Content Marketer vs. Marketing Content Writer: Which Is Best for You?
Everyone who spends much time around words develops pet peeves around specific misused phrases. One of my pet peeves is when writers interchange use and utilize. For those who aren’t sure the difference, you aren’t alone. It is so subtle most don’t even realize the two terms are different. One of the key differences is that it requires a strategic, practical use rather than simply putting an object into action.
Similarly, people can easily confuse content marketers and marketing content writers. Yet, one is more strategic, while the other has a more general use.
Let’s dive into those differences with practical tips you can utilize (yes, that was intentional) when hiring another team member for your marketing team.
What Role Does Each Writer Play in Your Marketing Strategy?
While our main objective is to compare content marketers with marketing content writers, let’s take a step back because several other key players can also contribute to your overall marketing strategy. Take a look at the entire lineup.
What Is a Copywriter?
A copywriter is the most general term for someone who writes copy. This includes:
- Ad copy
- Blog posts
- Emails
- Product descriptions
They understand the written word and how to use it to persuade and convince people. Copywriters are a crucial part of a content team that needs powerful words to move their strategies forward.
While most content marketers are also copywriters, not all copywriters are content marketers, as that requires additional skills and writing superpowers.
What Is a Content Strategist?
A content strategist is a term I have seen floating around with variable meanings from someone who analyzes data to a strategic content writer.
What differentiates a content strategist from a content marketer is that their focus is on the planning and strategy behind content. Content strategists may or may not be copywriters. In many industries, especially freelancers, content strategists do have copywriting skills. However, their primary marketing point is understanding the numbers behind copywriting.
For instance, a content strategist understands the ins and outs of SEO. They research the best times of day for publishing content. They are experts on each platform and can list where you’ll most likely reach your audience.
Strategists are great members to have on your team to ensure your content has a plan and purpose, and they can pinpoint the results from your content so each investment has the most significant impact.
What Is a Marketing Content Writer?
Now, we are getting into the more complicated terms that will sound very similar. A marketing content writer is a copywriter who has skills specific to marketing.
When you hire a copywriter, you are hiring a broad skill set. However, when you hire a marketing content writer, they have experience in marketing-specific writing, such as conversion emails, newsletters, press releases, and ad copy.
They can craft content built around marketing concepts to ensure each project you complete moves you closer to your marketing goals.
What Is a Content Marketer?
The simplest definition of a content marketer is they are all of the above.
A marketer understands the strategy and can create compelling marketing content. They are the whole package from start to finish, ensuring you have the most powerful results from every asset you publish.
While 90% of marketers use blogs, that is only one of many marketing channels content marketers work with. Other common channels content marketers monitor and manage content creation for include:
- Emails
- Social media
- Ads
- Press releases
- Whitepapers and eBooks
- Guest posts
Content marketers also work with more than the written word. They also craft images, videos, and even audio content.
4 Primary Differences Between a Content Marketer vs. Content Writer
Are you still feeling confused? Don’t worry. We are about to take a much closer look at those last two because the subtle distinction is worth noting.
1. Experience Level
Content marketers tend to have more experience than marketing content writers. They understand the deeper intricacies of the marketing world and can use that knowledge to craft insightful content.
Many content marketers start as marketing content writers or even perform marketing writing in their current role. Others operate exclusively in a managerial role while they hire marketing writers to perform the writing portion of content marketing. Through that role, they can gain more first-hand experience with all parts of marketing beyond crafting content, helping them always see content in the bigger picture.
B2C and B2B content marketing writers have the most experience with content creation. They know enough about marketing to craft well-rounded marketing content, but they haven’t always had that first-hand experience in marketing roles outside of copywriting.
2. Role in the Team
Content writers create written content for marketing purposes, while content marketers use that content for marketing purposes.
For example, a marketing writer will create email campaigns while the content marketer schedules and automates the email campaigns the writer crafted.
Even though there is a distinction between the two, the terms are often used interchangeably because the two roles may overlap. Businesses with smaller marketing teams may have the content marketer as the marketing writer.
When that happens, the content marketer is responsible for:
- Planning and strategizing
- Creating content
- Distributing the content
- Monitoring results
That’s quite the workload for one person!
That’s why if you hire a content marketer, you should consider outsourcing help for marketing writing or an entire content marketing team with someone for each role in the process.
3. Access to Resources
This third difference does not apply to all marketing teams but is a common differentiating factor. Often, the writer acts in a silo apart from the rest of the marketing team. They may be a marketing writer crafting content for a specific marketing goal, but they don’t always have the same access to data as other team members.
Picture marketing writers like that trust game in elementary school. One child had a blindfold, while the other led them around an obstacle course. That is how many marketing writers operate, relying on the data the content marketers and strategists pass on to the writer. This can lead to inaccurate data or missing information that would have helped the content achieve its goals more effectively.
The solution isn’t always having the content marketer act as the writer, which risks burning out your marketer.
The best strategy is building a transparent team, allowing everyone to access the same data. At Express Writers, we offer strategy and writing services where writers receive the same data your content marketers receive to ensure there are no siloes in the content creation process.
4. Creation of Different Media Types
When you hear content, words might be the first concept that comes to mind. Blog posts, emails, and other written content are a large part of content marketing. However, they aren’t the only content format available.
Short-form video marketing was one of the top media formats marketers used in 2024. Graphics and audio are also marketing formats that you will use quite frequently, especially on social media or interactive websites.
A marketing writer works primarily with written content and copy for those marketing formats. They can write video scripts and copy for infographics. However, a content marketer must design or hire a graphic designer for the rest of the content.
If you need to streamline this process, consider outsourcing a content marketing agency like Express Writers with in-house graphic designers who can help with every stage of the content creation process.
Image from HubSpot
Which Type of Marketing Content Writer Should You Hire?
Do you need a copywriter, strategist, content marketing writer, or content marketer?
Start by closely examining your team and seeing what skills you could benefit most from, whether it be strong writing skills, strategy, or marketing insights.
We often use a combination of terms when referring to Express Writers because we have a little of each. We have trained writers but also strategists and marketers who understand data and can get you the results you need.
We believe in providing more than just writing services. We want you to have the whole deal, so you don’t have to pick and choose between a copywriter, strategist, or marketer. Our services ensure every project you receive has insights and experience infused in every word.