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Most people outside of digital marketing circles might not be aware that there are two forms of writing that are used on a website: content development and copywriting. In this article, we’ll discuss what each is, how it is employed, and its specific purpose.
When site visitors land on a website, it is important that they receive these two specific forms of guidance and direction. They exist together due to the necessity for each to support the other. Both are intended for marketing purposes, but here’s the simplest definition: copywriting is sales-focused, while successful content development is engagement-driven. These must be subtly woven together seamlessly to enhance the user experience, often without the reader’s awareness.
To further clarify the role of each, below are some examples of the types of Content Development and Copywriting.
Copywriting
As a sales tool, can take the form of either digital or printed examples and includes:
Website copy
Fresh content creation is essential, and not only attracts search traffic but can pose as a vehicle for a host of on-site SEO (Search Engine Optimization) opportunities. This copy can be made more visually exciting by images that can be optimized using alt tags as part of off-page SEO initiatives. As an added plus, compelling, fresh SEO content will also reduce a website’s bounce rate by keeping visitors on site. Statistically, it is known that the longer a visitor remains on site, the greater the likelihood they will convert. Successful website content can attract business via Google searches, therefore it remains the best vehicle for supporting a range of SEO factors that lead to achieving a brand’s marketing goals.
SEO Landing Pages
Landing pages are intended for a targeted demographic. For example, a business seeking to expand its territory into a specific geographic location would create a page that can only be reached by links that persons in that general area would have access to, not the general public via search query. Landing pages are a valuable piece of content that allows brands to attract selected site visitors, and gauge the in-depth effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.
Each landing page should have a specific call to action or CTA that will resonate directly with your target audience. Remember, this isn’t general marketing copy, but rather it’s valuable content designed to encourage sales and help you accomplish your business goals.
Advertising copy
Fans of Mad Men will remember how Don Draper and his team labored to find just the right words and phrases to capture the attention and imagination of potential customers. For 2023 and beyond, nothing has changed, except adverts can range from billboard advertising to magazine ads, to monetized online sites, and more!
Sales Emails
One of the best ways to encourage and grow brand loyalty is to reward customers. Most sales emails offer promotional discounts and/or requests to sign up for rewards programs for repeat visitors to their websites and stores.
Direct Mail
Examples include printed postcards that feature an offer, catalogs that display goods, discount coupons, solicitation letters from nonprofit organizations such as the Red Cross, or free samples sent by businesses to entice consumers to visit their site or purchase their goods at a retail store.
Paid Online Ads or Social Media Ads
Paid search, as this form of advertising, is also known, allows brands and companies to place their advertising, for a fee, directly where their desired demographic is most likely to view it. The goal of these ads is to get the viewer to click on a link embedded in the ad, which takes them directly to that company’s website. It is a highly effective form of marketing – businesses generally see a $2 increase in revenue for every $1 spent on Google Ads. Social sharing also boosts brand awareness by increasing a brand’s reach via ads placed directly where a target demographic will see it.
Taglines
These are every brand’s value propositions. Taglines are used in marketing campaigns as part of a strategy to create a lasting impression on consumers. The goal is to let consumers know about a company without mentioning any products, or services they offer. In short, taglines relay the brand’s promise to consumers.
Brochures
Still considered relevant in today’s digital marketplace, printed brochures are simple to produce, highly cost-effective, and easy to distribute. Unlike an online-based product or service, many consumers keep and store a brochure until needed, which serves as a reminder for months or longer after its initial impression is made.
Content Development
As a vehicle that encourages visitor/consumer engagement, content development takes the form of:
Blogs
Blogs offer an ideal way to show the value of a business or brand to the reader. In this form of online communication, blogs are content marketing tools that are used most often to indicate why a company is a leader in its industry and to introduce new products and services. It also allows a company/brand to take full advantage of digital marketing’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tactics, to use keywords to assist the associated website to rank higher in the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). To be most successful, blogs must be easily accessed by users on mobile devices, and not impact page loading speed. Long load times lose readers who will move on generally to a competitor’s site.
Unpaid Social Media Posts AKA Organic Posts
These appear as postings on free social media sites and usually take the form of product reviews. One industry that depends on them is restaurants for (hopefully favorable) reviews by their patrons. As today’s consumers will research online and read others’ unpaid posts about a product, service, or provider, unpaid social posts are a gold mine (or a booby trap) for businesses. They are necessary to create a complete picture of any company or brand. About 91% of consumers now read online reviews prior to making a purchase, or, a reservation. Organic traffic may be slow to develop as many SEO initiatives take time to grow, however, these often have lasting power over short-term paid ad placements.
Advertorial
This is paid advertising disguised as a magazine or newspaper article. Online examples include videos. While some consider it a deceptive practice, its value lies in the fact that 77% of consumers remember the brand associated with this medium.
eBooks
Similar to Advertorials, this medium is used successfully to increase brand awareness by writing a ‘book-length’ article on an industry subject, preferably one that has been overlooked by competitors. Interested site visitors will sign up for its download using their email addresses, which the company can harvest and reuse to send email blasts to reward visitors and promote brand awareness.
Whitepapers and Case Studies
These examples are ideal for eCommerce sites to influence prospects and can fall under both the copywriting and engagement categories. Their purpose is to build brand authority by demonstrating a company’s strengths to possible future clients and customers. It is a way to build trust as well. This format is not disguised as anything except what it is: a way to share their success stories with readers, who may then convert to become customers or clients.
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Which Do You Need?
It needs to be noted that to be completely successful, most digital marketing strategies include additional services such as social media, email marketing, pay-per-click, and of course, web design and development. Each offers a different approach to the same goal: achieving greater market share for the company/brand.
So the true title of this piece is not only to question ‘why’ but ‘how’. And the answer is nuanced. When concisely written, the merger of content development and copywriting is seamless for the website visitor. Every visitor’s goal is to receive the information, products, and services, i.e. whatever they came for as quickly as possible. The goal of the web content developer/copywriter is to provide the textual vehicles that direct and guide visitors along each step of the sales funnel. Next, by the time of the transaction/conversion, begin the process of establishing brand loyalty, and repeat business. Without this level of engagement, most online businesses would, in time, fail to grow and eventually fold. That is the true ‘why’ of content development. It requires strong, successful copywriting to influence sales, however, sales initiatives alone cannot support any online business and guarantee its continued success.