How to Choose a Website Content Writer

Not knowing what type of writer you’ll need to hire for your upcoming project can be stressful. Here, we’ll list the main differences between website content writers and copywriters to help your brand succeed as you put your products on the market.

---

Copywriting Services

The main feature of copywriting that differentiates it from content writing is its usage. In digital marketing, copywriting is prominently used to grab people’s attention and convince them to take action. This type of writing is best applied to headlines, marketing emails, or the call to action because they rely on people’s emotions to generate a response. Professional copywriters will understand this and write pieces that leverage emotions to grab a consumer’s interest.

What Does a Copywriter Do?

You already know that copywriters write short-form copy meant to spark interest, but what kinds of content creation would you actually hire a copywriter for?

Some examples of projects often done by copywriters include taglines, pay-per-click ads and landing pages, social media ads, product descriptions, and marketing emails. These are all shorter pieces of content that you can use to get your brand stuck in your consumer’s head.

Copywriter Skills

While having good grammar is important in many forms of writing, a copywriter who’s been around the block will tell you that copy can be just as (if not occasionally more) effective when you use incomplete grammar. The headline that suits your product best may not need full sentences to sell. 

Whatever the case, you’ll want a copywriter who knows how to invoke a response in a consumer. The larger and faster the emotional response, the sooner you’ll start seeing the money roll in. With that said, you’ll want to start building brand trust. That’s where a content writer comes in clutch.

---

SEO Content Writing Services

In contrast to a copywriter, a content writer’s job is to build brand trust in the consumer’s mind. Instead of immediately snagging their interest, content writers use long-form pieces to maintain that interest, usually in hopes of educating or entertaining the consumer. Because of the nature of their writing style, web content writers rely heavily on SEO to rank higher on search engines. 

What Does a Web Content Writer Do?

Comparing a content writer’s workload with a copywriter’s, a content writer will be creating much longer pieces. Because of this, they will likely be expected to finish in a longer amount of time. What kinds of writing can you expect a content writer to, well, write?

The list may include white papers, news articles, e-books, how-to articles, newsletters, social media posts, and blog posts. Though these types of content may not be flashy or lead the reader to take action, they are the first step to building trust within your client. The more your potential clients trust and like your brand, the more likely they are to purchase your products in the future.

Content Writer Skills

When looking for a high-quality content writer for your company, you’ll want to look for someone who can write with proper grammar. Having good grammar looks professional, and it’s a sign to your viewers that you are a trustworthy source.

---

Copywriting vs Content Writing

We’ve outlined the major differences between copywriting and content writing above, but there are a few more points we’d like to drive home. Mainly, the goals of both writers, the length and volume of each piece they typically write, and the timeline you can expect from them.

Goals

As we’ve stated, the goals that both writing styles are trying to achieve are significantly different. If you’re looking for a snappy headline or solid CTA, turn to copywriting. Copywriting can create a sense of urgency in a reader’s mind and is oftentimes most effective in getting a user to follow an action.

Length and Volume

Of course, the length of the pieces that copywriters and content writers create varies individually based on the needs of the client, but as a general rule, copywriters create shorter pieces, while content writers write long-form blog posts to build trust and connect with their audience. This may include blog posts, white papers, or webpages. 

Timelines

Because of the nature of the different lengths of content that copywriters and content writers produce, both styles will take different lengths of time to complete. You can generally expect copywriters to take less time, as they’re often writing smaller pieces for your company.

So how much time should you expect your new hire to need? 

The answer is: it varies. Copywriters and content writers need different amounts of time to complete different projects. As a general rule, most copywriters will need at least a day or two to complete smaller projects. This would include 400 word blog posts. 

Keep in mind, a larger project containing SEO work or longer blog posts may take a copywriter up to a week to finish. You will also need to factor in the time that it takes to proofread and edit their work after your writer has written it. 

Things will look a little different when you hire a content writer. Our best advice to you is to ask around and find out which content writers will be able to complete your project on your deadline. Just remember that sacrificing time can lead to a decrease in quality.

Most projects you’ll hire a writer for will require 3 drafts: a rough draft, a draft that builds and refines the rough draft, and finally, the complete, edited draft. 

You’ll want to communicate with your writer and find out what you can expect in terms of timelines. Many writers on freelancing websites will be willing to consult with you about time frames before you even commit to working with them.

One last thing: always remember these words of wisdom from McRae Communications Consultancy: “Before any work can be done, no matter how simple the project, the Copywriter needs to understand everything about the client.”

---

Why Lorem Finch?

We at Lorem Finch care about your brand’s needs and strive to deliver the best-tailored content for your company. With multiple packages to choose from, we know you’ll find the quality content you’ve been looking for. Not sure where to start? Schedule your free 15 minute consultation with us, or feel free to browse our writing packages. We look forward to getting to know your brand!