MATT HIGGINS

Two questions I’ve heard a few times are “What is marketing?” and “What is copywriting?” I find marketing pretty easy to define, but copywriting seems to mean slightly different things to different people, even in the marketing space. The “debate” really is what is content and what is copywriting. Here’s the deal: not all outward-facing writing is copywriting but a lot more is than you think.

Let’s get some definitions. Content is often referencing informative writing such as blogs, guides, and newsletters. Copywriting is often writing with a goal of being persuasive. To a marketing purist, copy refers to advertisement writing. For years, a copywriter wrote things such as print ads, billboards, direct mail, and maybe a radio read. Sometimes lumped in, TV commercial writers are called copywriters by some and scriptwriters by others.

But historically, copy has meant words long before Madison Avenue was the epicenter for advertising. That’s how we have copy editors. These wonderful, often uncredited professionals make writers look good. They edit copy. They’re the wordsmiths who make sure style and grammar rules are followed. So, traditionally, at least in advertising, copy means the words in an ad. To copy editors and those in publishing, copy means the words that make up the content. Either way, the word copy comes from the Latin copia and relates to what is being reproduced in abundance.

So, the etymology is literally ancient history. What about today? What is the difference between content and copy? Well, a lot has changed over the years, especially in the digital era of websites, apps, email, text messages, video, etc. And it isn’t just media that’s changed. Commerce now includes e-commerce. Commerce is no longer limited to physical stores, and e-commerce has fundamentally changed how customers discover, research, and buy products. Further, in marketing speak, the conversion funnel still exists and is just as important as ever, but the top and the bottom points or stages of the funnel are now different.

In his book Copywriting Made Simple, Tom Albrighton uses examples such as subject lines, product pages, billboards, and direct mail and defines copywriting as “writing that drives action.” I agree with that definition, but have you ever heard the “Everyone is a salesperson” business mantra? Today, nearly every piece of content can drive an action. Albrighton warns against confusing content and copy. I say do confuse them. Treat your content like copy. Make it work for you. Think about how that content will help move someone down the conversion funnel. Albrighton admits content supports copy. I say don’t just have content support copy. Have it do the same job. Make your content drive action, too.

The distinction between content and copywriting matters less than we think. Every piece of content doesn’t need a giant “Buy Now” CTA button, but every piece of marketing content should have a purpose. It should inform, build trust, create interest, strengthen a brand, generate a lead, or move someone closer to taking action. It should help customers move down the funnel. It’s all opportunity. Call it content. Call it copy. Just don’t let it sit there and do nothing.