So, you have decided that freelance writing is the business you want to start online. Great! I think that is a fantastic idea and the best way for people to get started on the internet. But you probably start and go down the road and you said, Okay I want to be a freelance writer, then you start unraveling the yarn like peeling off the onion. You start going deeper, and you realize that freelance writing isn’t just so cut and try. There’s copywriting, there’s content writing, B2B writing, technical writing, SEO writing, ghostwriting, and content writing vs copywriting.

There are all different types of freelance writing and you are trying to figure out which one is the best fit for you and also in demand.  At some point during this journey, you’ll probably realize that copywriting is the way that makes most of the money, and that pays well. You decided to be a copywriter. That might be a good idea, maybe! but … bear with me for a second. Do you know anything about Sales? Have you studied the psychology of persuasion? Can you convince others that you wanted to go to McDonald’s when they wanted to go to Subway? Are you a good writer that persuades your readers to do a specific task that you want them to do?

If you are not that kind of a person and you can’t do any of those things, then copywriting may not be for you.

Let’s Fragment it Down

I am gonna talk about the difference between Copywriting and Content Writing, and figure out which one is the best way for you to start freelance writing. Hmmm! Chances are, it’s gonna be content writing and you’ll see why.

So, for starters what is content writing? It’s a very generic catchall term. In very simple terms, content writing is any sort of content you see on the internet. This can usually come in the form of blog posts or social media posts. The purpose of it is usually to search traffic and drive traffic to a website to build a brand or build somebody’s influence. It can be informative for an audience, entertaining, and informing the audience. You know Wikipedia, that’s content, this post you are reading now is content.

Copywriting on the other hand is when you are specifically trying to be persuasive with your words. So, if you are trying to sell something, or convince somebody to do something, that is copywriting. Sometimes there’s a grey area. You can have, for instance, a blog post that is trying to entertain, inform and sell. And when you can do all of those things at once, then you’re mastering a really valuable skill. But for the most part, a blog post or content writing is to entertain and inform, and copywriting is what you’re trying to sell or persuade.

Which is Better for You as a Beginner?

So, between content writing and copywriting, which one is easier to do? Well obviously, content writing is pretty easy because even if you have a basic understanding of the English language and writing, you can probably write a blog post, a social media post, or write anything valuable on the internet.

So, there’s a much lower barrier to entry when it comes to content writing. This is especially good if you get knowledge on a specific topic like finance or marketing side. So, figure out what your unique knowledge is, and what your unique background knowledge can bring to the content writing table which is great for potentially getting work.

Here’s the other thing about content writing. You don’t necessarily need to have that unique knowledge.  There is a unique skill, and that is to be able to quickly research and quickly write a piece of content about anything.

If you can master the skill in 15 -30 minutes by googling and figuring out how to write about DIY or cable boxes or carburetors, and then create a coherent piece of content around that, that is a huge skill.

There’s a much greater demand for content writing than the rest of copywriting.

Don’t get me wrong!

there’s a huge demand for copywriting too because the world revolves around selling stuff and persuading people.

But these days there’s such a  huge demand for content on the internet. Every person with a website is trying to create content to get traffic and get people on their website.

So, copywriting on the other hand is not something you just start, even if you have a piece of unique knowledge of a specific topic. If you don’t know how to persuade someone around that, or if you don’t know how to tell a good story, or if you can’t compel, or keep people reading your content, then you’re gonna struggle to find work or be effective as a copywriter.

Copywriting is all about confidence and if you haven’t done it before, then you’re not gonna have the confidence to know that you can get someone to take the action based on the words that you’ve written. The good news is that you can absolutely get better at copywriting by practicing it.

How to Get Started?

So, if you’re a new freelance writer and you’re thinking what do I do? I thought I wanted to be a copywriter but you’re telling me I’m not qualified for this right at the moment.

How do you get started?

Well, here’s what you would do. You would start as a content-writing generalist. You’d be the person that can research topics, and write about anything. That’s gonna open up a lot of doors to write about a lot of different things, and you are not pigeon-holing yourself into one niche.

Eventually, it can make sense to niche down and focus on one specific topic. But early on, spread your wings wide, and take a lot of different jobs so you can figure out what your sweet spot is. What are the things that you are good at writing about, you like to write about? So, give yourself an opportunity to try a lot of different things in a sitting.

While you’re doing that, I suggest you start sending 5 pitches or letters of introduction a day. By doing that, you’re going to be practicing your copywriting, because with every letter of introduction, every pitch you sent, you’re trying to persuade someone to open your email, to read and respond to your email, and to potentially hire you.

That is copywriting, those emails are exactly what copywriting is. And what you’re gonna find down the line, you’re gonna say, Ah man! I’ve got pretty good, people hired me, hah… I’m a copywriter. I can persuade people to do what I want them to do.

I think that’s the best way to get into copywriting. Start with content writing, practice, and hone your copywriting skills, and then, as you starting up building momentum and success, that’s what you can transfer into a higher-paying copywriting job.

Summing Up

So, in a nutshell, those are the key differences between copywriting and content writing. All the other kinds of writing that I mentioned earlier, are fit under the guides of content writing. So, if you’re doing B2B writing, you’re doing content writing, if you’re doing ghostwriting, you’re doing content writing.

The point is, most copywriters will also do content writing at times. Most content writers won’t necessarily do copywriting. So, start with writing content, start freelancing there, and then if you decide it’s a thing for you, start moving into copywriting.

Another thing to consider, is while you’re doing your content writing, while you’re sending pitches through emails. If you truly want to become a better copywriter and eventually move into that, then start s side project where you can practice it. This may be a niche blog, or this may be just your freelancing portfolio site or your blog site. But you have to have a place where you can start writing persuasive words and having other people’s read those words so you can see if it works and be effective.

In the beginning, don’t worry about making money, don’t worry about sticking to any timeline. Literally, just make this the thing that you do in your free time to practice. Because putting that site up there and writing blog posts, doing reviews, writing your about page. That is the way to get hands-on practice with copywriting every single week.

You are going to be much more likely to want to be engaged with it if it is something you enjoy, and even better than that down the line, 3,6, or 12 months later, you’ll realize, Oh I’ve built myself this asset. I’ve got this thing, that people are now coming to, and it’s around the thing that I love to do!

So don’t get distracted from your freelance writing. But if you’re looking for a way to practice all these skills while you’re starting your freelance writing business, then consider starting a niche blog on the side.

So don’t feel this obligation to be this “persuasive sales writer“. If that’s not something you actually want to do, there’s plenty of money to be made through content writing.

There you go, content writing vs copywriting! that’s the difference. I hope that’s helpful to understand the difference, where most beginners get sucked to opt for which one is better.

Also, Check!

7 best freelance writing jobs for making 6 figures!