THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EDITORS & COPYWRITERS

Copywriters vs. Editors

What’s the difference anyway?

A lot of people assume that copywriters and editors do the same thing, I mean you just need to know how to write, right?

WRONG.

Editorial and copywriting are two completely different jobs, with unique objectives and methodologies that require two different skill sets.

Let’s start with editorial work. This falls within the realm of journalism, and editors are incredible at addressing real world events, societal themes and breaking news using a commentary based, investigative approach.

Editors often have a powerful voice that highlights their own perspectives, and a unique style of writing that enables them to develop a loyal fan base over time.

Editors are great for:

• Articles
• Opinion pieces
• Thought leadership pieces
• Blogs
• Editorial-style newsletters
• Other long-form written content

Use an editor when you want to hone in on their pull, and maximize their reach by allowing them to put their name in the byline.

Copywriting is a function of marketing. Copywriters are adept at working alongside multi-disciplinary teams to develop copy that takes the brand strategy into consideration.

Copywriters are, what I like to call, writing chameleons.

They are able to understand the positioning, persona, and identity of the brand, and create memorable copy that succinctly (and wittily) conveys the brand’s message to its target audience.

Copywriters are great for:

• Brand stories
• Brand copy
• Web copy
• Campaign messaging
• Marketing collateral
• Slogans, taglines, ad messaging, and more… 

Use a copywriter when you want copy that sounds like your brand came to life and literally wrote out the messaging itself. 

For those of you wondering, can an editor be a copywriter, and vice versa? Absolutely, as they both require an investigative mindset, creative thinking, and strong writing capabilities. However, as each role encompasses a different scope and, therefore, requires the development of a different skill set which takes time, dedication, and experience to master.

So, when in doubt, it’s always better to hire a specialist rather than a generalist to get those incredible, ROI-maximizing results you are after.

Until next time!

xo
Rohma