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Content writing VS Copywriting

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by tulipweb, May 1, 2014.

  1. #1
    I am a bit confused over the debate of copywriting and contentwriting in our industry. Lots of people say, Its kind of similar practice but others have different opinions.
    I want to ask experts here about basic difference in copywriting and content writing terms?
    In my opinion, both are different things.
     
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    tulipweb, May 1, 2014 IP
  2. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #2
    content writing => essays
    copywriting => sells a product or service, has a call to action

    Business websites often use a blending of the two for blog posts and other ancillary content.
     
    YMC, May 1, 2014 IP
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  3. #3
    Content Maestro, May 1, 2014 IP
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  4. TIEro

    TIEro Active Member

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    #4
    It depends on the usage. @Content Maestro pointed out the literal difference but, these days, it's like the terms "proofreading" and "editor". They mean different things to different people and all the definitions are legitimate.

    Personally, I'm with CM. A copywriter produces material with the intent of promoting or selling. A content writer produces any kind of written content (perhaps including sales copy, depending on their chosen areas of specialisation).

    They can also be mutually exclusive: for example, I'm a content writer but not a copywriter. I can't sell worth a damn. :)
     
    TIEro, May 1, 2014 IP
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  5. tulipweb

    tulipweb Greenhorn

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    #5
    thanks for your kind replies fellow members, is copywriting means submissions we do to build links i e: article submission, Press releases, blogs etc?
     
    tulipweb, May 1, 2014 IP
  6. tulipweb

    tulipweb Greenhorn

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    #6
    thanks Content Maestro for this useful explanation.
     
    tulipweb, May 1, 2014 IP
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  7. TIEro

    TIEro Active Member

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    #7
    No, that would be classed under SEO writing, guest posting, content directory submission, article directory submission, press release writing or something else. Building backlinks is an SEO activity, of which writing is a subset, not the other way around.
     
    TIEro, May 1, 2014 IP
  8. SCookAAM

    SCookAAM Active Member

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    #8
    Yes, I think CM's answer was the best. Of course, when the rubber meets the road, these two terms mean whatever your paying client wants them to mean. Many people confuse the two, and they are similar in any case.

    Copy writing is definitely more action and sales oriented, butcontent can do that too. i.e. writing a landing page for a website is content writing, and it's also copywriting.

    In the end, I don't think it matters unless you are asked to write something under one of these two terms that you can't do. Otherwise, stick to the basics. In my opinion, and in my course, I maintain the belief that 90% or more of any type of writing (at least for business) is designed as copywriting.

    Most content, especially that being paid for, has the hope of inducing the reader / listener / watcher to do something. Even a passive essay on tooth decay may have a resource box at the end with a link to the dentist author's website.

    Writing is used to influence, so the distinction between these two terms is more often than not academic. Hope that helps a little.
     
    SCookAAM, May 2, 2014 IP
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  9. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #9
    Ideally, everything on a website either in invites the visitor to explore the site further, click on an advertisement or buy what the site is selling.

    Essay-style content, what is primarily being sold in the BST section, generally serves a single purpose - filler content for Google to find.

    Unfortunately, too many business owners are being told they are receiving sales copy when in fact all they are getting is mediocre filler.
     
    YMC, May 2, 2014 IP
  10. TIEro

    TIEro Active Member

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    #10
    This is always a danger when terms are used interchangeably (and/or incorrectly). Copywriting is a subset of content writing, but the reverse is not true. I've run into a content writer who thought he was copywriting: thankfully, he was an intelligent chap who was happy to be corrected.
     
    TIEro, May 3, 2014 IP
  11. Write_House

    Write_House Greenhorn

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    #11
    There really isn't a difference - it's semantics. Whether you define yourself by one title or another you are still writing for commercial purposes and ultimately still trying to market or sell.
     
    Write_House, May 3, 2014 IP
  12. Karuna17

    Karuna17 Member

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    #12
    In some companies Content Writer is considered a work of lower qualification -- like creating "content" -- rewriting, writing 20 articles a day, etc. Copywriting is thus considered "creative writing", research and analytics, writing in the sphere, where the author is an expert. The payment and amounts of text produced are considerably different. Copywriter does 3-10k symbols a day, content manager produces up to 10-20 500-word articles a day. Copywriter gets payed better.
     
    Karuna17, May 19, 2014 IP
  13. Content Maestro

    Content Maestro Notable Member

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    #13
    I agree that “copywriters” are paid better than “content writers” since the need and demand for copywriting is more. Copywriting mainly deals with composing sales pitches and the like and IMO it is nothing different but writing content in a commercialized way.
    However I don't see why copywriting is considered to be “creative” than normal content writing. If you are a really creative writer, you should be able to write almost any type of content creatively. The same goes for considering content writing as a “work of lower qualification”. May be, if you speak of writing strictly as a tool for marketing your business, one tends to think that way.
     
    Content Maestro, May 19, 2014 IP
  14. tulipweb

    tulipweb Greenhorn

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    #14
    From above discussion, i guess, content writing is not underrated job as "content is king" and we have to rely on quality content for better response from readers.
     
    tulipweb, May 19, 2014 IP
  15. Karuna17

    Karuna17 Member

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    #15
    I agree, it's just semantics difference in most spheres today. Advertising industry copywriters have cherished their uniqueness for long time, but the text-writing Internet market puts everything to its proper place:)
     
    Karuna17, May 20, 2014 IP
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  16. transcriber

    transcriber Member

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    #16
    Copywriting is used for making people feel and do something - tag lines, slogan, ad copy
    Content writing is more of feeding them with information - essays, articles, features
     
    transcriber, May 21, 2014 IP
  17. Melisa455

    Melisa455 Active Member

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    #17
    Copywriting more to sales copy, promoting, advertising etc.
    Content writing is more to articles (usually niche related)
     
    Melisa455, Jul 6, 2014 IP
  18. Keith Nimble

    Keith Nimble Greenhorn

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    #18
    Usually a content writer generates the idea, concept or topic to write about, whereas a copywriter simply writes as they're told.
     
    Keith Nimble, Jul 7, 2014 IP
  19. Thesisss

    Thesisss Peon

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    #19
    Hi, content writing is obviously about the content, wether you tell a story or narrate an occurence, you already have a "material" to talk about. Copywriting is about the writing itself, the shape, the tone, the atmosphere, the call to action, the emotion generated, nit by the content but by the writing, the style. Hope it helps :)
     
    Thesisss, Jul 7, 2014 IP
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  20. ironmanv8

    ironmanv8 Active Member

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    #20
    Copywriting is usually referred to verbiage on a website or something for commercial purposes.

    Content writing can be above but also can include academic essays and such. These days with how merged together everything is there's a fine line between the two as far as differences go.
     
    ironmanv8, Jul 16, 2014 IP