Forum Moderators: not2easy
Copywriting basically came much earlier than what is called web content writing. As “business” was invented, people mostly concerned themselves with advertising, enabling their businesses sell. Years ago, sales talk was mostly practiced than advertising sign boards. With the advancement of technology, television, radio and print advertising improved much more than the selling of business. These practices are ascribed to copywriting.
Coming to web content writing, it can be said that web content writing involves describing an idea in detail rather than just advertising a service/product. Web content writing is the sort of writing in which lots of information that are there in a specific website entice browsers through the meat of information and not through the facade of information.
I think one intersection of your more distinct concepts is the "one page product site" that requires masterful ad copywriting to close the deal in one page.
Many people consider web content writing to be a synonym of copywriting. But this is not right.
I don't agree with that. "web content writing" is simply a fancier name for copywriting, unless you are referring to simply writing articles and such for a web site. However if you are referring to any type of writing for a web site that is supposed to sell including landing pages, eCommerce, etc, then it is copywriting.
IMHO most marketers today don't have a clue what good copywriting is. I think most of today's marketers would really gain value by going back and reading the classics like Caples, Hatch, Hopkins, Sugarman, and Collier. All of these people are the pioneers of direct response copywriting which is what every single web site should have on it somewhere.
Jeffrey Gitomer once said "If you want to read something new read something from 100 years ago". His point is well taken.
Web Content Writing is already defined, writing contents for your webpages. Thus, copywriting is also web content writing.
At least for me...
copywriting concerns protecting work from being copied .
that needs to be noted before one can have a sensible and coherent discussion ..on either of the totally separate subjects covered by either or both words ..
and no they are not ( copy writing )and ( copywriting) interchangable ..unless you dont understand the meaning of either ..they are like steel and steal ..sound the same ..written differently ..mean totally different things ..
edited for clarity
[edited by: Leosghost at 1:58 pm (utc) on May 29, 2009]
if there have been changes since ..that just proves that illiteracy permeates all levels of society nowadays..and that the teaching of English was sloppy then and is worse now ..only nowadays people don't realise that they were taught badly ..
copywriting concerns protecting work from being copied .
however one who writes copy is still a "copy writer" (with space) ..not a "copywriter"
Unfortunately, everyone's a writer, so everyone has an opinion as to how things are to be written :)
As for the terms "copywriter" and "web content writer", both are really too broad, IMHO.
I usually tell people that I specialize in "SEO Copywriting" or some euphemism thereof. I utilize my writing skills to create website content that includes targeted keywords within readable copy (very subtle, but it can make the difference). That copy also has to drive a reader to take a designated action (i.e. "order now" or "contact us"), so I also combine elements of advertising copywriting, persuasive writing, narrative, humor, etc. The kind of writing usually depends on the product or topic.
I guess that if you are looking for a way to describe what you do, then I would try to be more specific. If nothing else, it shows you are more specialized in a specific type of writing.
As for the terms "copywriter" and "web content writer", both are really too broad
I agree in principle, but most people that look at the two broad terms will at least have an idea of what you do if they are at all familiar with the terms. Most people who are familiar with advertising knows that a "copywriter" writes advertisements. They may be a direct marketer or B2B or B2C or specialize in TV or radio, perhaps all of the above or only one area, but most people know that a copywriter falls somewhere on this spectrum.
If we are talking about ways to market yourself I actually prefer going broad rather than narrow. I know some people say specialize your writing business and rake in the money, but I actually think I can provide copy for a lot of these areas. I might be better at some areas than others, but by being broad I can have a pick of projects as opposed to only working on the same type of thing all the time because I am specialized.
But that really depends how you define 'content.' Does it include images, styling, and display structure? If so, then they are different. In that case, copywriting is a subset of web content writing.
I see copywriting as pure text. Regardless, they are definitely not synonyms.
Regards,
OZ
Generally, article writers try to convey information, tutor, etc. Many article are written essay style or business report style.
Blogs publish everything from brilliantly written opinion and editorials to SPAM and stolen content.
Usually, copy writers/copywriters try to sell stuff. They use "devices" such as "unique selling proposition" and strong, often repeated, "call to action". They also use "benefits" and "features" to a greater extent than do article writers. Believable testimonials are important features for sales copy. Less so for articles or blogs.
They are significantly different disciplines when practiced well. Doing each well requires a different mindset.
Can a good copywriter write good information articles? Usually, assuming s/he adheres to the appropriate structure and approach.
Can a good article writer craft good sales copy? Not often. A good deal of effort is required to understand the psychology of human response to written copy; the difference between benefits and features, what makes a strong call to action, etc, etc.
