Content vs Copy:
The Dawn of the Chatbots 

Let’s get this out of the way early—copy and content aren’t the same thing. They are also the same thing. And also aren’t. They both live in the world of marketing and involve words, but they have distinct uses and places. What are these places? When should I employ a copy vs content writer? Will a chatbot one day murder me and take my place? All these questions and more will be answered in this informative blog post. 

Let’s Start with Content

Content is everywhere and inescapable. As we speak, you are probably being taunted by 20 open tabs full of content. Even before the rise* of ChatGPT and our AI overlords, searching for information on a topic via the internet brought up tens of oddly similar articles, due to content writers a.) trying to please the SEO overlords and b.) probably not knowing tooooo much about the topic and cribbing off other articles. Content writers generally rely on cursory internet searches for most of their research, as they aren’t well-versed in every subject on earth. (This surface-level research is necessary, otherwise nothing would get written as every writer would be busy pursuing postgraduate degrees.) 

Not to crap all over content marketers. This blog right here? This is content. Content—for the purpose of writing because the word content also means a second** thing in the world of marketing—includes things like blog posts, social posts, case studies and white papers. 

Here’s an example of one of our favorite content pieces from “How to Spoil Your Chihuahua” on Wikihow. It’s informative, entertaining, and includes the best image on the face of the earth: 

Here’s another example of content, this one somewhat less bonkers. It’s from an IKEA blog about workspaces, featuring IKEA products throughout. The primary purpose is to inform instead of sell: 

Ok, Now It’s Time for Copy

Copy is also everywhere. It’s on billboards, all over digital ads, you hear it on the radio and on television, provided you’re still into listening to the radio and watching television. 

Here’s some copy:

Here’s also some copy:

From the copy-heaviest print ad to a television spot with no copy whatsoever, both involved a copywriter. Sometimes they’ll need to write thousands of words, sometimes they’ll just need to write a few in the form of an idea. Basically, whatever they need to communicate for the consumer to take action. When you read headlines on a billboard, or hear a television commercial, or see a banner ad on a website, those were probably written by copywriters (or overzealous marketing managers depending on how “hands on” the client likes to be.)

Whether it’s buying a product, clicking a link, making a call, or a secret fourth thing, copywriters encourage consumers to do something, whereas content simply informs or entertains or info-tains. 

But What About the Chatbots?

Yep, they can write, too. Right now they sound about as proficient as a high school freshman attempting to write an pop-quiz essay after staying up all night playing video games. Will they get better? Probably. Will marketers attempt to use them? Almost definitely. They’re sure to make the world of content even more repetitive and bloated. And though it may seem like all these new options for communication make getting the word out about your product easier, it’s actually tougher than ever to stand out. But that’s a whole other blog post. Stay tuned!

But Will a Chatbot Kill Me and My Family? 

Maybe? How should we know? We aren’t a robotics company. 

*We assume you’re reading this from an underground bunker as ChatBots roam the earth, scavenging for questions to answer and feedback loops in which to get caught

**Content can also refer to all the stuff on a page, including the words, pictures, charts, etc. It’s confusing, we know. Just wait until you learn that the word content, when pronounced slightly differently, also means “at peace with the world.” We’ll never use that version! 

Digital Yalo creates content and copy, do you copy that? It’s all part of our Content Marketing services, which are used in-service to the branding and marketing work we do for customers all around the country. We’re extremely proud of our wordsmiths – they do a lot to help our clients communicate their value to the world. You can find out for yourself – reach-out to us today and let’s have a discussion about what brand messaging and content can do for your business. Let’s talk – using words!