Three Differences Between Copy And Content – And Why It Matters

As a student, I did all sorts of jobs. Who didn’t? There were bills to pay, after all.

I got relatively lucky, though, in that I had one job that was pretty steady. It involved sitting with a headset in front of an enormous, clunky microfiche reader (no computers!) and looking up telephone numbers for people.

Boring and all the crappy shifts, late weekends and public holidays.

Still, the other students were a nice crowd, and the shared awfulness of those graveyard shifts when everyone else was in the beer gardens and pubs – well, it bonds. We had some great conversations and some giggles.

One guy was a bit of an enigma – he was smooth and smart, clever with words, and while we got on well, he always seemed just a little bit distant, so cool he always seemed at one removed.

He decided to ditch the headset shortly before I did, and with what looked like the greatest of ease, got himself hired as a copywriter for a fairly prestigious advertising agency, and I remember thinking, Of course!

Advertising was a career for smart fellas (still definitely mostly fellas) and a copywriter – well! It was maybe comparable to getting your wizarding degree from Hogwarts.

Certificate of Proficiency in Word Wizardry and Copy Smarts.

The word, the entire concept, still has a particular pull to it, almost like a force field of its own that means people easily assume writing in a marketing context is all – copywriting.

Hang on, though. There’s also this thing called content marketing, and it’s not dull articles tagged as ‘sponsored content’ or endless infomercials.

So what’s the difference?

And does it matter?

There are three main differences between copy and content – and these will illustrate exactly why this matters, so let’s go through them now.

First of all, LENGTH.

Copy is usually short-form writing to persuade the reader to take a specific action, such as buying a product or signing up for a service. So, we’re talking ads, sales emails, product descriptions, and other marketing materials that require a direct call to action.

Content, on the other hand, is typically longer-form writing that gives something to the audience in the form of information or entertainment. Content can take many forms, including blog posts, social media posts, videos, infographics – and articles like this one.

Secondly, there’s the tone or VOICE.

Copy is usually more persuasive. When writing copy, you aim to create a sense of urgency or excitement that encourages immediate action. The branding voice in copywriting should be compelling, straightforward, and direct, and use strong power words like ‘take’, ‘plunge’, ‘grab’, ‘astonishing’, or ‘sensation’.

With content, the focus is on connection. It’s about nurturing an audience, building relationships, and giving value. You want your branding voice in content marketing to be conversational, empathetic, and authentic. It should also have the ring of authority and experience.

The third, and critical difference is PURPOSE.

Copy is written with the purpose of creating a sale. It’s one-directional writing, single-mindedly pursuing that one goal that ends in a sale or a sign-up. It’s direct and to the point, it’s strategic.

Content writing focuses on the purpose of creating engagement. The goal of content marketing is to build relationships with the audience, clients, members, etc. – by giving them valuable and engaging content that answers their questions, addresses their problems, or somehow entertains or informs them. Content is multi-directional, with diversions and afterthoughts – it’s more like a conversation in that it can stray from the point sometimes.

And this is why it matters that you decide – am I writing Copy or Content?

As with any other form of writing, if you’re writing in a marketing context, you should know what you’re writing and why. And create, compose, and construct accordingly.

Why is sales so often a tough one, especially for small-budget businesses? Because so many screw up the marketing process by turning every blog post, email, article or report into a sales pitch. This is pushy marketing, outdated, and, more importantly, it doesn’t work.

The only way to make either work consistently is to

- know which you’re using
- know why
- and know when to use them

and to navigate skilfully between the two.

At the end of the day, a content writer’s work, done right, smooths the way for some sassy copy, selling to audiences that are already captivated. Job. Done.

Jackie is the founder-owner of BrickHouse, a small content creation company that serves mainly SMEs, and a media professional of many years’ standing.

She has over 25 years as a freelance writer, broadcaster and media trainer under her belt, and is a scrupulously precise editor, utterly pedantic and very word-choosy. As a trainer, she worked in parts of Africa and Central Asia with young journalists and reporters––something she still sees as thoroughly rewarding and the most fun to be had while working.

Her content these days includes marketing copy, but she describes herself as a storytellerrather than a copywriter. A journalist to the bone, she does nothing without research, and the research object is her client’s story.