Copy or Content – How to Know Which One Your Business Should Be Using
Cheryl Risner
Creating Powerful, Persuasive Marketing Copy and Content to help YOU grow your business
You’ve probably seen the words “copy” and “content” just about everywhere lately.
And the words seem to be used interchangeably in many of the articles or posts you read.
But it could be important to know the difference when you’re thinking about marketing your business.?Copy and content both begin with the written word.?And – when used properly – they accomplish different results.
It has been said that all copy is content, but not all content is copy.?Yes, it’s confusing.
And it’s true that just about?all?copy or content can help you achieve brand recognition for your business and give potential customers a way to get to know you or contact you.
But …
Knowing exactly the right copy or content to use in your promotions will make a difference between marketing that is mildly effective and marketing that is wildly effective.
So here’s a little guide you can use to figure out if you need to use copy or content to promote your business.
What is Copy?
Copy, also known as “sales copy”, is defined as “any persuasive text used by marketers to entice prospects to purchase, opt-in, or engage in some other action”.?In other words …
Carefully crafted copy contains elements that are proven to persuade prospects to take a specific action.
Good copy contains elements of persuasion, proof, and just the right push to entice your prospects to answer a call-to-action by appealing to their dominant buying emotions.
And great copy will feel like it was written just for that prospect.??
You may use copy to:
?Or you may use copy in your:
?There are actually close to 100 ways that copy is used regularly in marketing … each with the purpose of persuading the consumer to take an action.
And the biggest distinguishing factor about copy:?when you use copy in your marketing, you will be able to measure the results.
What is Content?
Content is information designed to help customers discover your brand and learn how it meets their needs or solves their problems.
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Or you could say …
?
Content is useful for potential customers who are at different stages in the buying cycle.
For example, the customer may have a problem that she has just become aware of, and she’s looking for a solution.
Or she may already be aware that a solution exists but doesn’t know enough about the solution.
Maybe she has decided on a solution but is still shopping for the best option.
Perhaps the customer has already made a purchase but wants to know more about the product or service.
Or your company may need to encourage customer retention.
Content can help with all those needs.
And when the content is used properly, it will help the buyer make her way through the marketing funnel to ultimately become a customer.
Content often takes the form of:
?And if a potential customer can’t find content about your product or solution, she will probably move on and search for content from another company.
?
Should Your Business Use copy or Content?
The short answer is?BOTH!
Your business probably won’t need every type of copy and content right away, but your marketing plan should definitely include effective copy and engaging content on a regular basis.
(This article was originally published on January 5, 2022, at https://cherylrisner.com/?p=229)