Do I Need a Copywriter or a Content Writer?

I need a sales letter that I can customize for individual vendors. Or someone commented on my website, pointing out typos and bland landing pages. Or when I mentioned to a friend that I would be opening my coffee shop next week, she responded with “Give me the link to your website” and I had to tell her I didn’t have one. When you need to catch the attention of readers, persuade customers to add your products to their cart, or entice clients to keep coming back, do you need a copywriter or a content writer?

If you plan on hiring a freelance writer, it might seem that the two are interchangeable. While copywriters and content writers use words to get their ideas across, their skills and objectives are different.

What is a Copywriting?

A copywriter writes to sell or promote products and services.

Compelling copy that convinces customers to buy your products or hire you for services your competitors can’t offer is essential to your business. Copywriters are experts at crafting text that is descriptive and engaging, encouraging customers and clients to do business with you. They are also skilled at creating a sense of urgency when writing about discounts or limited-time offers.

If you require text to promote your business or advertise online or sell products on your website, hire a copywriter that writes persuasively with a killer call-to-action instinct. Examples of some common types of copywriting include:

• Email campaigns

• Website copy

• Product descriptions

• Brochures, flyers, business cards, catalogues

• Social media posts

• Ads – SMS, social media, print

Copywriters can help you define your brand by creating cleaver taglines, slogans, banner ad headlines, and marketing strategies.

What is Content Writing?

A content writer writes to inform, educate, and even entertain.

Content writing is more long-form and typically is not intended to sell products or services. The content freelance writers produce is designed to engage its audience, share the company’s expertise and insights, and build trust. When copy is well-written and appealing, clients, customers, and the ones who “stumble” onto your website through organic search results, will keep returning.

Impactful content takes time and consistent output. An excellent content writer produces copy that has long-term benefits such as ranking on Google, building brand authority without using PPC ads, and earning links and shares over time. Some examples of content writing are:

• Blog posts

• Newsletters

• Articles

• Listicles

• Case studies

• White papers

• E-books

• Tutorials

• User guides

Hire a content writer who knows how to target your audience, adheres to SEO best practices, and finds interesting and creative ways to form lasting connections between you and your clients.