What is The Difference Between Content Marketing and Copywriting?

Although content marketing and copywriting are not synonymous, the two terms are confusing, mainly because they are used in the same context.Both play a crucial role in the creation or production of content for blogs or websites, but they are two distinct strategies. This piece seeks to expound on these differences and share a few insights on why they should be used together.

Content marketing is creating shareable content that aims at elevating your brand awareness, establishing rapport with your target market and attracting prospects. It may take many forms such as podcasts, eBooks, magazines, videos, blog posts, and email autoresponders. Content marketing entertains, enthralls and passes some real value to customers.

Copywriting on the other hand sways and motivates readers to do something immediately or take a specific course of action, whether it is to subscribe to your email list, make a purchase, or call for more information. Copywriting is used for direct mail campaigns, sales pages, and ads. It is straightforward and uses short, funny, and enticing words that prompt readers to make a specific step. While the two are inherently different, when used together, they will bring the best out of your blog or site.

Copywriting Should Be Part And Parcel of Content Marketing

Scour through the internet, and you will find several sites and blogs with thoroughly researched and exceptionally written content, but with relatively few visitors. You may be crafting articles that every internet user would dread to read, but unfortunately, they don’t get the attention they deserve. You are not unlucky; the problem might be with your copywriting skills. Let’s discuss some of the things that you might be doing wrong.

•Using dull headlines. If your headlines aren’t attention-grabbing and enticing, visitors will not be compelled to click through and read the rest of your content.

•Trying to sound too cute and intelligent in your headlines. Don’t try to show visitors how smart you are yet your headlines don’t pass any real benefits. While your captions should display some sharpness, they should embody real value for your readers.

•Writing content that doesn’t add value to the reader or display your brand identity and authority. If the content on your website sounds more like a sales pitch rather than a conduit of relaying useful information, nobody will want to revisit your site.

•Your content does not inspire confidence or build trust. While you can gain social media traction by being haphazardly blatant with words, it won’t transform to customers or subscribers since not many people can trust you.

•Stuffing keywords. Although Search Engine Optimization has become a vital strategy to help your site rank high on the search engines, it involves more than the keywords.Avoid stuffing your articles in the name of trying to be top on the search engines.

•Failure to include a clear and precise call to action. Your content won’t be complete without a statement that informs readers what you want them to do next.

Whether the art of convincing customers to take a given action is in a blog post, video or podcast, it is still copywriting.

Content Is an Indispensable Part of Copywriting

Following the copywriting techniques to the letter is not an automatic path to stardom for your blog; you also need great content. Even if you use the best packaging or conduct a vigorous marketing campaign for an inferior product, people will sooner than later discover that you are selling crap and pass the word until no one buys from you anymore. In the same light, smart marketers don’t rely on their copywriting skills only; they also hold high the principles of excellent content marketing which includes:

•Being generous by offering free content that is valuable. •Crafting content that doesn’t feel or look likes sales pitch or ads.

•Writing for real people and not for the search engines.

•Using simple words and simple sentences.

Since the ultimate goal of content marketing and copywriting is generating traffic for your site or blog, why not combine them and get the best out of both worlds? Savvy marketers know that marrying the two can have significant benefits for their online endeavors.