Ghostwriter vs Copywriter vs Content Writers: The Differences

Every zebra is different. Across all three species, no two patterns are the same. And it’s those nuanced differences that allow zebras to recognise each other: Stripes are their calling card. Similarly, ghostwriters, copywriters and content writers have distinctive skills. Knowing the differences can help you leverage each writer’s unique strengths and maximise your content strategy.

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Contrary to popular belief, not all writers are the same. 

While some excel at bringing an aspiring thought leader’s ideas to life, others are experts at crafting persuasive conversion pieces, and another produces engaging socials and blog posts and articles. Each has unique strengths in transforming ideas, insights and conversion goals into compelling narratives for various platforms. 

So what are the roles that each writer plays?

 

Defining Ghostwriters 

A ghostwriter is an experienced, professional writer who creates content on behalf of the person contracting them. The key goal is to capture and reflect your unique voice, style and ideas. Contracted work is usually agreed upon under an non-disclosure agreement (NDA), and the ghostwriter cannot make any public claim of authorship on the work.

Modern leadership includes the task of regularly creating and sharing thoughtful, original content across digital and print platforms. 

This content, read by management and employees, stakeholders, board members, industry experts, venture capitalists, potential investors and customers, plays an important role in building your personal brand and authority standing in your field. However, few leaders have the time to write the volume of content required, so they turn to a ghostwriter to assist.

Ghostwriters have two very particular skills: listening and extracting.

By asking probing questions, editing the materials you’ve provided and articulating your ideas and insights in your own voice and style, ghostwriters take on the heavy lifting of writing high-quality content. They’re frequently contracted on an ongoing basis by high-profile individuals, founders or thought leaders to consistently write:

• Articles
• Reports
• Blog posts
• Pitch decks
• Social posts 
• White papers
• E-books/guides
• Speeches
• Books

This content reflects your thoughts and expertise without demanding your time or writing skill – giving you back valuable time to focus on strategic tasks. Ghostwriting also gives voice to non-writers and those who lack confidence in their skills, thus ensuring their ideas are still shared and heard. 

 

Understanding Copywriters 

Copywriters specialise in crafting persuasive and marketing-oriented content designed to drive conversions and engage the audience. The copywriter is contracted and paid based on an agreed brief, and although the company/brand owns the copy produced, the copywriter can generally display/claim credit for writing the work, in order to solicit further work/clients.

They’re often employed by marketing teams, CMOs, entrepreneurs, solopreneurs to write piece-by-piece conversion driving pieces:

• Advertisements
• Sales pages
• Landing pages
• Website pages
• Promotional materials
• Social media ads
• Paid ads
• Social posts 

Copywriters need to deeply understand the ICP or target audience’s needs and desires to create compelling copy that motivates action. They excel at creating clear calls to action (CTAs) and the use of persuasive language to capture the audience’s attention and interest.

This makes copywriters a vital team member in advertising campaigns, email marketing, website copy and growth marketing initiatives, where the primary goal is to convert readers into customers.

 

Exploring Content Writers

Content writers, also known as content creators, focus on producing informative and engaging content tailored to your audience’s interests. The content is generally educational, inspirational or entertaining in its premise, and it uses a much longer tail approach to conversion as compared to a copywriter. 

Depending on the type of content and stage of the sales funnel (TOFU>MOFU>BOFU) immediate action is not necessarily expected, as it’s understood the content is designed for the needs of each stage and its goals – awareness, evaluation, conversion – through ‘What is’, ‘How to’ and ‘How we’ content. 

The content aims to improve discoverability, deliver readability and build engagement:

Content Marketing Goal	Description
Discoverability =	SEO/SERPS – page views + rank etc.
Readability =	Second-person POV (ie. you) focused, structured for scanning/easy reading, uses h1-h4 headings structure correctly, reflects brand TOV, uses storytelling techniques meets accessibility guidelines
Engagement =	Recommendations, page views, dwell time, scroll depth, bounce rate etc.

Experienced content creators research their work to ensure it’s accurate, relevant and helpful to readers. They also utilise SEO best practices to increase visibility, drive traffic and keep your audience engaged via a variety of forms and mediums:

• Blog posts
• Articles
• Videos
• E-books/guides
• White papers
• Podcast scripts
• Social media content

The key role of a content creator is to inform, entertain and engage the audience, making their work essential for blogs, websites, and social media platforms. 

 

Key Differences: Ghostwriter vs Copywriter vs Content Writer

While ghostwriters, copywriters and content creators all specialise in writing, there’s significant differences in the purpose and outcomes of the writing.

Type of Writer	Ghostwriter	Copywriter	Content Writer
Description	The invisible writer	The conversion writer	The engaging writer
Key focus	Writes for others (articles, content, books), has deep experience and the ability to mimic tone-of-voice and style.	Skilled in persuasive writing for marketing, advertising, or conversation/sales efforts.	Writes informative, educational and helpful content that engages.
Key skills	Ghostwriters must be adaptable and able to maintain confidentiality. Uses storytelling techniques to shape narratives.	Copywriters need strong persuasive writing skills and marketing knowledge. Able to evoke emotions and influence through word use.	Content creators need to have strong writing skills, creativity, SEO expertise, and the ability to produce multimedia content.
Goal of writing	To build the client’s  reputation and expertise. Invisibly captures their voice and ideas of the person, to produce high-quality engaging content.	To inspire/persuade the audience to take specific action – buy, subscribe, read, visit. Drives conversions and sells products/services through the use of compelling and action-oriented language.	Uses the sales funnel stages (TOFU>MOFU>BOFU) as a guide to develop different types of content for different stages of reader/buyer awareness, with the long term goals of them becoming  a user/buyer.
Writing audience	Varies – tailored to the goals of the person contracting the writer (e.g: thought leadership, personal brand).	Broad – defined by product/service or ICP specified and their pains/needs, plus the goals specified (e.g: conversions. subscribers) by marketing/mgmt.	TOFU>MOFU>BOFU, as defined by product/service, audience pains/desires and stage of awareness as well as content goals and strategy.
Client	Founder C-Suite Entrepreneur Solopreneur CMO Their work is closely tied to the founder/leader’s goals (e.g: thought leadership, authority etc)	CMO Head of Marketing Fractional CMO Growth Marketing Entrepreneurs Solopreneurs Their work is often closely tied to marketing goals/KPIs, involving specific ICP.	CMO Head of Marketing Fractional CMO Head of Content Growth Marketing Entrepreneurs They prioritise informing, entertaining, and engaging and SEO techniques to attract and retain readers.
Why hire	Too busy to write Struggle with writing Want a specific voice/style Need a professional writer	Want clear, persuasive marketing copy and messaging. To connect with ICP on a deeper level through marketing copy.	To produce helpful, engaging content that activates or builds an audience of current and potential/future users and buyers.
Types of content	Articles (print/digital) Reports Email courses Pitch decks Blog posts Speeches Socials Books	Advertisements Website content Landing/sales pages  Email marketing  Brochures Socials	White Papers Blog posts Articles Videos Podcasts Socials
Credit	No public credit to the writer. Usually done under a NDA. Authorship is credited to whoever contracted the writer.	Credit goes to the company/brand. But the copywriter can usually promote authorship to gain further work.	Credit usually goes to the company/brand, as often written by inhouse content team members.

 

Having an understanding of the differentiation between all three types of writers, is crucial for companies, brands and individuals – to know who to select as the right professional for their needs.

 

3 Choices: Finding the Right Writer for Your Needs 

Selecting the right writer depends on your project goals:

1. For content that captures your voice and ideas without public acknowledgment of the writer, a ghostwriter is the best choice. 
2. For persuasive marketing copy designed to drive sales and conversions, a copywriter is ideal. 
3. If your goal is to create engaging, informative content for your blog, website, or social media, a content writer or creator is the most suitable option.

Understanding the strengths of each type of writer helps you make an informed decision. By carefully evaluating your needs and choosing the right professional, you can ensure that your content effectively supports your business goals. 

 

The Right Writer for the Right Task 

Understanding the differences between ghostwriters, copywriters, and content creators helps you select the right type of writer for your specific needs. 

Each writer brings unique skills and focuses – their calling card – that vary from maintaining a client’s voice, to driving conversions or engaging an audience. Knowing those differentiators helps you better leverage their expertise and achieve your content goals. 

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Ready to build your presence online? Need to scale your content efforts? Consider hiring a ghostwriter today.

For more insights and to see how we can work together, visit my LinkedIn profile.