry for five years, starting my journey with a digital marketing apprenticeship.
Although my apprenticeship was in digital marketing, I have only ever worked in Communications and PR teams and roles, so rarely got to experience the marketing side. That is until I joined Coast four months ago, and I have learnt A LOT in that time.
If you’re new to the world of digital marketing (like I was), it can be very daunting. You’re constantly having digital terms, definitions, and acronyms getting thrown at you – which can get very confusing.
But if you are willing to put in some extra work and you’re surrounded by a helpful team, you will quickly have the upper hand. Hopefully, this blog will help clear up the commonly asked question: Are copywriting and content writing the same thing?
OK, introductions over – let’s get down to business!
A lot of people that are new to the industry think copywriting and content writing are the same thing, which is not actually the case. In this article, we discover the differences between the two types of content, and why they are both important when it comes to advertising online.
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting is a form of content where the end goal is to sell a product or service. The words are written with a direct focus on the conscious and subconscious needs and wants of your target audience, persuading them that your product or service is the solution to their problems – often in the fewest number of words possible!
This concise form of content aims to target the emotions of your audience and can be utilised for anything from blogs and search ads to landing pages and emails.
What is Content Writing?
Although you may gain sales from content writing, this is not the main purpose of the content. Content writing uses different forms of copy to educate and entertain your target audience, informing them about your business.
This helps your customers to connect with your business, allowing them to understand your brand and values.
Content writing can be utilised in several pieces of copy including blogs, social media content and tutorials – but the intention is purely to inform and/or entertain the audience.
How do the two forms of copy work together?
Although they are different, using both forms of copy on your website can have several benefits for your business, such as:
Giving your brand a ‘human’ feel
If you ask me, there is nothing worse than reading an article that sounds like it has been written by a robot. No emotion, no added value, just there to tick a box.
Putting out a consistent and varied mixture of content writing and copywriting can provide you with the sales-driven yet emotionally intelligent content you need, while also offering other benefits to your audience(s), like insight into who you are as a business and a brand.
Boost your SEO rankings
Long-form content is a great way to boost your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) rankings, as it helps drive more traffic to your website, which can make your website appear higher up on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP).
This increase in traffic means you can start to build more backlinks and rank higher for keywords in your article. To find out more about SEO, take a look at our SEO service page.
Increase your brand awareness and loyalty
The persuasive and emotive nature of copywriting, and the value-adding nature of content writing work hand-in-hand – like Batman and Robin, Del-boy and Rodney, or Maverick and Rooster if you want a more recent reference.
Having both types of content working together in harmony is a powerful way to reach more people and connect with both existing and prospective customers, ultimately increasing their loyalty to your brand and boosting your customer retention.
To find out more about our copywriting services and how we can help you, get in touch with our friendly team of experts today.