If you are a business owner and you are looking for someone to write content for your company, you may have heard about copywriters and content writers. You might have even heard that they are the same job. However, the truth is, there is a big difference between a copywriter and a content writer. More importantly, you should know what those differences are so you don’t hire the wrong person to help market your company.

So what is the difference between a copywriter and a content writer? And who should you hire?

What is a Copywriter?

Although both copywriters and content writers exist to improve your company’s brand and presence with well-written information, they go about it in different ways.

A copywriter focuses on writing marketing and advertising for your business; this is known as copy. If the copy’s goal is to persuade the reader to take some sort of action, like buying your product or utilizing your services, that would be a copywriter’s task. The copywriter is trying to sell your brand or your company in the copy, which is often short in length.

A copywriter’s goal, therefore, is to grab the reader’s attention and convince them to do that action. They can do this with emotion or logic, but again, their ultimate desire is to somehow address the customer’s needs and convince them that they need your business. Examples of copy could include sales emails, fliers and brochures, as well as advertisements, billboards and slogans or taglines.

What is a Content Writer?

A content writer, on the other hand, is writing content to inform the reader and convinces the reader that they need a relationship with your company. Usually, the content is created in a way that helps the reader make some kind of decision in regards to your company. The content is also usually longer than copy, as it needs to engage and teach the reader.

For example, a content writer wrote this blog to inform you about the difference between a copywriter and a content writer. While the initial goal is to engage you and teach you about copywriters and content writers, the underlying goal is to get you to read more of Promotion LA’s blogs and hopefully hire Promotion LA after building trust with the company.

Content writers implement education and information in their work. This means their content is usually longer and more fleshed out than a copywriter’s content, as they have to engage and inform the reader. Content writers typically are excellent researchers and writers, as they have to create the perfect content that not only informs but connects with the reader. The content also has to be search engine optimized to guarantee readers will find your content over your competition’s content.

The biggest examples of content are blogs and websites, but you can also have content in social media posts, books and more.

Which Should I Hire?

As you can see, there are many differences between a copywriter and a content writer, though they both use written work to get your readers’ attention. You might need one or the other, or you might need both for your marketing strategy. No matter what, ask yourself what your goal is and what the information is meant to do before deciding which to hire.

If you need to bring customers to your website to learn about your company and establish a relationship with them, then you need a content writer. Once that website is built and you want someone to create copy that gets those customers to actually buy your product or use your services, then you need a copywriter.