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Content Marketing vs. Copywriting Explained

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Content marketing and copywriting are both industry buzzwords that many use interchangeably. However, content marketing and copywriting are two different things. 

Content marketing is a broad marketing initiative meant to build trust with customers while copywriting focuses on generating persuasive written text. 

Copywriting plays a role in content marketing, but it’s important to understand the difference between the two. 

What is content marketing?

Content marketing aims to expand your business and build long-term customer relationships through content. It’s designed to engage and educate your audience and convince them to become a customer (and eventually a loyal customer) over time. 

Common types of content 

Blogs and articles

The most dominant type of content is likely to be blogs and articles. Many combine text with images or infographics to provide an informative yet visual experience for the reader. 

Podcasts

Podcasts are climbing in popularity and have become a brand favorite. By offering an experienced, knowledgeable voice on industry topics, brands can build credibility and trust among customers. 

Video

Whether you create a 10-second video for TikTok or a three-minute video that explains what your company does, videos are a compelling way to reach your audience. 

Newsletters and email

While you might assume customers prefer short text message-like communications, newsletters and emails are still an effective way to connect with your target. 

Infographics

Infographics turn gluts of data into a visually appealing, digestible format, making it a strong choice for marketers to convey information.  

Components of content marketing

Content marketing involves a cohesive strategy and workflow to ensure success. Here’s a look at the components that make it work:

Content marketing strategy

Content marketing looks at the big picture. By considering your brand’s mission and needs, you’ll craft a strategy, or a plan, to use content marketing to attract and retain customers. Your strategy should include: 

  • Overall content goals 
  • Audience definition
  • Content channels you plan to use
  • Content creation workflow
  • Content evaluation process

Content planning

At any time, you’ll likely have dozens of pieces of content in production. You’ll need a content calendar or project management software to keep track of it all. 

Content creation

You’ll assign roles to each member of your team. You may have several people involved in a piece of content. For example, you may have someone write a script and another person shoot a video. 

Content distribution and promotion

How will you put your content in front of your audience? You need to publish and promote each piece. Use your social media channels as a promotional tool, but look for other ways to spread the word, like asking influencers to share a link to your video or doing a content exchange with a partnering business. 

Measurement

As with any marketing endeavor, you need to monitor metrics to gauge success. Identify the KPIs that align with your goals and assign a person to evaluate them. 

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is the act of writing text that persuades people to take action. It’s a facet of content marketing, but it focuses on snappy, actionable copy that compels people to buy a product, download an eBook, schedule a demo, or take a specific action. 

Copywriters can write any form of content, from articles to video scripts, but each piece is crafted to encourage action. 

Examples of copywriting 

  • Article that focuses on a specific product
  • eBook meant to capture leads
  • Description of products on a website
  • Welcome email that describes services
  • Social media text that promotes a sale
  • Landing pages

Components of copywriting

Copywriting has a narrower focus than content marketing, which means the components involved aren’t as broad as those listed for content marketing. Instead, the components relate to a single piece of content and how it’s crafted. 

Valuable information

Copywriters need to craft text that provides value. It might identify a problem and provide a solution, or it might teach customers something new. No matter what type of content it is or its length, every piece of content should be valuable to the reader. 

Pricing information

In many cases, a copywriter is pushing customers to make a purchase. If that’s the case, present clear pricing information. Transparency is important to customers, so if there are any additional fees they’ll encounter, like shipping or convenience fees, explain those too.  

A strong call to action

Every piece of copywriting has a call to action. It’s fairly common for the CTA to encourage a sale, but it could also encourage people to sign up for a newsletter, schedule a tour, or claim a prize. 

The best CTAs:

  • Use actionable language
  • Create a sense of urgency
  • Are clear and concise

Copywriting can help fuel your content marketing efforts, but as you can see, the two don’t have the same meaning. If your company needs either content marketing or copywriting, ContentMarketing.com provides solutions for brands, agencies, and publishers. With a network of thousands of writers and creators, we can help you manage and scale your efforts.