What is the difference between a freelance copywriter and content writer?
Even if you know what you want to say and understand your audience as a business owner, it can be hard to nail the perfect words for your business, whether for social media posts, emails, or website copy and content. This is why whether you're b2b or b2c, hiring a freelancer to create content and copy that makes a difference is often the best idea. This raises the question is there a difference between a copywriter and a content writer? Which is what we are going to look at in this blog. So, grab a brew and settle in for a quick 3 - minute read.
Whichever platform or form it is in, good writing should be succinct, an absolute pleasure to read and an asset to small businesses and corporations. In the right place, it can spread your message, educate, increase user experience, entertain and persuade.
Is engaging business content just newsletters, website content and blog posts?
Copy and content are both words on a page, mainly differentiated by their purpose; broadly speaking, copy is there to sell to the reader, and content is there to inform and educate the reader. Now I could finish there, but there's more to it than that.
We're surrounded by words, which are there to inform, educate and engage readers. Well-known examples are website content, newsletters, SEO ranking, blog posts, emails and E-books. They create opportunities for a future sale by showing that you get great results and are a pleasure to work with; making the sale is the job of copywriting.
Content is to inform and Entertain.
You've probably seen content in many forms from a free download which will teach you something - a quick hack or a tick list. Writers specialise in writing content, craft these pieces to help readers give up their email addresses in return for something worthwhile. The content is there to show credibility, build trust, educate and help the reader get to know the business and get in touch.
What is copy?
Copy can be divided into two main categories: creative brand and direct response copy. Creative brand writing is there to increase brand awareness; This can be in digital and paper forms. The direct response copy is there to get a response or sell, and the craft is often described as salesmanship in print. It includes sales pages, webinars, ads, social posts, direct mail, and anything designed to help get people to respond, as the name suggests.
Copywriting is persuasive.
These are different types of direct response copy, but they all use words and have one thing in mind: selling a product or service. The sale may not be immediate, but they all want people to make a commitment. Often this is in the form of a reply, a purchase or a signup.
Years ago, this would have been a form to fill in, which the customer posted with a cheque or postal order; however, with the power of the internet and digital copy, customers can buy there and then. The copywriter's job is to be persuasive in a none manipulative way. To help the right people buy, they show how the product or service will help them solve problems and improve the readers' lives.
Why do business owners need to nail copy and content?
As the internet has grown, people's lives have become busier, or at least more cluttered with ads, social media like LinkedIn and the internet. Grabbing people's attention has become much more challenging as digital copy has grown, and they are bombarded daily with stuff. Whatever kind of writing you require, it needs to do a great job of hooking the reader's attention and keeping them engaged to help your marketing work.
People are pretty selfish and understandably sceptical, making having great content and copy that stands out essential. It must answer the readers' all-important question (What's in it for me?) and build trust.
A Freelance Copywriter Or Content Writer to attract your dream clients?
To move people through the 5 stages of awareness, popularised in the 1960s by Eugene Schwartz they need to see different types of writing, some to educate them and some to persuade them to buy. Educational content pieces like blogs, emails and newsletters will be written by content specialists and the sales pages, ads, and sales emails will likely be written by a copywriter. However, to muddy the waters, you can find people who write both educational and sales pieces.
However, if you want to make a real difference in your business, looking for someone who specialises in one or the other is best. To educate, go for a writer who specialises in content and to sell, a writer who specialises in copywriting services.
A freelance writer for your sector
Many writers channel their freelance business towards a sector and specialise in reaching all of the writing objectives for business in this sector. This can be highly recommended if you are in a technical industry and looking for a writer who can write in detail.