Want to boost leads by next quarter, attract customers, and drive results across marketing, sales, and support initiatives? Content is key. But not just any content—you need the right content crafted by the right creator for your goals. For example, an instructional video from a technical content writer breaking down that new product feature helps customers use it properly and prevents confusion. Conversely, an eBook from a savvy copywriter leveraging psychological principles grabs leads with social proof and scarcity tactics.
Technical content writers and copywriters are two types of scribes with very different content missions. Technical writers simplify the complex, teaching customers how to use features to get them to use the product more. Meanwhile, the copywriter persuades and converts casual browsers into customers.
Both create content but with very different aims. Understanding the distinct skills and objectives of technical content writers versus copywriters is critical in building an effective content strategy. This guide will explore the specifics of each role so you can identify the right writer for your goals.
What Does a Technical Content Writer Do?
Technical content writers play a critical role in translating complex tools and systems into understandable instructional materials for end users. But what exactly does a technical content writer do day-to-day?
Defining the Technical Writer
A technical content writer develops informative educational content that teaches audiences how to properly use complicated technical products or processes.
They simplify extremely dense, intricate technical information into clear, straightforward explanations and instructions that regular users can comprehend without technical backgrounds.
Key Deliverables
Some of the most common materials produced by technical writers include:
- User Manuals: Comprehensive guides that provide step-by-step instructions on all features of a product and how to use them. For example, a technical writer might produce a printed manual for setting up and using a new smartwatch.
- Knowledge Bases: Technical writers are also in charge of creating searchable online documentation repositories that allow users to easily find answers to questions about a product or service, like FAQs or troubleshooting articles.
- Tutorials: They make shorter, focused guides that teach users how to complete specific tasks within a product, such as uploading a profile photo in a social media app.
- How-To Guides: This type of writer may also produce explainers showing how to accomplish goals using a product. For example, they might write a how-to guide on connecting a wireless printer.
- eLearning Courses: They also make interactive online training modules that include lessons, quizzes, and exercises to teach complex technical skills, such as a course on data analytics software.
- API Documentation: Technical writers are also in charge of references that explain how developers can use and integrate with an application programming interface (API).
- Whitepapers: They produce in-depth reports that educate readers on complex technical concepts and the capabilities of specific technologies or products.
Essential Skill Set
To produce these educational materials about intricate, specialized topics, technical writers require:
- Deep understanding of technical subjects and ability to rapidly grasp complex systems.
- Strong written communication skills with exceptional attention to detail – documentation must be perfectly accurate.
- Analytical thinking skills to interpret complicated information and break it down into simplified concepts.
- Proficiency with technical authoring software tools like MadCap Flare, Adobe FrameMaker, or RoboHelp.
- Ability to organize information and create logically structured content for maximal comprehension.
- Knowledge of visual communication techniques like screenshots, flowcharts, and diagrams to illustrate concepts.
Core Industries
Some of the industries that rely most heavily on technical content writers due to complex products and systems include:
- Technology – Hardware, software, and SaaS products
- Engineering and advanced manufacturing
- Science and healthcare – Medical devices, laboratory equipment, etc.
- Automotive, aerospace, and transportation
- IT and cybersecurity
- Financial services and insurance
Technical writers are truly essential across these verticals. However, to create effective educational materials on specialized technical topics, writers must possess deep knowledge of the subject matter. Technical writers without robust expertise in a field often struggle to grasp intricate details and translate them into digestible content. Subject matter unfamiliarity leads to inaccurate or insufficient explanations that fail to teach audiences properly.
That's why technical writing for industries like engineering, IT, and healthcare requires finding professionals with proven experience and capability in comprehending and simplifying the relevant complex domains.
What Does a Copywriter Do?
Unlike technical writers who educate, copywriters persuade. Their content aims to promote brands, products, services and ideas to drive action. Let's explore the copywriter's craft in more detail.
The Copywriter's Purpose
Copywriters promote and sell the features, capabilities, value, or importance of an offering through strategic messaging and storytelling.
Types of Content
Copywriters are versatile wordsmiths who create a wide variety of formats, including:
- Website Pages: They write compelling product or service descriptions
- Blog Posts: Copywriters can also produce engaging articles that incorporate SEO keywords
- Social Media Posts: They can create snackable content tailored to each platform – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn – that showcases brands in a humanized way.
- Advertisements: Other copywriters create ads for print, digital, radio, and television.
- Emails: Copywriters create persuasive narratives and benefit-focused messaging for email newsletters, promotions, and drip campaigns.
- Brochures/Flyers: They’re also adept at making visual sales collateral for in-person campaigns.
- Case Studies: This type of writer will make stories illustrating how brands have helped customers build credibility and trust.
- Video Scripts: They’re also good at writing for videos that demonstrate products and explain value.
Key Skills
To craft compelling, Conversion-focused content, copywriters need skills like:
- Creativity and storytelling ability
- Conversational writing style
- Understanding of psychology and persuasion
- Keyword research and SEO optimization
- Designing strategic customer journeys
- Brand messaging and tone of voice expertise
- Impactful headline and title writing
Core Industries
Copywriters work closely with marketing and sales teams across industries like:
- Advertising and PR Agencies
- Retail and ecommerce
- Technology and software
- Media and publishing
- Healthcare and pharmaceutical
- Nonprofits
- Higher education
The Copywriter's Impact
Copywriters leverage expertise in areas like impactful headlines, strategic CTAs, flawless spelling/grammar, and simplified language to craft copy proven to drive results. Their specialized skills make content perform.
Here are some examples that demonstrate how much a copywriter affects the performance of a brand or a business:
- Headlines Drive Readership: 8 out of 10 people only read headlines. That's why copywriters obsess over crafting compelling, benefit-focused headlines. For example, David Ogilvy's famous Rolls Royce ad took 104 drafts to perfect. Headlines make or break copy.
- Personalized CTAs Boost Conversions: HubSpot found personalized calls to action perform 202% better than generic ones. Copywriters specialize in crafting targeted CTAs like "Download the guide" vs "Download now" to improve response rates.
- Spelling/Grammar Matter: For 74% of readers, spelling/grammar errors are a no-go. They damage brand perception and trust. Copywriters extensively edit and proofread to prevent mistakes that turn off audiences.
- Simplify Language: Boomerang found messages at a 3rd-grade reading level get 36% more responses. Copywriters avoid complex jargon and keep sentences/paragraphs short and scannable to maximize comprehension.
Head-to-Head: Technical Content Writers vs. Copywriters
Looking at some key factors side-by-side reveals the distinction between these two content creation roles:
Purpose of Content
A Technical Content Writer aims to educate and inform users on how to utilize complex tools, software, or technical systems properly. Their goal is to facilitate understanding and aid adoption.
Copywriters, on the other hand, seek to persuade and influence readers in order to promote, sell, or raise awareness of a product, service, or idea.
A copywriter for an e-commerce retailer would craft landing pages, email campaigns, and social media posts that compel audiences to purchase products or sign up for services. Their goal is to drive conversion and sales.
Style and Tone
A technical content writer would use a straightforward, factual tone with clear explanations and bullet-point style instructions when applicable. Their writing focuses on simplicity and comprehension.
For instance, documentation guides from technical writers feature short sentences, ample white space, numbered steps, and straightforward language easily grasped by lay users.
Copywriters employ an engaging, conversational style with emotional appeals, storytelling techniques, creativity, and persuasion principles. Their tone evokes feelings to connect with readers.
Copywriting often uses narrative elements, such as personal anecdotes, rhetorical questions, and descriptive language, to capture attention and influence attitudes.
Content Formats
Technical content commonly includes deliverables like:
- User manuals
- Knowledge bases
- Tutorials
- How-to guides
- FAQs
- API Documentation
- eLearning courses
- White papers
Copywriters produce a wide range of formats:
- Website pages
- Blog posts
- Social media posts
- Advertisements
- Email newsletters
- Case studies
- Videos scripts
- Sales letters
- Product packaging
- Presentations
The content formats align with the distinct goals of each role. Technical writers provide instructional materials, while copywriters use persuasive mediums.
Mindset
Technical writers are analytical problem-solvers who focus on simplifying complex information into easily understood formats for users. They distill and demystify.
Copywriters embrace a strategic, creative mindset as message craftsmen focused on positioning brands, attracting interest, prompting action, and maximizing ROI. They compel and convert.
As you can see, the core emphases of these two roles are markedly different. Technical content facilitates understanding through informative instruction, whereas copywriting motivates action through persuasive storytelling.
Technical Writer or Copywriter? Choosing The Right One
One of the first steps in producing high-quality content that drives results is determining whether you need a technical writer or a copywriter. The decision depends largely on your goals and objectives.
Do You Need to Educate or Persuade?
The core purpose of the content should guide which role you choose.
If your goal is:
- Explaining how a complex product or system works – Hire a technical writer to produce simplified educational materials teaching users about features and capabilities.
- Creating instructional "how-to" guides for a technical process – Hire a technical writer to outline steps in a straightforward, logical manner.
- Developing interactive training courses on complicated subject matter – Hire a technical writer to present complex details in easily grasped lessons.
- Documenting intricate API specifications for developers – Hire a technical writer to clearly explain integration details.
If your goal is:
- Increasing brand awareness or credibility – Hire a copywriter to craft compelling messaging positioning you as an authority.
- Generating leads and sales – Hire a copywriter to develop persuasive narratives that highlight value and prompt action.
- Creating an engaging social media presence – Hire a copywriter to bring your brand's voice to life on social platforms through relatable, humanized content.
- Building email lists and automating drip campaigns – Hire a copywriter to write compelling email content tailored to each subscriber stage.
Evaluating Your Content Needs
Beyond goals, assessing the specifics of your content needs is crucial:
- Do you have intricate technical details that need to be distilled into simplified explanations for customers? Hire a technical writer.
- Does your product have many complex features that will require extensive documentation and training? Hire a technical writer.
- Do you want to convey expertise and thought leadership on industry topics to attract leads? Hire a copywriter for compelling educational content.
- Is your website copy product/service focused rather than branded and emotional? Hire a copywriter to punch up persuasive messaging.
Matching Roles to Goals
Carefully identifying whether educating users or persuading/converting customers is the primary aim will point you toward the right writer for the job. Aligning content production with the best-suited role gives you the highest chance of creating materials tailored to your goals that deliver results.
Wing Assistant: Finding the Right Writer
Regardless of whether your business needs a technical content writer or copywriter, identifying and hiring specialized content talent can be challenging. That's where Wing Assistant can help.
Wing Assistant provides businesses access to a thoroughly vetted network of skilled content professionals trained in writing both technical documentation and persuasive copy.
With just a few clicks, you can be matched with and hire the perfect content creator for your project in minutes based on factors like:
- Industry experience
- Content writing background
- Tools and systems proficiency
- Availability
- Budget
By leveraging Wing Assistant's global pool of talent, you benefit from:
- Finding the Best Fit: Get matched with a writer whose expertise aligns with your specific content needs.
- Saving Time: Eliminate lengthy hiring processes by quickly engaging pre-qualified talent through Wing's platform.
- Scaling Production: Add as many writers as necessary to handle any volume of content without burdening HR.
In today's digital landscape, content is paramount, but ensuring that content drives results takes strategy. Wing Assistant's platform streamlines hiring skilled technical and copywriting talent to produce the right content for your business goals efficiently.
Don't leave your content up to chance – let the content creation experts at Wing help build your dream team fast.
Making the Right Choice for Your Content Needs
When it comes to achieving your business objectives through content, having the proper creator on your team is imperative. Understanding when you need an informative technical content writer versus a persuasive copywriter will lead to content that truly moves the needle.
With their complementary skill sets – simplifying complex information versus crafting compelling messaging – technical writers and copywriters each play a critical role in content creation. By determining your goals and hiring the right resource for the job through services like Wing Assistant, you can execute a winning content strategy tailored to your specific needs.
The next step is connecting with Wing Assistant to be matched with (and hiring) a qualified technical content writer or copywriter for your project in record time.
Aya is Wing Assistant’s blog manager. When she’s not wrangling content briefs, editing article drafts and handling on-page SEO, she is crafting messages for Wing’s other communication materials. Aya writes about SaaS startups, marketing for startups, search engine optimization, and pop culture.
