Copywriting and content writing are two commonly confused terms in digital marketing. I recently had a back-and-forth with our company admin about the difference between them, because they weren’t sure. I realized that if someone who works for us isn’t sure, there must be many more people who are similarly unsure of the difference.
Copywriter – Definition, Skills, and More
A copywriter is a trained individual who crafts copy meant to convert readers into action takers, whether signing up for a free trial, clicking an ad to submit their information, or even buying a product or service at that time.
Copywriter Skills
Copywriters tend to have the following skills:
- Strong grasp of the language in which the writing is occurring
- Understanding of buyer psychology
- Strong research capabilities to understand a vertical and its buyers
- Attention to detail
Copywriters are often quite empathetic, seeking to understand the buyer and what makes them want something. When writing webpage content, they should also have a cursory understanding of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and how to write convincing copy that helps a page rank in search engines.
Copywriters write:
- Ads
- Landing pages
- Social media copy (sometimes as a ghostwriter)
Copywriters do NOT write blog posts/articles/documentation. That is a content writer’s job.
Copywriter Training and Courses
Like many non-regulated industries, which we can think of as modern Internet “trades,” many copywriters have learned on the job and through reading articles and freely available training materials while applying those concepts to their work.
There are, however, some copywriting training programs taught by some of the best copywriters in the world. These include:
- Copy School from Joanna Wiebe & CopyHackers
- Copyblogger Academy from Copyblogger
- Copy Writing Course from Neville Medhora
Some free courses of varying quality are also available on Udemy and Coursera.
Copywriter Salaries
According to Indeed.com, the average copywriter salary in the United States is $66,150 per year, based on 659 salaries reported and last updated on September 1, 2024.
The lowest salary reported was $43,600, and the highest was $100,362 per year. Salaries are based on the scope of the role, years of experience, and the value of the copywriter role to that company specifically.
According to ZipRecruiter, a freelance copywriter in the Denver area makes, on average, $38 per hour. This number feels low to me and is likely based on 40 hours per week being worked, though few freelancers can maintain that output level. The average hourly rate on Upwork for copywriters is $30-$75 per hour, with most in the $45 range. More senior copywriters can command an hourly rate of hundreds of dollars per hour, as they can deliver consistently high-quality work in less time than junior copywriters.
Where to Find Copywriter Jobs
The age-old question that copywriters have is, “Where do I find copywriter jobs?” Fortunately, this is a pretty solved problem.
The best places to find copywriter jobs are:
There are also many Facebook groups where people post their availability and their needs.
Of course, finding out about jobs is the first step in finding new work. The next step is closing the deal into paying work. Instead of blindly posting “I’m interested” on LinkedIn posts looking for copywriters and blasting out your resume on LinkedIn, focus on quality over quantity. Find the hiring manager or client lead, learn what they’re looking for, and show your capabilities with a portfolio or an active social feed sharing your knowledge.
In short – do everything you can to make sure the person knows you applied and that they should read your application and schedule a follow-up call with you.
Content Writer – Definition, Skills, and More
A content writer is different from a copywriter. A content writer is a professional writer specializing in editorial long-form content, often in the form of articles or blog posts, that is meant to educate while ranking in search engines to drive traffic and leads. Most content writers specialize in a few verticals where they can also be considered subject-matter experts, such as healthcare, cybersecurity, or CRM tools.
Content Writer Skills
A content writer’s skills are more akin to a journalist’s than a wordsmith’s.
Content writers know how to:
- research a topic,
- organize the information,
- write it in such a way as to educate the reader,
- take into account SEO considerations, and
- use content to drive leads or purchases, whichever fits the business best.
Content writers are closer to journalists than copywriters because they tell stories that get people to read and then take action. Copywriters do this in their own way, but it’s less long-form than what a content writer typically writes.
Content Writer Training and Courses
Similar to copywriters, most content writers are self-taught through experience. They gain that experience through their own writing (most were writers for fun before they did it professionally), writing in-house at a full-time job, and writing for clients.
That said, the best content writers are surrounded by other good writers who provide feedback to help the writer improve. Sometimes, an editor will also fill this role, especially if the writer is in-house full-time with a good editor on staff or contract.
That said, there are some great trainings and courses available for people who want to learn content writing as a skill.
These include:
- Semrush’s Content Marketing courses (taught by some of digital marketing’s best practitioners)
- Backlinko’s Content Marketing Guide
- Hubspot’s Content Marketing Certification
There is also a very active content writer community on LinkedIn. People post there consistently to share knowledge and leads.
Content Writer Salaries
What’s the expected salary or hourly rate range for a content writer?
According to ZipRecruiter, an average content writer in Colorado (where EditorNinja is based) makes $80,873 annually and $39 per hour on average. The range, though, is from $29,968-$46,792 for the bottom 16% of jobs and $200,314-$217,664 for the top 3 percent.
Your rate will likely fall somewhere in the middle. 31% of jobs pay between $46,793 and $64,142 per year, which is probably a decent expectation for a mid-range content writer. This breaks down to ~$3,900 to $5,800 per month.
Where to Find Content Writer Jobs
Content writer jobs are found in the same places as copywriter jobs, including:
- ZipRecruiter
- Upwork
- ProBlogger
Many companies who hire content writer freelancers directly look for long-term engagements with freelancers they can trust. There are also many writing platforms and marketplaces where content writers can get their foot in the door and write a lot of content quickly. These gigs pay significantly less than finding and signing your own clients but are an excellent way to quickly improve your craft and make some money while you’re doing it before moving on to signing your own clients directly.
Content Writers Need Editors
One interesting difference between copywriters and content writers is that content writers need editors.
Copywriters craft such specific content that it’s tough to edit because, ultimately, what matters is that the copy is on-brand and converts better than the previous copy. Of course, the copy shouldn’t have typos and grammatical errors, but true copywriters are extremely unlikely to have these in their copy.
Content writers, on the other hand, are often less experienced than copywriters and, because their content is longer, need more editing to catch things like changing tone of voice, grammar, organization, argument clarity, and more. A good editor will catch all these things and help the piece improve by adding elements like lists, images, examples, and more. Depending on the editor, sometimes the writer will receive the edits to integrate themselves, while other times the editor will just make the edits and share them with the writer for them to review and learn from. (EditorNinja does the latter with most content, though we can do the former if the client needs it).
Need Editing for Your Content Writers?
EditorNinja has a team of professional editors who love improving content written by professional writers. If you’re spending a lot of your time editing content and want to get that time back so you can focus on strategy and hiring writers and a team to support content performance, we’d love to speak with you.