Do You Need a Copywriter or Content Writer for Your Business?

In recent times, online business is more popular than ever. In addition, more and more businesses, of the online and brick and mortar varieties, are engaging with their customers online and building a following. That means one thing: quality content is now more important than ever.

So, maybe you have a website for your business, or an online store, and you’ve been wondering whether you need a copywriter or a content writer. It’s a question that comes up a lot. Well, the answer isn’t a simple one or the other. It’s both. Let’s explain.

Before explaining why you need both, it’s necessary to look at what the difference is between the two. What is it about each of them that makes you need both?

What Is the Difference Between a Copywriter and a Content Writer?

Let’s look at the difference between copywriting and content writing.

Copywriting, at its core, is writing meant to sell. Whether it’s a product or a service you offer to your customers, copywriting will help you sell it. In contrast, content writing is writing meant to inform. This can be in the form of articles, blog posts, or social media posts, all with the goal of providing valuable content.

Copywriters have a very different skill set compared to that of content writers. They, to a large extent, use psychology, marketing strategy and advertising principles in their writing. A copywriter will write in language that is persuasive, engaging and which creates a connection between a business and its potential customers. They generally create shorter pieces which focus on advertizing, building a business’s brand and creating awareness around a product or service.

Content writers write longer form content such as blog posts and articles. The purpose of this content is to inform a business’s customers. Blog posts and articles offer an extensive amount of detail about a product or service and build awareness around a business’s offering.

It’s true that the content or copy may have similar purposes, and that may blur the lines between the two, but it’s helpful to always keep the fundamental difference in mind. Copywriting sells and content writing informs. With this in mind, the distinction is obvious.

You may already have an idea why you need both, but let’s explain further.

Why Do You Need a Copywriter and a Content Writer for Your Business?

From the above you can see that copywriters and content writers serve different purposes. They mean different things for your business. You wouldn’t appoint a programmer instead of an accountant to do your books, right? Each one is skilled and educated to perform a specific task.

Yes, you want to sell your product or service to potential customers. You want to create a brand and awareness around your product because that’s where sales come from. The more potential customers know about your offering, the more it will sell. This is where copywriters can be of immeasurable value. The thing is, customers don’t always want to be sold to. Therefore, you don’t always want to sell to your customers.

Customers also want to be informed and nurtured. Potential customers need valuable information even when they don’t want to buy. More often than not, that potential customer will turn into an actual customer when they need a product and they remember the content your business provided. Likewise, existing customers need to be nurtured with content. This keeps up relationships and will make them returning customers.

In short, you need copy and content. Not one or the other. They are not mutually exclusive, and each performs an essential task in creating your brand, albeit each in its own way.

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