Are You Creating Content… or Writing Copy?

Ideally, your answer should be…

A little bit of both. (Or, should I say – A LOT of both! )

If you stop to think about it, there is an important distinction between creating content and writing copy. I personally like to think of these two endeavors as the Ying and Yang of the Content Marketing world.

On one hand, you have content creation which represents the “give’ part of your relationship with your audience. Yes, you are optimizing that content in order to derive SEO benefits, but unless your content imparts genuine value in the form of meaningful information or fresh ideas, your SEO efforts will be in vain.

On the other hand, there is copywriting. This is where the “take” side of the equation comes into play. Copywriting exists to sell something – whether that “something’” be a product, service or idea.

In other words, copywriting is meant to persuade, whereas content is meant to inform.

In the early stages of your online business, you may find you are doing a lot more giving than taking. This is as it should be if your goal is to be in this game for the long term. Remember, you are trying to establish a relationship with your readers – and you have to establish trust and credibility in order to do that.

If you try to incorporate too much “take” too early in the process, that fragile bond you have established with your audience may be broken. However, don’t feel you should avoid the “take” part of the process indefinitely. Unless this online thing is just a hobby, you will need to be compensated in order to continue giving.

You will need to find your own balance between your content creation and copywriting efforts. They are both important to the long-term success of your business – so it is important to that you be able to wear both hats with style and grace.

Til Next Time,

PS Are you ready to make your own online business a reality? Are you confused about how to start a successful blog without spending a small fortune in the process? If so, Beginner 2 Blogger is a great resource that will walk you through this process in just 4 information-packed weekly lessons. If you want to get your site up and running even faster, be sure to order the DVD option so you can learn at your own pace!