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What is copy and content writing?

When I decided to start my own business as a copy and content writer, both my husband and mum said a similar thing along the lines of, "that's great, but.......what is copywriting?".


My husband thought it was to do with legal copyrights and my mum thought it was about copying things. Both reasonable assumptions which highlighted to me how ambiguous the terms were; ironic when you think that copywriters and content writers are in the business of improving clarity.


At its most simple, copy persuades and content informs but that would make for a very short blog so let's dig a little deeper:


Content Writing


What is content?

Before we start looking at content writing, let's be clear on what the word "content" means because it's a term that's used a lot. Everyone seems to be a content creator these days or recommending that you do more "content marketing". The reason it's talked about so much is that content is everywhere, especially in the digital space where there are 1.7 million pieces of content shared on Facebook alone, every minute. We all consume content every day by simply scrolling through our Instagram feed, listening to a podcast or reading the news.


Content can be digital (e.g. online) or physical (brochure or magazine) and it might be expressed visually (written words, video, pictures) or aurally (e.g. a podcast, talk) and its aim is to educate or entertain. You might hear content referred to as long form (which is anything that is about 1200 words or longer) or short form (which is more concise and easily digested).


Written Content

Written content is therefore the art of educating or entertaining with the written word. Long form examples of this might be blogs like this one, e-books, white papers, articles, case studies or website content, and short form written content tends to be facebook posts, instagram captions, infographics, short email sequences etc.


So why might I need a content writer?

It very much depends on your marketing plan, and what you want to invest in, but regular short form content is extremely useful for keeping your prospective customers engaged with and aware of your brand. Longer form content on the other hand is a powerful tool for improving your SEO with useful information that your prospective customer will be seeking out, thus leading them to your business.


And what should I look for in a content writer?

It's not just about hiring someone that can string a sentence together - AI tools have a good grasp of the basics already, so if you just want simple phrases then Chat GPT is your best bet. If you're looking to use content writing to your advantage, then seek out someone who can do the following for you:

  1. Respect your brand's unique style. Your content writer should be able to adapt their natural writing style to fit your brand's tone of voice

  2. Understand your overall business objectives and how your content fits into the bigger picture.

  3. Has a good understanding of SEO and how to research and use the keywords that will make the most difference to your customers.

  4. Be willing to work with you to adapt and change their work so that it fits what you're looking for. You can't expect unlimited changes, but make sure your content writer offers at least one round of amends.



Copywriting


What is copywriting?

The main aim of copy is to persuade its audience to behave in a certain way (e.g. to buy that item, make that call, sign up to that newsletter). It has been described as "salesmanship in print" and the skill is to make a connection with the reader and encourage them to take some sort of action without coming across as "salesy".


Copy is almost always short-form because it needs to be snappy, easily understood, clear in its intent and easily acted upon. Examples of copywriting might be a print ad in a newspaper, a landing page, product descriptions on a website, or a social media post encouraging the download of a new course. Anything that is encouraging people to take some sort of action is most likely copy.


I will be writing some blogs showcasing my favourite copywriting examples so look out for these over the next few months.


So why might I need a copywriter?

If you're a business owner then you need to be highlighting your products or services in a way that is going to compel someone to take action. If you are a charity then you might want to encourage fundraising or for someone to access your services. A copywriter will find a way to connect your prospective customer to your brand and your services/products in a way that makes them feel empowered and satisfied.


If you are have a lot of engaged potential customers following you online or signing up to your newsletters etc, but your sales have stagnated, then you probably need a copywriter to help convert your warm leads into sales.


And what should I look for in a copywriter?

As with a content writer, you should be looking for a copywriter that understands and respects your business goals and your unique tone of voice. Knowledge of SEO is less important when writing copy, but you do want someone who can provide clarity and persuasion while still remaining concise and engaging.


So in summary

Content writing tends to be informative. When written for the digital space, SEO and user experience are often a key objective. The strategic role of content is to keep prospective customers engaged with and aware of your brand as well as being confident in your expertise. Its conversion results tend to be longer term.


Copywriting tends to be short form, punchy and written with a specific action in mind. Its strategic role is to sell and for that reason its results tend to be more immediate.


If you need something put into words that will help you sell something, explain something or entertain someone, then I can help. Why not drop me an email at tess@torjussencc.com and we can chat more.




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